CIVIL SERVICE AS A TOOL FOR CITIZENSHIP AND JOB TRAINING. The SCUP experience in the Province of Trento

This research examines whether civil service is able to meet the training needs of young people during the transition to adulthood. It highlights a period of reflection on the meaning and functions of civil service, originally designed for homeland defense but now with a broad spectrum of functions. It is believed that civil service is particularly useful in facilitating young people’s transition to adulthood, overcoming the limitations of active labor policies and social welfare services. This is because the civil service integrates the functions of both, focusing on training the young person and contributing to both personal and social growth and professional development. This research focuses on the universal civil service of the Province of Trento (SCUP), which is working to enhance its training function. The objective is to assess the effectiveness of the civil service in this context, identifying challenges and opportunities for improvement.

The research was supported by a grant from Fondazione Caritro, following the winning of the “Post-doc” 2021 call for proposals. The idea for the research matured thanks to the interlocution with Carlo Borzaga, and it evolved and developed through discussion with Giampiero Girardi, director of the Civil Service Office of the Province of Trento. Interlocution with both was invaluable throughout the research work.

The work was carried out thanks to the support of Euricse, which was fundamental at all stages of the research. In addition, there have been numerous in-progress comparisons, which have provided key insights. Thanks are due, in particular, to Franco Chiarello and Sergio Silvotti. Also important were the comparisons with Cristiano Conte and Francesco Minervino, as well as with the partner organizations and entities of the research: Consolida, Caritas diocesana, the municipality of Trento, and MUSE.

Errors and omissions are, of course, attributable solely to the person responsible for the research.