Public assistance organizations and Misericordie associations in Emilia-Romagna excluded from government funding for the 2025 Universal Civil Service

Some services in the area may be at risk

In the last few hours, Anpas Emilia-Romagna, an organization that brings together 109 public assistance groups from all provinces of Emilia-Romagna with approximately 20,000 volunteers, has learned that it has not obtained funding for the Universal Civil Service for the year 2025.

The President of Anpas Regionale, Iacopo Fiorentini, states: “This decision causes us great concern: the Universal Civil Service is an opportunity that every year has brought hundreds of young people closer to the world of volunteering, offering them important experience in the field of social responsibility and solidarity. It has shown how fundamental their contribution can be in helping those in need of rescue and assistance, while also providing important skills that will be useful to young people throughout their lives.

The project submitted by Anpas to apply for funding was the same one that placed us among the top candidates in the national rankings last year, but unfortunately, we were not awarded the funding this year.

Fiorentini adds: “The situation could have significant repercussions on the provision of certain services. However, we do not believe that this is the right choice, given the organizational and involvement capabilities of the young people involved in the Emiliano-Romagnola Public Assistance organizations over the past few years and the strength of the regional movement.”

Anpas has now opened a dialogue on this specific issue with the Emilia-Romagna Region to assess the possibility of being included in the planning of the Regional Civil Service.

Fiorentini concludes: “We absolutely must find a solution through planning with the Region, so that we can continue to offer this important opportunity to young people and public assistance organizations, for whom civil service is a way to make themselves known to many young men and women who, once they have completed their service, often choose to become volunteers and, in some cases, even develop a passion for the sector and pursue university studies in nursing or medicine, making this experience their future profession. In the meantime, we would like to thank the Region for its interest in the situation that has arisen and for its immediate willingness to work together to find possible solutions.”