Value

In these years the cooperation has grown, involving not only institutional and public subjects but also private actors and associations. The activities have given birth to a network personal relationships and contributed to strengthening the knowledge and cooperation between people living in the same territory allowing people with different point of views share some social priorities. The participation of some organizations, like Legambiente and others, promoting campaigns about ESD every year, has positively created expectations and motivation. Besides, schools have had the opportunity to develop relationships with other subjects and new contacts: they are thus aware they are not alone in promoting ESD. Sponsors learned to share perspectives and they are now more eager to cooperate even those fields on which they first hesitated. A vast network has grown that, however fragile, valuably gathers the concern of schools, local organizations and families.

The school is a champion of education, not just of knowledge, which contributes to growth of a small community. Teachers act not only as professionals but as very members this community, who try to look beyond the school’s mere educational borders. Over years the Don Milani Institute has gained itself a reputation and other subjects (municipalities, associations, etc.) look to it as a partner for their projects, not only as ‘receptacle’ of children and parents.

The different responses of Municipalities to proposals and projects can – obviously significantly affect the success of the activities. At the time of the ‘Clean the world’ campaign, for example, three Municipalities promoted the project and a group of adults were also involved; in the case of the ‘Alps caravan’, which promoted summer events in small towns, the school and the teachers prepared the activities as the Municipality only contributed some facilities.

The problems we are currently experiencing are especially to do with budget cuts which inevitably affecting the school projects and activities, especially those with a long-term length. Several projects have needed reviewing and have sometimes been cancelled.