Cooperativa sociale Liberi Sogni Onlus

The cooperative Liberi Sogni (that means free dreams in Italian) is very active in its territory since 2006 and works organizing social, cultural and environmental projects in the districts of Lecco, Bergamo and Monza e Brianza. Our activities mainly involve children, adolescents and their families. Liberi Sogni always considered the intercultural theme very important. Many people that work in the cooperative have lived abroad for volunteering or working experiences (in countries as Nicaragua, Venezuela, Peru, Iceland, Sweden) and experimented directly the importance of to promoting solidarity and attention towards other cultures, especially among young people. Our organization is involved in creating projects and learning experiences, excelling personal and community behaviors that are positive, creative and sustainable, with a special attention to the dream component. The cooperative works mainly in two fields: CULTURE AND SOCIAL ANIMATION: the cooperative organizes and manages theatre, musical and artistic workshops, summer and winter camps in the nature, training course and seminars. All our proposal are linked by the will of increase the local community awareness towards the richness of local culture without losing the importance of the connection with the rest of the world and the exchange with different realities. From November 2012, the cooperative, with the municipality of Galbiate, manage the activities in a place called “parco ludico” that has a key-role for the locals for what concerns the educational and cultural field, sport and music. From September 2013 the cooperative manage didactic and cultural services in the Abegg Silk Museum in Garlate (www.museosetagarlate.it). - ENVIRONMENT: the cooperative is involved in promoting environmental protection, presenting alternative and sustainable ways of life through workshops in the schools, green days, weekends into the nature and “Environmental Creative Camps" with teenagers to preserve old woods and valorize our territory. Since 2014 we are involved in a new project "Crazy-lienza" in a wood settle in Valgreghentino (LC) where we could create a local resilience center. We think that hosting an EVS volunteer is an important occasion to share ideas, point of views and competences with people coming from different cultures but that want to get involved in our environment. Our team is formed by 10 people from 20 to 40 years old who are historians, educators, mediators, sociologists, actors, professors and artists, all professionals that cooperate in the different projects depending on their own areas of expertise. All the people working in our organization are connected by a great passion for our territory and youth-work. Liberi Sogni mainly targets teenagers and children from 5 to 18 years old, keeping in close touch with their families, other associations of the area and the local community. EUROPEAN EXPERIENCES Liberi Sogni always considered the intercultural very important. Many people that work in the cooperative have lived abroad for volunteering or working experiences (in countries ad Nicaragua, Venezuela, Peru, Islans, Swiden) and experimented directly how important is to promote solidarity and attention towards other cultures, especially among young people. In particular, a collaborator did an EVS in Iceland; this experience was very motivating for us, so we went deep in the knowledge of EVS and in 2012 we the accreditation as hosting and coordinating organization; we hosted 4 EVS volunteers for 7 months within two different projects:i "European Free Dreamers" (IT r3) e "Youth in camp" (IT R3). We also organized in 2013 a Youth Exchange experience “As Green As Possible” (IT11E1452013R1 ) hosting teenagers from four different contries (Hungary, Bulgaria, Portugal and Italy) for ten days in a wood. The project focused on environmental education and awareness through active engagement of young people in a natural environment. In 2014, with the project “Liberi sogni for culture” financed by our Region (European Social Funds), we did internships in different organization in order to improve and innovate our projects in Italy (some partners were: Thyessen Museum in Madrid - Spain, Förderverein schloss Neudeck e.V.in Germany, Stockholms High School of Dance, Music and Drama studies in Sweden, Come Touvay designer in France, Estudio Mamifero in Spain and Centro Educativo Medio Ambiental in Spain) Liberi Sogni is always opened to new partnership and innovative cooperation.