In one year, 20 initiatives including employment contracts, internships, and training courses (such as driving school courses for B licenses) have benefited individuals serving their sentences outside prison through alternative measures or who have already completed their sentences. During the same period, 67 people were assisted, including 55 adults and 12 young adults, along with 19 companies and cooperatives that agreed to offer work opportunities to those with a history of legal issues. Additionally, 24 job interviews were conducted, 3 individuals were introduced to volunteering as a form of social restitution, and 8 people, with or without support, independently secured employment. These are some of the results achieved by the Impresa Accogliente Project—promoted by the Turin-based volunteer organization La Goccia di Lube ETS—as it nears the end of 2024, moving towards a safe harbor after an initial experimental phase from January to May and an official phase that began in June. This journey into the world of job opportunities, undertaken by the volunteers of La Goccia di Lube, was made possible thanks to significant support from the Piedmont Region, whose funding allowed the project promoters to engage two professionals to coordinate activities within a network of over 35 volunteers.

These results highlight the existence of another world—a world rooted in trust and willingness to offer a second chance to those who have wronged others and society. It stands in stark contrast to the narratives often seen in crime news. This world is populated by volunteers who dedicate their free time to the well-being and human redemption of others, and by entrepreneurs, leading trade associations, and renowned training agencies that contribute to the rebirth, personal, and professional growth of adults and young people. By doing so, they often, perhaps unknowingly, fulfill the innate desire to help those worse off return to an honest and responsible life. It is also a way to bring to life the principles enshrined in the Constitution, which speaks of the “rehabilitation of offenders.”

This comprehensive picture emerged during a webinar—moderated by Alessandra Giannino—organized by the Turin Industrial Union on November 12 for Confindustria-affiliated companies involved in the so-called DE&I (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Roundtable on corporate social responsibility. During the webinar, the project, its objectives, and its initial results were presented through reports by the project coordinators Bianca Eula (responsible for user management and volunteer liaison) and Silvia Lessona (in charge of relations with cooperatives and companies), as well as the Vice President of La Goccia di Lube, Dario Valenzano.

It was just the first step in the involvement of the Confindustria entity in the Impresa Accogliente Project, of which it is a partner alongside a wide group of collaborators, with further developments planned in the coming months. Among the collaborators of the Impresa Accogliente Project are notable names such as Api Torino and Api Formazione, Confcooperative Piemonte Nord, Confesercenti Torino, Collegio Costruttori Ance Torino and its construction school, FSC, the Agenzia Piemonte Lavoro with its employment centers in the Turin metropolitan area, Compagnia delle Opere, Unione Cristiana Imprenditori e Dirigenti, the training agencies Immaginazione e Lavoro and Casa di Carità Arti e Mestieri, and the employment agency Adecco with its Diversity and Inclusion division. The project also receives support through services and consultations from Volontariato Torino, creative professional Massimiliano Manera, and the communication agency Master Communication.

During the webinar, Manera described the creation of the Impresa Accogliente brand, while Marianna Carlini from Master Communication presented the project’s communication strategies, including its initial publications and media appearances, thanks to contributions from Serena Ravazzotti. Discussions are also underway with external entities like Unimpiego Torino, the Cnos-Fap Salesian training center, Confagricoltura Torino, and Confartigianato Torino to expand the search for job and training opportunities for individuals under alternative measures to incarceration. These individuals are referred to La Goccia di Lube by the UIEPE (Interdistrict Office for External Penal Execution) in Turin and the USSM (Social Service Office for Minors), which is under the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Justice Center.

The main role of the employer associations in the project is to identify companies willing to join the network of “available enterprises” and become “welcoming enterprises” by offering employment opportunities.

For the volunteers of La Goccia di Lube, it is crucial to secure job positions, whether through internships or employment contracts, for those under house arrest, probationary social services, or supervised release—the three main legal situations addressed by the project. These opportunities allow individuals to sustain themselves as they reintegrate into society and resist the temptations of reoffending, which had initially led to their conviction and incarceration.

The first company to earn the title of “Welcoming Enterprise” (Impresa Accogliente) was Market Service in Givoletto, a company specializing in setting up department stores and supermarkets across Italy. During the end-of-year conference scheduled for December 12 in Turin, additional “Welcoming Enterprise” plaques will be awarded to recognize the commitment to providing jobs already shown by The Promoland of Volpiano, the Raggio cooperative of Turin, the Frassati cooperative, and the Barbara B. social cooperative. During the webinar, Luca Ordazzo from Market Service shared the reasons behind his company’s decision to offer work opportunities to three individuals referred by La Goccia di Lube. The Turin entrepreneur concluded his testimonial by “thanking everyone involved in the Impresa Accogliente Project for their efforts, hoping to establish a direct channel with companies and institutions, streamlining and facilitating placement processes wherever possible, and creating many opportunities for work and… life.”