Italian Red Cross – Trento Branch: emergency response, support and community outreach
As part of the Caritro Foundation’s “Tra Dire e Fare” call for proposals, EURICSE is supporting ten organisations in drawing up their strategic development plans. Among these is the Italian Red Cross – Trento Committee, an organisation comprising 17 local branches spread evenly across most of the Autonomous Province of Trento.
The Committee, which has around 1,900 volunteers and 90 staff members, works on a daily basis in emergency medical services, patient transport, community support, civil protection activities, and in supporting social initiatives and those aimed at safeguarding the health and well-being of the community.
In addition to its operational activities, the Committee runs a number of educational and social projects aimed at young people, families, the elderly and those in vulnerable situations, with the aim of helping to build a more inclusive, informed and supportive community.
The Municipality of Rovereto has recently launched an educational project aimed at children and young people aged 8 to 13, with the aim of promoting a culture of peace, respect and solidarity. Through interactive workshops, experiential activities and opportunities for discussion, participants explored the Principles and Values of the Red Cross, International Humanitarian Law and children’s rights, developing a greater awareness of the value of human dignity and civil coexistence.
The project provided a valuable opportunity for personal development and engagement, fostering dialogue, empathy and a sense of responsibility among young people, and encouraging them to become active citizens who are attentive to the needs of the community.
Alongside its educational activities, the Social Services Department of the Trento Committee puts the Red Cross Principles into practice every day through concrete actions designed to offer solidarity and support to the local community. From distributing food and clothing to families in need to organising recreational activities and providing care in care homes, volunteers work extensively across the region to combat loneliness and social exclusion.
One of the most significant projects is “ConTeMe”, a listening space whose name evokes both the dialectal meaning of “tell me” and that of “let me in”, and which was created with the aim of fostering relationships and the active inclusion of people.
Another example of our commitment to meeting the community’s needs is the escort service for elderly people who wish to reach the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Loreto, located in Grotta di Villazzano, a hamlet of Trento, safely, thereby avoiding the risk of falls along the way.
Taken together, these activities reflect a daily commitment characterised by listening, closeness and care for the individual, in the spirit of humanity and solidarity.
