Promoting Active Citizenship to Young People of the Scampia Suburb in Naples, Italy
Project location: Italy, Naples
Project start date: July 2012 -
Project end date: July 2013
Project number: 2012-033
Beneficiary: Il Sole – Associazione per la cooperazione internazionale e le adozioni a distanza ONLUS
Scampia is a suburb in the north of Naples, Italy, sadly well-known all around the world for its social and urban degradation, illegality, violence and for pervasive presence of the Camorra.
According to the latest official data from the 2001 census survey, the Scampia residents are 41.340. Nevertheless, Il Sole Onlus estimates that the effective population might rather be around 65/ 70.000 people. Considering that, according to the official data, 12.648 inhabitants are under 20 years old and 10.482 under 18, it is clear that by providing young people with concrete opportunities for active participation there will be a greater chance to plan a better future for this neighborhood and for the whole city of Naples too. In this perspective the concern and care for young people is urgent and it becomes a real necessity according to the data in the chart below.
| DATA FROM CENSUS SURVEY ISTAT 2001 | SCAMPIA | NAPLES |
| Population(0-13 years) | 18,98% | 15,91% |
| Population (14-20 years) | 11,61% | 9,27% |
| Multinuclear families out of 100 families | 10,25% | 3% |
| One adult parent families ( <64) out of 100 families | 7,34% | 7,08% |
| Juveniles 0-18 recognized by one parent only and allowed to receive a grant | 12,55% | 6,28% |
| Singles, including juveniles | 77% | 34% |
| Population 0-21 years settled in foster homes | 3,01% | 1,84% |
| Juveniles 3-18 years placed in daily socio-educative centres 0/00 on 3-18 years old population | 24,30% | 15,81% |
| Juveniles 5-16 years granted by social services to prevent school drop outs ‰ on 5-16 years old population | 12,62% | 6,47% |
| Juveniles settled in regional projects to prevent school drop outs
| 17,15% 3828 u. | 100% 22316 u. |
| Juveniles and youngs reported to the Authorities USSM in Naples and resident in the Naples area (2005) | 11,71% | 10,23% |
| Juveniles 8-16 years in Territorial Educative activities 0/00 on 8-16 years old population | 32,18% | 27,09% |
Theis data highlights a situation of social emergency due to the presence of weak and inadequate state institutions, together with the urgency to find a wide range of responses that can promote the full cooperation of all actors involved in the provision of educational, sporting and cultural services in the area. Data in fact should be read in conjunction with the chronic lack of effective social, cultural and sport structures, of available green areas, of aggregation centers or even just safe places for young people to socialize.
Young people in Scampia live in a permanent state of social confusion which seriously prevents them from becoming autonomous and responsible citizens, as confirmed by the high percentage of young people who drop out of school and their lack of professional expectations. Scampia is a "frontier land" where the desire for legality of the majority of the population, left alone by state institutions, clashes with the well rooted organized crime of Camorra. Families, which are generally very poor, are not helped by public institutions in avoiding schools drop-outs. Also, the almost total lack of social gathering places make things even harder for those who want to live within the boundaries of the law.
The project, which received a grant from the Nando Peretti Foundation, wishes to support the journey towards adulthood of the youth at risk in the Scampia borough, by providing them with alternative, creative and healthy lifestyles, as well as concrete opportunities for participation and socialization. Also, it aims at encouraging cultural, professional and training exchanges, inspired by the right to International Solidarity, as recently stressed by the United Nations.
The Juvenile Aggregation (Youth) Centre, to be built in the already existing "Casa dell'Arcobaleno", and the day care centre (ludoteca), to be built in the existing "Il giardino dei mille colori" are places designated to this end. Through architectural requalification and the development of association activities, such as tournaments, conferences, seminars, workshops and travels, the Youth Centers will be able to guarantee to those who have left school the possibility to receive adequate education and work training, and to many others, who are not supported by their families, an occasion to socialize, and to learn to claim their own rights. In the long-term the project in fact intends to reduce violence, apathy and indifference in the area of Scampia.
