DiversiNEET

Website: www.gusitalia.it

Contact Person: Viviana Giacomini - projects@gus-italia.org

GUS - Human Solidarity Group "Guido Puletti" is a non-governmental organization (NGO) recognized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was founded in 1993 as a voluntary association in the name of Guido Puletti, journalist killed in Bosnia while carrying aid to the suffering people during the Serb-Bosnian conflict. The headquarters of our association is in Macerata (Italy) but our local offices are in different Italian regions (Lazio, Puglia, Sardegna, Marche, Emilia Romagna and Abruzzo) and worldwide (Sri Lanka, Albania, Argentina and Nepal). We mainly work in support of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers promoting  human rights and multicultural integration. GUS is engaged in the planning, coordination and management of integrated interventions aimed to the protection, reception and integration of: foreign citizens in Italy, refugees and asylum seekers, single women or with children, people in situations of particular vulnerability and fragility, victims of torture and trafficking and in general all the people fleeing their country because of war, persecution and humanitarian crises and unable to live safely. We follow the quality system of THE SYSTEM FOR THE PROTECTION OF ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES (SPRAR) that was created under the Italian law no. 189 of 2002 and consists of a network of local authorities that set up and run reception projects for people forced to migrate. Since 1999 Gus manages the European Fund for Refugees (E.R.F.) to improve the quality of reception and integration of vulnerable refugees. GUS has therefore developed a deep experience and expertise in the management of specific categories of refugees: vulnerable. 

The work of the Gus is focused on welcoming in a tangible way: economic, social and cultural inclusion on issues such as access to housing, training and employment, participation in the life civil, knowledge of the language and culture of the host country. Gus objectives are: to take responsibility, in partnership with Local authorities and bodies, for those individuals accepted into the scheme of SPRAR (and emergencies as well) and to provide them with personalized programmes to help them to (re)acquire self-autonomy, and to take part in and integrate effectively into Italian society, in terms of finding employment and housing, of access to local services, of social life and of child education (integrated reception system). With the aim to assisting any individuals received along a pathway to the (re)gaining of their independence, GUS local projects complement integrated reception through a series of activities aiming to socio-economic inclusion of the individuals. In particular, educational and vocational re-qualification paths are conceived to promoting job placement, along with measures to support and back their access to housing services. Throughout the national territory Gus manage around 2000 people both international protection seekers and holders: people that already applied for asylum (protection seekers), or were granted the status of refugee or any other form of protection (subsidiary or humanitarian). Gus, thanks’ to his long time work, established networks with: Embassies in Italy and abroad, migrant associations, NGOs (GUS is part of the COCIS - Italian network of NGOs), active non-profit organizations on the issue of migration (example: Ass. Frantz Fanon, IISMAS), University, and public entities. It is part of the CIR-ONLUS (Italian Refugee Council), being delegate for  Marche Region, and ENAR - European Network Against Racism. Unlike other European countries, small to medium sized Sprar projects – designed and implemented at local level, with the direct participation of stakeholders in the region – help to build and strengthen a culture of reception among the urban communities and encourages the continuity of the beneficiaries’ paths to socio-economic inclusion. Social Operators play a key role in the reception and integration of each individual applicant and beneficiary of international protection. GUS has specialized social workers, with a specific linguistic and intercultural training. Each  team consists of professional figures with different academic background. GUS has psychologists and ethnopsychologists dealing the meetings to supervise the staff of the project.

GUS promotes information session and exchange between migrants and young Italian people (University and high school) focused on migrant rights, integration. Through two Erasmus + projects promotes 1 ) ASYLUM youth national initiatives in which migrants and Italians will discuss about Italian integration system by public opinion polls at national level ; 2 ) GET START promotes exchange of practices and mobility of young workers in Italy , Albania , Turkey and Greece. 

MS. VIVIANA GIACOMINI

Project  Planning and Management, Project Follow Up dealing with National and EU Funds

Coordinator of international networks and thematic networks

Qualified development projects in developing countries. Ms. Giacomini is an experienced senior expert in project management with strong project management skills with more than 10 years extensive experience both in Italy and overseas regions.  

MS. MANUELA PENNA

Chief of Refugees and Asylum Seekers Protection Ms. Penna is an experienced senior expert in developing high-quality, evidence-based protection management and monitoring on the situation of refugees/asylum seekers  with strong project management skills with more than 10 years of experience.  Ms. Penna, and her team, work in cooperation and collaboration with the relevant local, regional and national stakeholders.

MS. MANCINI MELISSA

Project Planner and Manager for National and EU Funds Support, Coordination activities, monitoring and evaluation, Support to the administrative and financial activities. Project Manager of Youth projects under national and European fund (Youth in Action, Erasmus +).