On March 12, Claudia Angelini, our Country Manager in Italy, presented our Foundation at CSR Week, introducing the Italian Fundraising Festival. This event will take place on June 9-11 in Riccione, Italy, and is dedicated to Italian NGOs and associations.
If you missed the webinar, here is a short recap of what we discussed, as we asked our speaker directly.
Good morning, Claudia. Can you share more about the reason for sponsoring, presenting, and attending the Fundraising Festival?
It is our first time at the Fundraising Festival, and our intent is to increase our connections with Italian associations and NGOs potentially interested in becoming our partners. For this reason, this week I had the pleasure of introducing the Foundation and its mission and values in this webinar.
What did you talk about?
I focused on what makes our Foundation unique. First of all, we do not raise funds, which is amusing to say at a Fundraising Festival. Our strength lies in our volunteers who teach digital skills, enabling marginalized communities to face the future with more resources. Second, we use the Train-the-Trainer methodology to amplify the work of our volunteers and reach as many final beneficiaries as possible. Third, our courses are designed and updated by our volunteers, mainly engineers, so we don’t buy them or spend money to keep them updated. Fourth, our strength is the collaboration with local organizations such as the Italian Red Cross, Save the Children, ACRA, and many others to reach the right beneficiaries for our courses.
Did you talk about any specific projects?
One of the most significant projects to me is the introductory computer course for inmates at Bollate Prison near Milan, launched in 2009. This project aims to provide fundamental digital skills to inmates, facilitating their reintegration into society. We use refurbished computers and equipment provided by STMicroelectronics and the Train-the-Trainer methodology to train inmates as future teachers. The project has expanded to other prisons in Italy and abroad, reaching thousands of beneficiaries.
What do you hope to get out of participating in the Fundraising Festival?
“Our local partners, such as associations or NGOs, are our key to success. These organizations share our mission of combating the digital divide. Therefore, my hope is to extend my network of partnerships, meet people, and discuss new potential projects. There is a lot we can do in Italy. While we offer expertise in training delivery with our successful formats, we expect partners to have suitable spaces and a sufficient user base to ensure the effectiveness of the courses. We use the Train-the-Trainer methodology to train the partner’s teachers, who then deliver the courses to the final beneficiaries. It is important that partners do not request monetary donations, do not offer similar paid courses, and ensure insurance for their volunteers and students.
Do you have any final notes before we close?
If you are attending the Fundraising Festival, let’s connect. You can get in touch with us even now through our website www.stfoundation.org, so we can arrange meetings onsite in Riccione. Hope to see you there!