CARITAS DIOEZESE BOLZANO BRESSANONE

description of organisation

Caritas is actively involved in raising citizens' awareness on social issues and it builds networks of solidarity to promote the inclusion of disadvantaged people in society. To date, the Caritas Diocesi of Bolzano-Bressanone has about 270 employees for the management of the services, here some examples:
> Volunteering office: a team of 6 people with offices throughout the province of South Tyrol promotes volunteering among the local population: information meetings, training courses for volunteers and databases for meeting volunteers and organizations looking for volunteers
> YoungCaritas: offers the opportunity to gain volunteering experience and to reflect on social issues. Arouse the interest of young people in social work, encouraging them to act according to social responsibility. YoungCaritas organizes several projects every year. Here some of them:
> Refugee Services:
Refugee counseling: helps refugees with documents, to apply for a residence permit and to integrate them into society;
Casa Arnica: offers accommodation, meals and supports up to 61 refugees. Casa Arnica is particularly suitable for families and people with special needs. Caritas offers various activities such as language courses, employment support and social participation.
Casa Aaron, Casa Sara, Casa Noah: the first two are based in Bolzano, while Casa Noah in Prissiano.
> Services for the homeless
Casa Arché: a structure for the homeless where we offer meals and accommodation.
Casa Margaret: a house in Bolzano for 12 homeless women who can eat together, wash their clothes and participate in various activities.
> Services for migrants:
Casa Migrantes: a service for migrants with a valid residence permit who want to integrate into society. Migrants are supported in bureaucratic procedures and can get a place to sleep, one accommodation is for 60 working men and another is for 20 migrants. In addition, 5 accommodation units are for families.
Casa Freinademetz: offers accommodation for people in housing crises, both migrants and Italians. All guests agree with the operators on some objectives to be achieved: training, improving bilingualism or a saving plan. In addition, guests help each other, creating a supportive community.
> Services for drug addicts:
Binary 7: a center open all day where people with addiction problems can find a warm place, the opportunity to eat, take a shower and participate in some activities.
> Services for AIDS patients:
Casa Emmaus: a home for 12 HIV-positive people in Leifers who are supported in their daily life, receive their medicines but also psychological and religious support if they wish. They can help out in the garden and other activities are offered.
Iris: a public bar at the Caritas headquarters. It is a meeting point where social, cultural and educational activities are developed, together with the consultancy service called "Iris Service".
> Services for people with mental health problems:
Day center in Meran: here people find a place where they can rest, and socialize.
> Services for ex-offenders
Casa Odòs: a service in Bolzano, where ex-prisoners find support to be reintegrated into society.
> Other services
Support and service for people with difficulties. The Service in Bolzano where a person can find an interlocutor who knows how to accompany him professionally after a concrete solutions to his state of difficulty.

The aims of Caritas are mainly the following:
Promote SOCIAL INCLUSION and solidarity: It is documented how the inclusion of vulnerable groups, young people, or people with fewer opportunities creates a positive and constructive environment. At the same time, it involves a "sense of participation" within the community for the socially excluded group. Social inclusion is the basis to achieve the goals of ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity. Our mission is to accompany people who face difficult life situations.
Promote SOCIAL JUSTICE by promoting the values ​​of equality, fraternity and solidarity between people with different social and cultural backgrounds and trying to remove the barriers that people have to overcome due to social, cultural and economic condition. Caritas aims to make young people reflect on issues such as justice, active citizenship, social equity, poverty, etc. and it wants to arouse the sensitivity for a social commitment, to make the sense of social responsibility and the spirit of solidarity grow in young people.
Promote VOLUNTEERING: the value of volunteering is a cardinal principle of Caritas and we believe that inalienable values ​​such as equal opportunities are one of the most important steps to create and sustain healthy societies. This is why we promote volunteering and active citizenship through various activities. Volunteering allows young people to critically question and implement solutions to problems rather than indulge in scapegoating, discrimination and other tactics propagated by extremists through traditional media.

Volunteering project