by InTrieste
In a sweeping effort to alleviate the challenges posed by the summer school break, Friuli Venezia Giulia’s regional government has unveiled ambitious new programs aimed at supporting families and bolstering youth education.
Alessia Rosolen, Regional Councillor for Work, Education, Training, and Family, announced the initiatives today during a press conference in Trieste. “These programs are designed to address the difficulties families face during the educational hiatus of the summer months, which have profound impacts on young people’s educational journeys,” Ms. Rosolen stated. “We believe it is crucial for the region to complement national efforts in this regard.”
Central to the initiative are projects funded through grants to Third Sector entities. This year, 19 summer centers and 24 after-school programs have been greenlit for funding, with an additional 17 after-school programs set to operate during the summer months. These initiatives span the region, aiming to alleviate the financial burden on families by either fully or partially covering the costs of these services.
The summer centers cater to children from preschool through high school, serving approximately 890 young individuals aged 3 to 17 for an average of six weeks. Meanwhile, the after-school programs, engaging around 580 children aged 6 to 17, offer an average of 28 weeks of service annually, including summer sessions.
The projects are spearheaded by a coalition of 29 associations, 12 social enterprises, and 3 volunteer organizations, with extensive involvement from local partners such as municipal administrations, educational institutions, cultural associations, and parent committees.
In addition to these initiatives, Friuli Venezia Giulia will also launch the Attivascuola Campus, aimed at students in primary and secondary education. This innovative program seeks to foster talent across various disciplines including STEM, ICT, languages, music, theater, sustainability, and active citizenship.
Notably, the camps will be entirely free for families and will run from July 22 to 26 and September 2 to 6, featuring workshops ranging from 12 to 32 hours in the mornings across multiple regional locations.
“We are delighted by the enthusiastic response from families,” Ms. Rosolen remarked. “Within the first week of registration, 720 children and teenagers have already signed up, with workshops in English, theater, and sports proving particularly popular.” Due to overwhelming demand, officials are considering expanding capacity to accommodate more participants.
The initiative is backed by the European Social Fund and involves collaboration with 14 accredited professional training entities and 139 regional partners.
“Our ultimate goal is to institutionalize these supplementary activities as a permanent fixture,” Ms. Rosolen concluded. “This commitment ensures that families have access to affordable summer programs, complementing existing state and local initiatives.”
For more information or to register for the Attivascuola Campus, visit Region’s website or contact the SI.CON.TE office at Tel. 040 3775252 – siconte.info@regione.fvg.it.
