The activities related to the International Projects of which the UISP Ciriè Settimo Chivasso APS Committee carries out, both as leader and as partner organization, continue with a certain intensity. For example, the final meeting regarding the SPIRITS project took place last week. Five European realities involved: Freedom Gate Greece – a Greek reality with extensive experience in the field of juvenile detention – the Association Sport For All Suceava from Romania, the Courage Foundation association from Bulgaria, the UISP Ciriè Settimo Chivasso Committee – in its capacity di Capofila- and the UISP Alessandria Committee, which for more than 20 years has collaborated within the Alexandrian prisons – the San Michele Prison House and the “Cantiello e Gaeta” prison – offering sports activities to inmates.
SPIRITS, in fact, is a project aimed at training operators who carry out voluntary work within detention facilities, with the aim of using sport not only as a means of maintaining a healthy lifestyle – preventing physical diseases. and psychological – but also as a job opportunity and social redemption. Started in October 2019 with a kick-off meeting that took place at the Atlantic Hotel in Borgaro Torinese, SPIRITS had its final meeting from 28 to 30 September in the city of Athens. “Unlike the previous appointments, this one finally saw the presence of all the partners” says the Director of the Committee Ciriè Settimo Chivasso Roberto Rinaldi, who spoke together with the volunteer of the Civil Service Alexandra Marchino. “The last year and a half, marked by the CoVid-19 pandemic, has in fact made it rather difficult to move from one state to another, although fortunately the technological means we have at our disposal have helped us, allowing us not to lose contact and constantly update ourselves on the evolution of the project ”, continues Rinaldi. “This final meeting was certainly very fruitful: on the first day we discussed the various activities carried out by the partners, also paying particular attention to the reporting that must be delivered to the European Community; on the second day, a very participatory Press Conference was held “In fact, about 30 people – journalists, operators working in detention facilities, members of the partner associations of the project – who, connected through ZOOM, followed the event, without forget the fifteen people in the room. On both days Alexandra Marchino also took care of illustrating the first draft of the Good Practices Manual, a very important tool that will collect the Guidelines for future operators.
“This project has certainly brought a great enrichment to the cultural baggage of all the participants. Our Committee in particular looked at the realities of prisons, assisted by the considerable experience of the Asti-Alessandria Committee and discovering the situation of the detention facilities in the various Sati involved, analyzing similarities and differences. Surely all the skills acquired will be extremely useful not only in projects currently underway, but also for future activities ”concludes the Director Rinaldi.