How it started...
Some students from a school in Bassano del Grappa wanted to develop a project of citizenship, something out of the ordinary. They read in a newspaper about the German action day organised by SHL. Therefore, they got in touch with SHL. This way, they also got to know the other European action days and organisations and that same year they organised their first Action Day. The idea was so good that it became a project with more and more participants every year. Now we have a big team and are working to create our own association.
The main goal and mission of Social Day Italy is giving active people, within Social Day and in the supported projects and initiatives, the opportunity to achieve important citizenship skills. During the Action Day they get in contact with the professional world and can contribute to their community. While being active in Social Day, participating to our events, organising workshops etc. youngsters have the opportunity to educate themselves in the fields of solidarity, poverty, globalisation, NGOs etc.
Through the strong collaboration between Social Day and the supported projects the participating youngsters can be strengthened in their daily work in order to guarantee their independence. It’s a double benefit: “Act locally, think globally”!
Solidarity Action Day
Their Action Day usually takes place in the first weeks of April, according to the different schools. It has developed in the north of Italy, particularly in two regions, Veneto and Trentino Alto Adige and in some other provinces. It involves students from primary schools to high schools, where it is more structured. There are group of students that coordinate and organize the action day during all the year, choosing projects and contacting places where youngsters can work. Every year the success of the project increases, getting more students and more money.
Projects
Social Day Italy fund Libera Terra in Italy, a projects which works against mafia. Other projects can be wherever but usually in the Global South. The responsible association of every project comes to present its project and is available to answer questions. In some areas, the projects belong to the cooperative responsible for the social day, while in other areas they are put forward by external associations. After the presentation day every board votes for three projects according to parameters as youth involvement, sustainability etc. After that, the three votes from every boards are put together and we finally choose the three ones with the highest number of preferences.
Best practice
Social Day Italy has a network of cooperatives, which makes them efficient and organised in every area. In this way, they also act as a federation because every area has its own characteristics and its own way to proceed. The cooperatives have a lot of resources and support the idea of the Solidarity Action Day. One of the cooperatives is Villa San Giuseppe, where the Summer Academy in 2018 was hosted.