AM I IN? READY TO WORK HARD! WORKING FOR THE COMMON GOOD – 2025 Edition
The project is coordinated by CSV Marche Ets and funded by the Marche Region and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers for the 2025 financial year. It aims to inspire young people to make the most of their summer through concrete activities in active citizenship and care for common goods, supported by the adult community and organizations in the Third Sector.
The project represents the regional edition of “Ci Sto? Affare Fatica!”, an idea launched several years ago by Adelante Società Cooperativa Sociale Onlus in various areas of the Veneto Region.
The activities are funded by the Marche Region-Youth Policies and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers Department for Youth Policies and Universal Civil Service through the FNPG 2024/2026 and they will involve dozens of municipalities and secondary education institutions.
“Ci Sto? Affare Fatica! – Facciamo il bene comune” seeks to reclaim the valuable educational and formative contribution of commitment, in particularly manual labor. The project aims to encourage young people to make the most of their summer—a critical time that is often empty of meaningful experiences —especially for younger generations, through concrete activities in volunteering, active citizenship and care for common goods. These activities will be supported and guided by the local adult community within the relevant territorial area, also involving Third Sector entities and youth organizations.
Other key objectives include:
• fostering intergenerational connections;
• reviving the value of manual work and effort (with recognition);
• making an educational investment in the summer months (by collaborating with schools, local authorities, and associations each spring to design tailored initiatives);
• promoting teamwork;
• encouraging the care and protection of common goods (young people are taught a virtuous process of stewardship and, where possible, the restoration of their local environment, giving them the chance to feel responsible).
The project primarily targets young people aged 14 to 35 (participants aged 14 to 21 and tutors aged 22 to 35), as well as local authorities, Third Sector associations, and youth organizations.
The project’s structure and how it works
- Initially, there will be actions at the local level to present and share the project with administrators of local authorities, secondary schools, and Third Sector entities. The goal is to identify locations for project activities and raise awareness while selecting candidates for the roles of tutors and handymen.
- Next is the registration phase for young people aged 14 to 21, who can choose to participate for one or more weeks during the summer months. Registration will take place via the digital platform www.cistoaffarefatica.it.
- Based on registrations, “teams” of about ten participants each will be formed, along with a young tutor (aged 22–35) and one or more adult volunteer handymen or “master craftsmen” with specific technical or artisanal skills (e.g., woodworking, painting, green space maintenance). These adults will work alongside the youth to complete the assigned tasks.
- Activities focused on the care of common goods will be identified through the network of involved parties, with groups carrying them out in weekly shifts from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, during the weeks from late June to July.
- As recognition for their efforts, all participants will receive weekly “effort vouchers” worth €75.00 (and €150.00 for tutors), which can be spent at stores affiliated with the project (clothing, groceries, books, leisure, IT equipment).
Special attention will be given to ongoing communication, with photos and videos shared by the young participants themselves through the project’s social media channels to spread awareness of the commitment, effort, and care for common goods. Additionally, follow-up conferences and debates will be organized to promote understanding and the replicability of the experience.To follow the activities, visit the project’s Facebook page, Instagram profile, or TikTok channel.
