“Quartieri tranquilli” Supporting the Development of a Web Portal for a Community Based Action

Project location: ITALY, Milano
Project start date: June 2013 - Project end date: June 2014
Project number: 2013-009
Beneficiary: Associazione Quartieri Tranquilli

TIMELINE OF THIS FINAL REPORT: From May 2013 to July 2014

The main project goal was to develop a web portal ( http://www.quartieritranquilli.it/) to collect updated information on the services offered by the districts of Milan to the citizens, with the aim of highlighting the strengths and stengthen their weaknesses, thus maximizing the full potential of the area, facilitating the aggregation of people and encouraging the inspiration for future initiatives.

The official start of the Quartieri Tranquilli project was marked by the "Camminata Tranquilla" in May 2013. The walk followed an itinerary from Piazza del Duomo in Milan to Parco Sempione.

Among the many civic projects launched through Quartieri Tranquilli's web portal:

"Un medico ti ascolta" project in Brera's area, with the cooperation of the parish of San Marco that has kindly provided some rooms for the implementation of the project. "Un medico ti ascolta" allows people to have at their disposal, one afternoon per week, doctors to answer any questions concerning their specialties.

"Cani tranquilli" project, a professional dog-sitter course, with compulsory attendance, oral exam and final certification, aimed at creating a new profession (the dog-sitter), and give serenity to people who have dogs but cannot take care of them full-time, leaving them in good hands.

"Linea Adele" project, which helps political refugees to find a way of social integration and employment through the creation of a line of nightgowns and household linen. For Carnival they also tailored costumes for people who asked for it.

The laboratory "Arte&Mestieri" launched in January 2014 in Barona's area to help young people to enter the world of work. Eight young people who attended the laboratories have been rewarded. Three carpenters, two tailors, one troubleshooter bicycle and two maintenance construction workers started their first work experience in May 2014.

Another project that is particularly dear to the Association is to gain a new lease of life to San Vittore district, prison included. In the month of December 2013 the premiere of "La Scala" theatre was broadcast in San Vittore prison for inmates and guests. Moreover, in March 2014 the magazine "Oltre gli occhi" has been launched; it is a bimonthly magazine through which the prisoners tell their stories, talk about their emotions, their fears and their hopes. Many other projects intended to prisoners were also scheduled for 2014.

The website has played a key role in fostering the activities of the Association. It was a means of advertising, not only for the projects of the Association, but also for all the activities organized by other bodies or simply groups of people, as well as a place where people can express their opinions and leave suggestions on the activities undertaken.

For the year 2014 many other projects are intended to be launched. Some of them are, for example, "Premio Guido Martinotti", "Il vigile in farmacia" project, a football tournament for youth teams of Milan and "orti sinergici" project.

The "Premio Guido Martinotti" is a journalistic competition addressing students of "Università Cattolica di Milano", "Iulm" and "Università Statale di Milano". The best three journalistic works describing Milan will be awarded the publication on "Corriere della Sera"'s website, the broadcast of a dedicated service on "TeleLombardia" television channel and a scholarship of 1.500 euros.

The project "orti sinergici" is intended to bring to every school a urban garden that will be looked after by children. These gardens have already been created in the schools "Duca degli Abruzzi", "Comprensivo Scialoia" and " Paderno Dugnano".

The project "Calcio Tranquillo" a football tournament for youth teams of the different districts of Milan dedicated to Candido Cannavò.

Many other project ideas are expected to arrive directly from the people of the different areas, as the Association Quartieri Tranquilli is ready to listen to the needs and opinions of the people, in order to implement projects that could effectively satisfy everybody.