Irene’s project in Italy – Paths to Independence: Preparing for the World of Work

While being a volunteer of the European Solidarity Corps in Italy, Irene put in place her own initiative of solidarity : “VIE DI AUTONOMIA: PREPARAZIONE AL MONDO DEL LAVORO”

For her CLIC personal project of solidarity, Irene organised a series of training sessions to support adolescents in reception communities. This project was an opportunity for her to design and implement a complete initiative from start to finish, putting her professional skills and experience into practice while creating a meaningful impact for the participants.

The project consisted of three sessions in Padova. It began with a communal lunch to foster trust and participation, followed by workshops on job searching, CV writing, and interview preparation. A second session, led by a specialized educator, focused on Italian workers’ rights and understanding payslips. The final session included mock interviews with professionals, providing participants with hands-on experience. The program concluded with a social barbecue. 

Irene believes her project was successful because participants not only developed practical skills but also gained confidence and motivation to approach the world of work. The project strengthened her leadership, organisational, and mentoring skills, while giving her experience in participant engagement, and managing activities from start to finish. It also boosted her confidence and personal growth, allowing her to see that she could successfully lead a project and make a meaningful difference in the lives of the adolescents she worked with.

This initiative was supported along the CLIC project. C.L.I.C. for “Coordinating Locally in order to Increase More Changes with  the European solidarity Corps” is a cooperation partnership we participate  in with 9 other like-minded organisations from 9 European countries. Together, we want to increase the impact and the visibility of the European  Solidarity Corps in our communities, while providing young people with a  strong educational value along their volunteering projects.