The call for activities and proposals to promote support for vulnerable people, children and families in difficult situations.

Publication date: 16 March 2020
Institutional

Given the large amount of proposals received within the first submission window, which ended on 22 March 2020, no further proposals can be submitted for the Together, everything will be fine call for proposals. We are working to assess the proposals received by 22 March and will update you as soon as possible. Thank you.

The spread of COVID-19 in Italy and the measures to combat and contain it are having – and will continue to have – a major impact not only on our communities, the life paths and living conditions of the population, the educational opportunities available to our children and young people and the mechanisms behind rising inequality, but also on infrastructures, the health-care system, the research and training work of our universities and the general economic performance of our society.

In response to this specific situation, Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo (hereinafter FCSP) has decided to develop a multi-pronged strategy in collaboration with other foundations, the third sector, the State and regional and municipal councils. Harnessing the skills of Fondazione LINKS, IIGM, Fondazione per la Scuola, Ufficio Pio, Consorzio Xkè ZeroTredici and Collegio Carlo Alberto, and operating within the framework of FCSP’s 3 Goals – Culture, People, Planet, the strategy involves emergency action to tackle current problems, medium-term action to help overcome the crisis and systemic action to redesign and build the future.

In the social and social care arena, national and regional authorities have put in place specific restrictions aimed at combating the spread of the virus. These are seriously inhibiting the ability of minors, families in difficulty and vulnerable people – especially those who have weak or no primary networks – to access and use the services they normally receive from public institutions and the third sector. Living conditions that were already compromised and involved serious risk before the outbreak are therefore deteriorating as a result of these restrictions, which are now also affecting other groups of the population who had previously been able to maintain at least a precarious balance between poverty and adequate living conditions. The impact of this period of emergency cannot yet be precisely determined, but there is a clear risk that the current situation could result in an exponential increase in social and educational inequality.

In view of the current situation, a widespread series of initiatives are springing up at grass-roots level in the various territories, often with the prompting and careful coordination of local public bodies. In this emergency phase, third-sector organisations, public institutions and citizens are developing responses and taking action, sometimes of an innovative nature and in synergy with public services, to promote neighbourly cooperation and care and support for vulnerable adults, minors and families, and to ensure the continuation of social life and social relations. In some cases, the unprecedented nature of the emergency is prompting the active participation of young people, against a backdrop of intergenerational engagement that may provide useful cues and spawn valuable proposals for the future role of voluntary work.

On the basis of these considerations and as part of the emergency initiatives, the Foundation intends not only to facilitate activities in the field of education and for people serving custodial sentences in Piedmont and Liguria, but also to launch a call for proposals entitled “Together, everything will be fine”, aimed at promoting neighbourly support for vulnerable people, minors and families in difficulty.

The first deadline for submitting applications is 23:59 on 22 March 2020.

The text can be viewed and downloaded from the  Contributions section.

This call for proposals contributes to achieving the following Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 1 No poverty
SDG 2 – Zero hunger
SDG 3 Good health and well-being
SDG 10 Reduce inequalities