Information providers/counselling structures

As mentioned above (Cf. 5.7), in Italy the Ministry of Education and Merit, in collaboration with the Senate and Chamber of Deputies offers schools of different orders and degrees a framework for providing training and information on rights, duties and democratic participation.

The National Youth Council and the Department for Youth Policies and Universal Civil Service have signed several Conventions for the implementation of projects aimed at promoting the dissemination of information and financed with resources from the Fund for youth policies.

In order to ensure a targeted dissemination of information among young people with a migratory background, in 2012 the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Education and Merit launched the Migrant Integration Portal. The portal aims to promote integration and access to public services and contains a section “New Generations - CONNGI“ targeted to young migrants.

Youth-targeted information campaigns about democratic rights and democratic values

The platform “Educazione Digitale”(Digital Education”), offers information about projects, awareness campaigns, competitions, educational materials and tools aimed at schools on youth participation and on the Italian form of government using the resources offered by the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies and the Ministry of Education and Merit (Cf. 5.7).

The Platform Europe=Noi - School of European Citizenship is an educational project promoted by the Department for European Policies, in collaboration with the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Ministry of Education and Merit.

The platform offers teachers and students of all primary and secondary schools a multimedia and interactive journey to discover European history, values, institutions and programs, with particular attention to the rights and duties related to citizenship and to the Treaties, which have allowed for the establishment and development of the European Union. According to the website of the Department for European Policies, over 11 thousand teachers already use the digital platform.

The main projects aimed at secondary education are the following:

• A SCUOLA DI EUROPA - OPEN MIND. An educational kit that contains moments of analytical reconnaissance, playful/educational activities and educational games functional to deepening key issues of the European Union.
• EUROPA=NOI - OPEN MIND® DEBATE. An educational tool in four phases that allows to develop with the class an interactive test, various experiences of flipped classrooms on different topics, 10 training sessions for the final online debate.

E-Book “TRATTATI” The European Union Treaties in digital and interactive format, to study the agreements that have made the Union what it is today.

Promoting the intercultural dialogue among young people

The Ministry of Education and Merit in the context of supporting integration of young migrants promoted the following initiatives:

• Protagonists! the new Italian generations speak about themselves (Protagonisti! Le nuove generazioni si raccontano);
• Bridges Builders (Costruttori di ponti).

The Foundation “Initiatives and Studies on Multi-Ethnicity” (Iniziative e Studi sulla Multietnicità - ISMU) manages a Documentation Centre on international migration and inter-ethnic coexistence with over 12,600 titles between books and videos, more than 150 thematic periodicals. The main recipients of the projects are: teachers and educators, public officials and policymakers, immigrants and migrant associations, asylum seekers and refugees, journalists, non-profit organizations and businesses, students and researchers.

Promoting transparent and youth-tailored public communication

According to Law 150/2000 all public administrations are requested to provide public information about the policies promoted and implemented.

Responding to the right of young people to have access to accurate and objective information that meets their needs and questions, the Department for Youth Policies and the Universal Civil Service and is developing an interactive web platform named “Giovanni 2030” (Youth2030), that collects news and opportunities for young people on volunteering, education, training and culture and allows them to interact with policymakers. The name of the platform originates from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.