“Borse del Cuore": supporting the future of young people, a shared commitment

Francesca Rava Foundation and Plenitude together to offer growth opportunities to “NEET and in situations of fragility” young people.

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G. is 24 years old. After dropping out of school, he started a process in prison that led him to want to become an educator. I. is 21 years old, and has been able to turn his own experiences into experience to devote himself to young people who may have experienced similar situations. D., 19 years old, is a hikikomori who has found interest in IT, a field in which he would like to work. These are just three of the testimonies of young people who took part in the Francesca Rava Foundation's “Borse del Cuore” (Heart’s Grants) project, supporting fragile young people and NEETs, which stands for “Not in Education, Employment or Training”. In other words, those young people who are outside study and vocational training paths, and therefore at high risk of marginalisation.

Fondazione Rava's project was supported by various corporate realities including Plenitude, consistently with its corporate vision that puts people and their development at the centre, considering community support an investment in the future. The partnership with Fondazione Francesca Rava, through adhesion to the Borse del Cuore project, represents a concrete action to offer 15 young beneficiaries a second chance and promote social sustainability.

The Francesca Rava Foundation's project, through customised study paths and vocational training, aims at the social reintegration of young people aged between 14 and 22, referred by institutions such as the Juvenile Social Services Office (in Italian it’s Ufficio di Servizi Sociali per i Minorenni or USSM), the Cesare Beccaria juvenile penitentiary institute and other local institutions. In particular, Plenitude contributed to the project by financing 15 scholarships and vocational training in the last edition, which took place between September 2023 and June 2024, and the young people were each followed by a personal tutor and professional counsellors.

The programme consisted of personal and group meetings and various experiential activities, such as theatre workshops, a first aid course, the opportunity to attend a concert at La Scala or visit an immersive exhibition on Monet. In parallel, they worked on job placement, with CV writing and mock interviews. The course ended with a visit to the Plenitude headquarters in Milan, where participants shared their stories, dreams and the meaning of the project.

With Chiara Del Miglio, who has been with the Francesca Rava Foundation for 20 years and is in charge of educational projects, we explored the activity.

- How did the collaboration between Plenitude and the Francesca Rava Foundation come about and what values do you share in the “Borse del Cuore” project?

“The collaboration between Plenitude and the Francesca Rava Foundation goes beyond the “Borse del Cuore” project and extends to corporate volunteering, in fact we share fundamental values such as respect, sharing, safety, work and responsibility. In particular, with the “Borse del Cuore” project we focus on the value of responsibility, understood both on a collective and individual level, as well as the enhancement of each person's potential. This project, in fact, has the peculiarity of working on the individual, recognising and enhancing his or her specificities and potential”.

- “Borse del Cuore” provides a customised pathway for each young person. Can you describe how it is organised?

“Each young participant was accompanied by a dedicated tutor. This mentoring is crucial, as many of our beneficiaries need constant psychological support and often lack self-confidence or someone to talk to. The tutors act as a bridge between the young person and the Foundation, ensuring careful monitoring of the process and enabling the young person to learn to trust himself and others. Once specific needs have been identified, the pathway is adapted according to requirements, which may include study support, such as obtaining a driving licence or finding a job”.

- What are the main difficulties you encounter in the growth path of fragile and NEET young people?

“The greatest difficulties arise when young people do not have solid reference figures behind them. For example, for young people coming from the Cesare Beccaria juvenile prison, the risk of relapse is high if, once they leave, they do not find a supportive family or social environment. For this reason, the synergy between the Foundation, the tutors and the communities fostering the youngsters is crucial. When all the components are aligned and the child is motivated, we do not encounter any particular obstacles. It is necessary, however, that there is a genuine desire on the part of the boy to improve his situation. In this sense, the Foundation listens to individual needs, providing the necessary tools to succeed and guiding the children towards their goals”.

- What tools does “Borse del Cuore” leave the youngsters with to face the future?

“At the end of the course, we strive to leave the children with concrete tools and, above all, a new vision of the world. Through experiences such as evenings at La Scala and visits to museums, we show them the beauty that exists beyond their everyday realities, encouraging them to dream and aim for ever more ambitious goals. The work with counsellors is fundamental in strengthening self-esteem, helping each individual child to discover and enhance his or her own potential. Being finally ‘seen’ and listened to is the key to giving beneficiaries a new opportunity. In this process, the experience of volunteering also contributes, allowing them to feel useful and to go from being beneficiaries to active protagonists, thus helping to build a positive self-image”.