Il Futura project stopped at Venice within the review “Rights on Rights”. This project, promoted by Save the Children, Inequalities and Diversity Forum e Yolks, With the collaboration of Understanding St. Paul, has an ambitious goal: to fight educational poverty and give a concrete boost to young women between 13 and 24 years old. Also active in Rome and Naples, the project aims to break down the obstacles that limit the potential of girls, especially in the delicate transition to motherhood.
The Venice event was divided into three sections, each of which saw the participation of institutional figures and protagonists of the project, concluding with a plenary debate and the testimonies of some of the young women involved. The day represented an important opportunity to reflect on what has been done so far and on the future challenges for the full realization of women's potential.
The Futura project: two years of activity
The Futura project is active for two years and has already reached 300 young people, 100 of which in the Veneto capital alone. Each girl involved has followed a personalized route, tailor-made to meet their needs and desires. The initiative focuses mainly on recovering studies, entering the world of work and improving emotional well-being. Particular attention is paid to young moms, with specific courses aimed at combating isolation and supporting parenting, as well as courses in computer literacy and combating the gender gap in Steam disciplines.
At the national level, 49% of the interventions are aimed at consolidating studies and starting a career, with a strong incidence also in Venice (47%). A further 27% concerns the realization of specific aspirations and the promotion of personal autonomy, while 19% focuses on emotional well-being, including sports, cultural activities and psychological support. The remaining 5% is dedicated to improving social relationships and creating support networks in the area.
The Gender Gap in Financial Skills
One of the pillars of Futura is precisely thefinancial education. Thanks to the participation of Intesa Sanpaolo, courses have been activated that help girls better understand the world of finance, from managing a bank account to applying for a mortgage. Half of the participants in these courses are young mothers.
The data clearly shows the importance of filling these gaps: according to the results of Pisa 2022, theItaly is behind compared to the media OECD in terms of financial skills: 484 points against 498. Not only that, but also in this field a clear gender gap emerges: Italian boys outnumber girls by a good 20 points. A gap that Futura is trying to fill, offering young women the tools they need to emerge and challenge these numbers.
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Daniela Little Fairy, general director of Save the Children Italy, underlined the importance of these paths: “The Futura project opens the way to new horizons all for women. The girls and young women involved have the opportunity to learn new skills […] that will make them independent and free to make important decisions”.
Paul Good luck, chief social impact officer of Intesa Sanpaolo, said: “One of the strengths of the Futura project is the joint work of different entities that pool their respective experiences and resources to help young women whose difficulties today risk having serious repercussions in the future”.
The Silvia Vaccaro, of the National Coordination of the Inequalities and Diversity Forum, underlined the effectiveness of the project in combating inequalities: “The data and stories collected tell us that the intuition and the initial challenge of the Futura project were right: to think of strategies capable of combating the harmful connection between educational inequalities and gender inequalities”.
The Futura project therefore aims not only to provide immediate support to young women, but also to lay the foundations for long-term change. As stated by Clementine Lamb of Montezemolo, founder and president of Yolk, “Investing in individual life projects and differentiating desires is a very precious choice because the person is truly the protagonist”.