Cooperativa Itaca

The Itaca Cooperative Società Cooperativa Sociale ONLUS, a non-profit organization, which was set up on June 29th 1992, is a type A) Social Cooperative in accordance with Law 381/91, and employs about 1500 people. It has its headquarters in the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia in Vicolo Selvatico, 16 in Pordenone, but it covers the areas of Friuli Venezia Giulia, part of Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige. The cooperative is divided up into 5 macro areas (the division takes the type of user being assisted into account), each of which has a manager with general coordination tasks supported by various service and organization coordinators who deals with operational matters: 1) residential services for the elderly in Rest Homes, Residential and Care Homes, 2) residential and semi-residential services for the disabilities, Day and Community Centres: management of services for adults with mainly psychophysical disabilities and limited autonomy and self-sufficiency, 3) services for young people: divided into 5 micro-areas: services for early infancy; district services for the disabled; district educational services; group educational/entertainment services; youth policy services, 4) services for mental health: designed to promote specific measures in education and assistance for people with mental suffering and/or social disadvantages, 5) district services for the elderly, day centres and home services: to promote a residential culture, so the elderly are able remain in their own homes for longer. There are communal service areas within the organizational structure for administration, personnel, training, safety in the work environment, quality, IT, communications, business and planning. The cooperative, in general, can promoting a promoting active citizenship and encouraging reciprocal understanding, influencing workers by combining enthusiasm, creativity and the volunteers’ desire to actively participate, contributing to the personal achievement, social inclusion, active citizenship and employment of young Europeans. The cooperative can take on European volunteers in a variety of sectors. The first sector is the “casa Ricchieri” Community in Pordenone, via Ricchieri nr. 2. This is a residential community in the mental health sector which employs 9 workers and offers a residential and social-rehabilitation service for people with psychiatric problems. The service is always open and the community is only 500 m. from the cooperative’s administrative offices. The other organization which can take on volunteers is “Casa Carli” Community in Maniago (Pordenone), viale Repubblica nr. 10. This is a live-in community within the residential disability sector employing 9 workers and providing services to people with mild to moderate disabilities. The Community is always open and is 30 km. from the cooperative’s administrative offices. The cooperative also wants to open up to Europe by taking on volunteers in the Progetti Giovani (Youth Projects) for Sacile PN (Pordenone) and Cavallino Treporti VE (Veneto). These projects, which are managed by the Itaca Cooperative, allow young people to gain access more easily to the complexities of the information system and guide them to becoming part of and being committed to the community by encouraging a model of active citizenship. The Cooperative’s role in this area is characterized by the creation of models for active citizenship and the promotion of youth culture through aggregation, socialization and active participation in initiatives, as well as by looking for innovative ways of intervening.