Free to study helps Three and a half million children and adolescents living in absolute or relative poverty in Italy are at risk of not being able to complete their studies. The Polytechnic of Turin sponsors a project supported by the Society of San Vincenzo De Paoli.
Poverty and social exclusion: the numbers
Almost three out of ten minors in our country are exposed to conditions of poverty or social exclusion. ISTAT data provide an alarming picture for new generations: 13% of the school-age population drop out of school early or are in any case at risk of not completing compulsory courses.
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Educational poverty and economic poverty feed off each other and start a vicious cycle that is hard to break.
For this reason, the Turin Central Council of the Society of Saint Vincent De Paul, an association that has always been close to families at risk, proposes the project “Free to study”, sponsored by the Polytechnic of Turin, which will start in January 2024.
Initiative
“The initiative – explains Rodrigo Sardi, president of the Central Council of Turin – provides support to families and the provision of grants, in addition to public ones, for the purchase of technological equipment, books, and stationery and to cover expenses for personal assistance with studies, extracurricular activities, canteens, transport, paying taxes and allowance for rent away from home.
But we are also concerned with guaranteeing opportunities for socialization, such as school trips and recreational activities, which children from troubled families often have to give up. We want to eliminate the causes of social exclusion, which can worsen children’s feelings of marginalization and frustration.”
Special attention is also given to students with DSA, who often experience severe emotional distress due to the frequent difficulties they encounter in their academic careers. Dyslexia, dysorthography, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia cannot be cured, but are corrected with technological equipment and personalized learning assistance. A path that allows one to achieve even brilliant results, but often has significant costs that are not covered by the public intervention of the relevant local authority, both because of the long activation times and because of the specific nature of some expenses.
“In these cases, Rodrigo Sardi continues, we offer families a support program with pedagogues, psychologists, and speech therapists who help children overcome difficulties through effective learning techniques and specific teaching aids”. “The whole project – emphasizes Paola Da Ros, President of the Italian National Federation of the Society of Saint Vincent De Paul ODV – is perfectly in line with the charism of the Society of Saint Vincent De Paul, which provides assistance that is not only material. , but a real companion on the path of personal growth aimed at escaping from conditions of discomfort.
Families must not be left alone with their difficulties, but must be followed by the competence and professionalism of the educators, as well as with all the affection and encouragement of the many volunteers who are dedicated every day to alleviating the problems of the sufferers.”
The financial support for “Free to Study” comes from Polincontri: Association for Culture, sport and leisure for those who study and work at the Polytechnic of Turin. “As a sign of gratitude – concludes Marco Guercio, vice-president of the Italian National Federation of San Vincenzo De Paoli ODV and promoter of the Liberi di studi project – we will award solidarity panettone to the teachers and staff of the Polytechnic. from Turin.
The package, the same one that our volunteers have been handing out in recent days in the squares of many Italian cities, also has a QR code that will allow you to contact us and discover our many activities in this area. For those who wish, in addition to contributing a small donation, it is also possible to join our association. We are available to anyone who wants to get to know us better and cooperate”. Because, as the motto of the Society of Saint Vincent De Paul says: lending a hand colors life.
Company St. For 190 years, Vincent De Paul has been committed to promoting social justice, peace, and friendship between nations. With 12,500 volunteers in Italy, it operates in 155 countries and manages 957 operational groups called “conferences”. The organization’s influence extends globally with 641 supports in Africa, 1,036 in Asia, 831 in the Americas, and 41 in Oceania. During 2023, 3 international projects were financed and 3 extraordinary interventions were implemented.
