Spazio Aperto in the Service of the Community
Objectives and activities carried out, in summary
“Spazio aperto al servizio della Comunità” is a project designed to support those in difficulty in Milan. Promoted by Spazio Aperto Servizi in collaboration with the Fondazione Guido Venosta, the initiative offers dedicated spaces in Milan where individuals in economic or social distress—and their families—can find immediate help and support.
The project, developed by the social cooperative Spazio Aperto Servizi in partnership with Fondazione Guido Venosta, targets anyone facing temporary or ongoing socio-economic hardships. Such challenges may include the need to care for an elderly relative, difficulties with home care, balancing private and work life, emotional and psychological weakness, single-income family struggles, or the search for housing or employment.
To meet these complex needs, four multifunctional and easily accessible spaces—already hosting specific services and activities by Spazio Aperto Servizi—have been established in different parts of the city. These centers provide a variety of services, complementary to those already available, aimed at addressing issues ranging from disability support to income assistance, housing access, job search, domestic help, and socio-health and home care services for both natives and migrants.
At each location, visitors can: • Obtain information on procedures, requirements, and available opportunities tailored to their specific situations. • Be guided toward the relevant organizations or services that can process their requests. • Receive assistance with filling out forms and activating support through the appropriate local offices.
The project aims to reach approximately 2,000 people in Milan over the course of one year.
The need for such an initiative has been amplified by recent events—the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine—which have deeply affected everyone’s lives and increased the risk of vulnerability even for those who had not previously experienced hardship. Data from ISTAT in 2021 show that absolute poverty affected a little over 1.9 million families, totaling around 5.6 million people, with particularly high rates among foreigners (over 1.6 million, or 32.4%) compared to Italians (7.2%), as well as rising relative poverty among single and elderly individuals. In Milan, according to Caritas Ambrosiana, most people in difficulty face issues related to income (68.6%), employment (44%), housing (14.2%), immigration (7.7%), family issues (7.7%), homelessness (6.3%), and health (5.8%), with greater challenges observed in single-income households, single-parent families with minor children, and families with members affected by disabilities or illnesses.
The four project locations in Milan are:
– Via Mancinelli, 3
– Via Antonio di Rudinì, 18
– Via Appennini, 98
– Via Antegnati, 11
For further information and to schedule an appointment, a dedicated hotline (349 5205 628) and the webpage (spazioapertoservizi.org/hub) are available. In the medium to long term, the goal is to establish additional access points to cover all of Milan’s municipalities.
Maria Grazia Campese, President of Spazio Aperto Servizi, explains: “Open Space in the Service of the Community arises from our collaboration with Fondazione Guido Venosta with the aim of identifying emerging needs within the community and effectively directing citizens toward existing or newly developed support services. As it becomes increasingly difficult to identify needs across different territories, projects that focus on early engagement and prevention—through a visible presence of social workers in recognized community spaces—are essential for navigating an unprecedented historical phase.”
Fondazione Guido Venosta is proud to have contributed not only financially but also in terms of marketing support to this project, which is considered vital for the city of Milan.
