Rome (Italy). On January 30, 2019, on the eve of the feast of Don Bosco, some young people and an educator of the Harambee community were guests on the TV show “L’ora solare” broadcast on Tv2000. It was an opportunity to present the educational projects carried out in the structure of Casale Monferrato (AL) and supported by the Salesians of the Social – SCS / CNOS Federation
The Harambée community was born in Casale Monferrato in 1996 with the aim of welcoming young people who live in disadvantaged situations. Today the community manages a family home for youngsters who have moved away from their parents, a center for unaccompanied foreign minors, and an apartment for young people over the age of 18 who experiment with autonomy, the so-called “care leavers”.
«Young people must leave the community by law,» explains Milena Tacconelli, Harambée educator. «So we proposed to social services to continue to accompany them through experiences of autonomy “Over 18”. We thought that living together favors mutual-aid conditions. The strong point is the search for work that allows them to become independent».
«As soon as we left the apartment – says one of the boys welcomed – the community continued to be near me, the educators helped me to send a resume and I managed to do a trial week in a company. Surprisingly, they told me to stay and after a few months I got a permanent contract».
Learning a trade, accessing an apprenticeship to find a job, learning to live on their own providing for their needs, and building lasting relationships over time are some of the objectives that the team has been working on for years.
«The boys are not only to be welcomed, it is also necessary to accompany them!» (Don Bosco).