370 young people involved, three pillars – academic support, creative workshops, and leisure activities – and a book to transform art into a vehicle for inclusion
"An idea, a concept, an idea. As long as it remains an idea, it is merely an abstraction." The book "A Thief in a Painting" opens with this quote from Giorgio Gaber. This publication documents the social and artistic journey of a group of young people who participated in the "Regenerative Energy" project, an initiative by Farsi Prossimo Onlus supported by Plenitude in 2024. A concrete initiative, far from being an abstraction, that has given participants an opportunity for personal and social growth.
370 young people involved, a network of spaces activated across Milan and its suburbs, and an ambitious goal: to help fight educational poverty. These are the key figures and objectives of "Regenerative Energy", a project promoted by Farsi Prossimo Onlus, a social cooperative founded in 1993 by Caritas Ambrosiana. This commitment stems from the desire to provide a concrete response to the various emergencies in the area, focusing on young people and their growing social challenges.
The project is based on three pillars: academic support, creative workshops, and leisure activities, all tailored to the specific needs of young people. Academic support included activities and workshops for primary and secondary school students, with special attention to the most vulnerable children, such as those with Special Educational Needs (SEN) or Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD). The goal was twofold: on one hand, to improve their study methods and strengthen basic skills; on the other, to prevent school dropout, an increasingly concerning phenomenon.
Leisure and social activities allowed participants to enrich their experiences, discover new places and cultures, and build friendships. Cultural visits and trips provided opportunities to step out of their everyday environments, open up to the outside world, and explore new forms of social interaction.
Participatory workshops offered a chance for self-expression and the development of social and emotional skills. Through extracurricular activities in art, creative expression, and music, participants experimented with their abilities, overcame fears and insecurities, and built positive relationships with their peers. A concrete example of this educational journey is the creation of the book "A Thief in a Painting", which showcases the artistic work of 15 young people from Cernusco sul Naviglio.
"A Thief in a Painting" is much more than just a book; it is the manifesto of a journey of growth, a snapshot of the creativity of 15 young "image thieves." Inspired by Magritte’s famous painting The Son of Man, this silent book boldly addresses themes of identity, contemporary society, and the use of social media. «The story tells of a thief, and in a way, we have also been thieves, taking characters and places and turning our story into a tribute to important and famous historical events around the world» say the young authors, asserting their right to reinterpret the world through art.
"A Thief in a Painting" is a work that speaks to young people and adults alike, "a shared effort to create something beautiful for those who encounter it," explains writer and teacher Marco Erba in the book’s preface.
The "Regenerative Energy" project is part of a broader framework of nonprofit initiatives promoted by Plenitude Società Benefit, with a particular focus on combating educational poverty.
The company is committed to promoting the social and cultural development of the communities in which it operates through projects that offer growth and inclusion opportunities for young people. Among the initiatives supported by Plenitude starting in 2024, standout programs include "Le Case del Sorriso" by Fondazione Cesvi, "Exducere Plenitude" with Fondazione L'Albero della Vita, and "Le Borse del Cuore" by Fondazione Francesca Rava.
These projects, along with "Regenerative Energy", represent a concrete investment in the future of young people, seeds planted in the fertile ground of their creativity and potential.
Plenitude supports the CESVI Foundation in Case del Sorriso program, dedicated to children, adolescents, and young women in difficulty, to promote fundamental rights.
Study support, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), local culture: the three areas of intervention of the project, which involved six Italian cities.
Francesca Rava Foundation and Plenitude together to offer growth opportunities to “NEET and in situations of fragility” young people.
