Zenit APS

Zenit APS is a small, non-profit association founded in 2019 and based in Teulada, a rural town in the economically disadvantaged Sulcis-Iglesiente region in southwest Sardinia, Italy. The organization was established by a group of friends to tackle the social and educational challenges faced by local youth and the wider community. Our core mission is to promote social inclusion, community engagement, and active citizenship through non-formal education and creative activities. Teulada and the surrounding region face unique socio-economic challenges. The presence of one of Europe's largest military training zones affects the area’s economic structure, while the population of approximately 3,400 residents is characterized by high youth unemployment and significant emigration (a population decline of -49.5% over the last 60 years). At the same time, the area is part of one of the world’s “Blue Zones,” known for the longevity of its residents, which adds a cultural and historical richness to our work. Indeed, our hometown (Teulada) just a few months ago, and just like other regions of Sardinia and other areas of the world (Okinawa, Greece, Costa Rica) with very high logenvity rates was officially recognized by Dr. Gianni Pes as part of the world's Blue Zones for the extraordinary longevity rate and life expectancy of our elders. Though Zenit APS as an organization is still new to Erasmus+ and has not yet coordinated projects within the program, many of our members have significant individual experience. Several volunteers and founding members have participated in various Erasmus+ initiatives, including Youth Exchanges, EVS (European Voluntary Service), and Youth Worker mobility projects. Notably, some of us have also worked with other accredited organizations in Sardinia, supporting the management and coordination of Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps projects. These personal experiences fuel our current motivation to lead Erasmus+ projects as an association and apply our knowledge to initiatives that will directly benefit our community. Our association currently relies on a local network of volunteers and youth workers who are engaged in our local initiatives. Many of these individuals would benefit greatly from participating in training and capacity-building activities, particularly in rural youth work. Furthermore, we are well-positioned to involve local youth (aged 18-30) in international Youth Exchange projects. Additionally, we have strong connections with ACLI Sardegna, a regional network promoting workers’ rights and active citizenship, which could serve as an extended platform for mobilizing participants and contributing to wider-scale projects across Sardinia. Although it does not yet have any employees, Zenit APS can count on the constant collaboration o 7 stable volunteers, which exceed 30 people if occasional volunteers are considered. Clearly, within the scope of specific projects, the Association also makes use of consultants and collaborators external to the core of volunteers and members. Accounting and administrative management is entrusted to the treasurer, who supports the work of the accountant in charge. Among our volunteers, we can count on the support of high-school teachers and professional educators working with the social services.