VKE Associazione Campi Gioco e Ricreazione ODV

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VKE is an association of volunteers, founded in Bolzano in 1974 by a group of parents who wanted to dedicate themselves to promote children's and youths' right to play and more generally to improve children's life quality, as well as that of youths and their families.
VKE is a legal recognized body registered in the Provincial Voluntary Bodies (“registro provinciale degli enti di volontariato”); it is a non-profit organization with social utility (in Italy, ONLUS); it is associated with “Südtiroler Jugenring” (Federation of German language's youth associations), with N.E.T.Z. (federation of centers and meeting places young people in South Tyrol) and also to “ALI per giocare” - Association of Italian ludobus and game rooms; VKE is also associated with Banca Etica.
VKE conduct its activities in South Tyrol in educational, cultural and leisure activities. It is committed to improve the quality of life, especially of children and youths, for instance by creating and defending spaces to play as well as by implementing educational interventions, as a lawyer for children, through the efforts for environmentally friendly forms of mobility.
In its educational activities, VKE seeks primarily to promote and provide cultural subjects. The pedagogy of VKE aims to be non-violent and non-repressive, this approach also applies to efforts at social-political and institutional levels, for instance in favor of the civil service or the peace movement. In its work, VKE tries to put limits on competitive attitudes rather trying to encourage the experience of solidarity and cooperation.
VKE is a multilingual association which does not represent any political party or religious group, it can work and collaborate with such groups if they represent common goals. The structure of the VKE has a democratic basis (partners, general meetings, directors). The sections, partners and employees have wide opportunity to co-decision. The Association is organized on a federal basis, as each Section acts independently (respecting the guiding documents). Great importance is given to active cooperation of parents.
VKE doesn't want to be an agency that provides services to third parties, it is rather the combination of conscientious citizens committed to an environment that is more humane and in favour of children. All this is achieved with the work of awareness and with the support of civil and political initiatives.
The activities of the VKE take place mainly in two different sectors:
1) Direct contact with the children and youths in the various activities of the association:
The employees coordinate, in collaboration with the volunteers, the main activities of VKE: the mobile and fixed playing services of social-cultural entertainment, organizing projects and initiatives focusing on playing games.
>“Spielbus” is a small bus furnished with games and toys which goes around neighborhood communities to allow children to have different possibilities to play and learn together.
>“Spielhaus/Casa Gioco” is a fixed structure promoting and developing activities out of the usual school timetable. Each day around 20 children take part in the activities of each Casa Gioco in Bressanone, Brunico and Merano while in Bolzano around 30 children and 30 youths take part in the activities of the VKE. In Bressanone, Brunico and Merano children are aged between 3 and 11 years old while in the 2 Casegioco of Bolzano children are aged between 0 and 9 years old
All the Case Gioco are located in or close to a park to implement oudoors activities. In each houses there is a furnished kitchen, toilets and spaces to play.
In the specific case of the Casa Gioco BZ1 on the second floor there is also a space dedicated to youths aged over 12. It is a welcoming space where youths can meet. There is a big library with an ideal space to read. Moreover there is a meeting point offering a lot of other opportunities, giving space to a lot of forms of communication to find a good way of interacting and exchanging. There is also a space with board games.
> Estate Ragazzi VKE: these camps are addressed to children and young people between 3 and 14 years old and are carried out during summer from Monday to Friday in almost all the places where the VKE’s groups of volunteers are present. For summer 2013, a total of about 14.000 presences have been registered.
2) VKE as a lawyer of the right to play:
VKE is involved in the protection of children's right to play by creating new spaces and organizing specific activities, reflected also the philosophy of the VKE.
The activities of VKE are funded mainly by public contributions: at the provincial level through the central office of VKE and at municipal level through the local groups (“Sezioni”). VKE also receives contributions from banks, sponsors and last but not least, by its members. VKE also collects financial resources thanks to the projects and the occasional tasks (lectures, advice and above all entertaining initiatives)