Amaita Intercultura APS
Amaita Intercultura is a nonprofit organization that aims to build a global citizenship by promoting the respect for the other cultures, people and human rights.
There are three main areas of action in which the organization develops projects and initiatives.
1 – Language learning. Amaita promotes language learning as a means to help people of different cultures and backgrounds to come together, know each other and know and understand better the other cultures in order get a proper intercultural integration. The activities addressing this topic are language courses, non formal language learning activities, development of tools and training for language teachers and language learners.
2 – Youth Education
Amaita Intercultura mostly target the activities to the youth, since they have more opportunities to build their lives and goals on a multicultural base and with an international view. We offer opportunities for the youth to express themselves and implement their ideas, supporting them in their learning paths.
At a local level Amaita provides educational support to avoid early school leave and organizes activities with non-formal education methods to promote inclusion and active participation of youth in the society.
It supports “after school projects” such as Scuola Popolare Piero Bruno and Shangai school in Rome and “L’Ultimo banco”, which was created by the organisation in the rural area of Velletri. In these projects young volunteers support other young people and children with school homework, organizing also other workshops and activities not related to the formal academic programs, such as environmental education, music laboratories and sport activities.
At an European level the organization is sending their youth to projects abroad and is hosting youth exchanges in Italy, mostly addressing topics such as the environment, language and culture, intercultural dialogue and storytelling.
3 – Intercultural dialogue and inclusion
Amaita Intercultura organizes events and training to promote inclusion of marginalized people and groups. At a local level is supporting migrants and refugees to engage with the local community, to learn the Italian language and to develop skills to achieve autonomy and social integration through work. To do so it is involved in several VET projects and initiatives together with local and international partners. One example is the project Interchef, through which we provide language lessons and cooking lessons to migrants, and involve them in events to boost their inclusion through working.
Yet, Amaita supports youth with migration background through the above-mentioned educational projects and by supporting intercultural initiatives to bring people together.
The activities for inclusion address also people dealing with physical and mental disabilities and diseases.
It organizes projects and initiatives to promote inclusion through sport and it is an an active member of FARE (Football Against Racism Europe) Network and United for Intercultural Action Network.
Last, the sustainability and the importance of the protection of the environment is also a core principle of our organization, and it is applied to all our actions. We have strong local partnerships with environmental organizations such as Legambiente and Api Romane (with which we promote clean ups events and urban-beehives projects and training).
Amaita’s staff has years of experience in managing volunteering projects (European Volunteer Service and European Solidarity Corps) and in Mobility Projects (Youth Exchanges and Training Courses). It has expertise in coaching young people using non-formal education methods and in media and storytelling training.
The organisation delivers info-days and more structured workshops through which young people can learn about opportunities for them offered by national and European programs, and where they can also propose ideas to develop with the support of the other young people and the staff of the organization.
Five example of projects created from these activities:
- “La città mondo”, promoted by a group composed by young refugees and Italians too, that include social and artistic events and debates regarding the migrants communities in Rome
- “Una goccia nel mare”, through which young volunteers organize environmental education activities, beach cleanings and more.
- “Green Youth Ambassadors” a Youth Exchange regarding environmental protection and the use of media to promote greener behaviors
- “Urban Art-Lab” a project in which young artists deliver free music and art workshops to children and youth and organizes events to support the social interaction in their city.
- “Scuola Popolare L’Ultimo Banco” a project which started the school in Velletri and is still running after 3 years.
- A13 Lab: A Media-lab for young people through which we founded the magazine www.tredici.it where youth can learn, talk about, discuss and promote, cultural and social topics
Besides the creation of projects and initiatives at a local level, Amaita is preparing and coaching youth to have cross-border mobility projects, under the Erasmus+ and ESC programs, but also with Regional and National programs.