CONTRIBUTION OF THE YOUTH NETWORK

Agenda
XIII National Arcigay Congress
February 12-14, 2010

Contribution of the Youth Network
at the XIII National Arcigay Congress 

""The future belongs to those
that they transmit to the next one
generating reasons to hope""
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

The undersigned volunteers of the association, members of the Arcigay Youth Network, wish to submit to the delegates of the 13th National Congress the following points for reflection, developed over the last three years of activity.

Young people in Italy. Young people in Arcigay

In Italy, the youth issue is still far from being seriously addressed, as when describing this generation, we tend to think of young people primarily as recipients of services, rather than as potential drivers of innovation and quality. This generation is often seen as hedonistic or nihilistic, disengaged or inadequate.

This outcome is not only the fault of the media and institutions, but also of us young people: for not having been able to invest in our visibility, in portraying a different generation, taking the necessary public and political space.

We believe this situation is also reflected in our association, as five years after the founding of the Youth Network, we feel that the "what" of youth policies and the "why" of engaging with them are still not fully understood. And we want to take responsibility for our failure to effectively communicate our work throughout Arcigay, both within the Committees and at the national level. Therefore, in this document, we would like to retrace the main stages of our journey.

The keywords

We believe that every season has its key words, but that certain words must be continually reaffirmed to restore the common sense of our association. We want to highlight those words that have most inspired the work of the Youth Network in recent years.

The first word is: freedom, understood as freedom from… any impediment, and how freedom of… to do, to be, to express oneself. The construction of a society of free and equal people passes first of all in self-determination, through liberation from the ghosts of internalized homophobia, from the cultural limitations of heteronormative education, but also from those mechanisms of judgment and prejudice from which the LGBT community itself is not exempt, much less its youth.

The second word is: sexuality, also free, but aware and informed. We believe it's essential to address the issue of sexuality in all its aspects, not only with regard to the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, but also with regard to sexual education, understanding and expressing one's body, as a prerequisite for enabling and protecting all forms of affection and relationships.

The third word is: welcome, understood as respect but above all as listening. Giving each person time and space is the primary way to allow them to integrate into the association and receive effective support. Without listening, genuine respect for all differences is impossible. We therefore believe that listening is the foundation for proper management of the association's life, but also for Arcigay's political action both internally and externally.

The fourth word is: politics, understood as "acting for the good" of the polis, or rather, of the community. The meaning we attribute to political action is reflected in every single act of service by us young LGBT activists; in the testimony of volunteering as another tool for visibility and citizenship, on a par with traditional forms of struggle for rights.

The fifth word is: democracy understood as global respect for the ways and forms of action and participation of each young volunteer in the individual and collective elaboration of reality in its completeness and in the variety of points of view, of the requests and needs of all.
The Youth Network is committed to maintaining and strengthening the practice of democracy as a key element of effectiveness, both in the construction of the network in its entirety and within the association's mission.

In the Committees: the Youth Group

Even today, adolescents are formed in environments such as school, family, and peer groups that do not allow them a space of proximity, a place where their gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender status can find full expression and understanding.

The feeling of being "illegal in your own country" led to the creation of "Youth Groups" within Arcigay, which sought to restore this sense of community to our peers.

The primary tasks of a Youth Group are:

• INFORM: provide correct information on sexuality, sexual orientation and sexual behavior;
• FORM: to support LGBT adolescents and young people in their growth journey by providing, through non-formal education methods, references and opportunities for discussion regarding their own experiences;
• ACTIVATE: offering LGBT youth, through the positive example of volunteering, an opportunity to "participate" in social and community life.

The Youth Group can exist wherever it's necessary to provide a peer group with a space for independent reflection, complementing the Provincial Committee's regular services and activities. It doesn't replace specific areas of the association, such as the reception, school, or health groups; rather, it interacts with them in specific situations.

Even if there is no need or the conditions to activate a youth group within the Committees, it is still considered important to provide specific commitment to youth policies through dedicated figures.

We have come to understand that the Youth Group can also serve as an induction program for new volunteers into the association, leading young people, once they have completed their own personal training, to join other working groups within the association, networks, or specific projects.

We are committed to renewing these functions and responsibilities in the coming years. We also rely on the support of the entire association to involve young volunteers in all of the association's activities, encouraging their access to training and development opportunities.

The Youth Network

To develop Arcigay's political lines, numerous Thematic Sectors have been activated over the years around a specific topic. Along with the Sectors, Networks have been activated, which are distinguished by the fact that they bring together all members who share the same condition (e.g., being a woman, being young, being trans, being a migrant, etc.). The Networks have the task of ""mainstreaming"" of its own specific nature in all sectors, that is, promoting the inclusion of its own "point of view" in the actions and projects developed by the various Sectors.

By its very nature, the Youth Network was not created as a "separate" space or a mere "aggregation" space, but rather as a tool for integrating young members into the rest of the association and as a laboratory for building networks with those involved in youth policy outside the association.

Over the years, the Youth Network has sought to promote a vision of association in which new volunteers immediately learn the value of exchanging experiences and best practices among all youth groups, enhancing every type of local experience.

We also believe that participation in the Youth Network should not be the prerogative of young people who have previously participated in a youth group, but should be open to all young men and women who wish to become involved in youth policies, developing projects, and launching ad hoc campaigns.

However, we are perplexed and concerned that in these two years no other Network has managed to organize itself and establish long-term initiatives and goals. We are therefore available to support the creation and consolidation of new Networks within Arcigay, through discussion and the exchange of best practices, but without questioning the current distinction between the Thematic Sectors.

The rights of different generations

In recent years, the Youth Network has addressed the specific needs and concerns of individuals based on their shared demographic background.

We therefore acted in the belief that, in today's world, it is essential to consider individuals from the perspective of their multiple characteristics and identities (gender, age, disability, geographic origin, beliefs, etc.), and from the many life situations they may encounter, including discrimination.

This is why today we intend to support the visibility of the needs and specific needs of all generations present in the association, especially the most invisible.

The experience of meeting those older members who have lived their LGBT life experiences in more complex times than ours has been an opportunity for enrichment and growth for us, as well as an opportunity to express those memories and stories that our association has a duty to preserve.

To date, the visibility of older generations, social opportunities and services dedicated to them are completely neglected, in a social imagination that chases the myth of youth and is unable to think about how to ensure that the elderly of today and tomorrow have the opportunities to continue to be an active and participating part in our association, as in society as a whole.

We therefore call for the creation of a network dedicated to bringing together and developing specific services for older generations as soon as possible, committing ourselves to promoting opportunities for encounters and dialogue between the different generations.

The generational change

In Italy, there's much talk of generational change, arguing that simply integrating young people into institutions is enough to enable broader social renewal. As Rete Giovani, we believe it's important to allow untapped skills and abilities to emerge, but that generational change shouldn't be considered a value in and of itself.

At the same time, we appreciate the way in which Arcigay has attracted a significant number of young people over the years, offering them opportunities for training, growth, and responsibility. This is demonstrated by the way the association has called upon young volunteers to hold important positions in provincial, regional, and national committees. We believe that the experience of the Youth Network has also contributed to the growth of many young people, and therefore we are committed to maintaining within the Network the environmental conditions that allow new young people to find space for expression, experimentation, and growth among us.

Building a society of equals

In recent months, meetings with the associations of the National Youth Forum and exchanges with student networks have led us to consolidate our vision of volunteering that no longer operates in silos.

Each young person, as a bearer of multiple differences and needs, today tends to dedicate their efforts to multiple causes. This is demonstrated by the fact that today, a growing number of Arcigay volunteers (both young and old) belong to more than one association. It therefore becomes increasingly natural to develop shared paths with other associations and groups.

We believe that building a society of equals requires solidarity with all movements that fight against racism, sexual discrimination, and intolerance, and promote social inclusion and civil rights. We also believe that engaging with those pursuing different paths can provide inspiration and enrichment. And we believe that building these shared paths should not be just one of Arcigay's many activities, but rather a primary objective; not for mere political expediency, but to re-educate the LGBT community itself to express itself in places and on occasions other than those traditionally most suited to it.

The Youth Network therefore requests permission to continue acting as a "bridge" with other youth groups, renewing the Association's mandate to represent it at participatory bodies such as the National and Regional Forums and Territorial Councils.

Distinct and Distant: in our opinion

The nature of our organization, as a social promotion association, inevitably leads us to have national, regional, and local government institutions as our primary point of contact, regardless of the political faction that happens to occupy them at any given time. This is why the Youth Network has placed a strong focus on engaging and engaging with these stakeholders, also aiming to break down a cultural bias within the association.

We believe that Arcigay's primary focus for political advocacy and lobbying lies in its dialogue with institutions, that is, in calling on governments to take responsibility for the well-being and rights of all citizens.

Methods and Best Practices

We also believe it is important to disseminate more widely within the association some of the methodologies and practices we use, which we believe are particularly effective and innovative, as well as applicable to other networks and sectors of Arcigay:

a) NFE (Non-Formal Education)

This type of education, now in use in most European associations, has become indispensable both as a training tool and as a method of facilitating group management.

b) Flash Mob

This performance strategy allows for the establishment of direct and concrete contact with the social fabric, creating strong reactions in the users of the messages.
conveyed. We believe that flash mobs are an effective tool for visibility campaigns for LGBT people and for deconstructing the stereotypes associated with them;

c) Frequent meetings in person and remotely

The need to connect workgroups, departments, and networks often clashes with the difficulty of raising funds to cover the costs of in-person meetings, which remain essential. We have therefore experimented with videoconferencing (VoIP, MSN, Skype); this practice allows for consistency and continuity in action, leading to unprecedented results while completely reducing logistical costs. However, when using these methods, it is necessary to consider issues related to IT and telecommunications accessibility, which pose a potential risk of exclusion.

Formation and Contamination

The Youth Network offers numerous activities and projects; for this reason, we believe they represent a value for Arcigay's present and an opportunity for its near future. The innovation we wish to cultivate, however, requires fertile ground on which to grow, dedicated workers, and all the tools without which our efforts would be ineffective. We have seen that the volunteers who have been able to train over the years have been able to bring about significant changes in their local communities.

With a view to improving the work of volunteers at all levels, we ask the association to strongly commit to training and to creating opportunities for the exchange of experiences and cultural exchange between different geographical backgrounds and generations, through national and interregional meetings. We believe that investing in training represents a sign of the responsibility of our commitment as volunteers, in our desire to offer quality and valuable services to the entire membership of the association.

We therefore ask the association to increase the number of training opportunities for volunteers at all levels of the association and to provide support in finding resources to organize a national meeting of youth groups and volunteers from the Youth Network at least twice a year.

Finally, we ask that you identify within the association a person with expertise and knowledge in youth policies who can, when necessary, provide guidance and advice regarding the training needs of the Youth Network.

Improve the organization

The current management of a complex network full of activities such as the Youth Network requires that it is also necessary to rethink the ways in which it is
organized.

To date, the Network has a single coordinator, identified by the President and appointed by the National Council. We believe that the workload of managing the Youth Network's activities, projects, and volunteers is no longer sustainable for a single person. It is therefore necessary to provide a larger number of coordinators who can support one another, ensuring the continuity of activities even when young volunteers (including managers) face challenging situations related to completing their studies or entering the workforce. Regardless of the situation, it is essential to ensure continuity of support for the Network. At the same time, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of sharing any tasks related to the management of individual Network activities or projects among the volunteers.

We therefore intend to adopt, as soon as possible, internal regulations that establish the ways in which policy-making processes in our area can be as transparent, shared, and participatory as possible.

To ensure continuity in the work done so far, we ask that the roles of responsibility for the Youth Network be identified within the Network itself based on the skills, experience, and input of volunteers.

That said, we ask the XIII National Congress of Arcigay to commit the next Presidency, the Secretariat and the National Council to:

• Ensure the continuity of the association's path in the organization of youth policies;

""Sometimes the best way to start something
is to stop talking and start doing.""
Walt Disney

Presented and signed by:

Ariotti Andrea – Turin
Blasich Andrea – Livorno
Bonelli Roberto – Modena
Camasta Francesco – Bari
Cinquegrani Mattia – Rome
Contis Francesco – Modena
Federico Ferrari – Pisa
Giacomo Guccinelli – Pisa
Indraccolo Alessio – Livorno
Marzi Elisabetta – Perugia
Nicoli Valeria – Mantua
Marcello Panza – Bergamo
Paudice Gianluca – Naples
Pierro Fabio – Naples
Bishop Michael – Naples
Saccà Fabio – Verona
Salemmo Monica – Milan
Sorbara Fabrizio – Naples
Alessandro Grapes – Turin
Viganò Mauro – Bergamo
Zanvit Danilo – Bolzano

have joined:
Elena Tartaglione – Aosta
Marco Sabatino – Aosta
Marco Gatti – Aosta
Maicol Martis – Aosta
Giacinta Prisant – Aosta
Giorgio Ghibaudo – Turin
Luca Castelletti – Turin
Michele Covolan – Turin
Massimo Battaglio – Turin
Daniele Sandri – Turin
Marco Alessandro Giusta – Cuneo
Thomas Alpina – Pisa
Davide Di Prete – Pisa
Simone Ricci – Pisa
Federico Fabiani – Pisa
Samuele Moretti – Pisa
Leonardo Segato – Pisa
Davide Amendola – Pisa
Luigi Arena – Pisa
Francesco Grignano – Pisa
Paolo Scardigli – Pisa
Renato Infante – Pisa
Thomas Paoletti Lorenzetti – Pisa
Elio Colligiani – Pisa
Paolo Fisicaro – Pisa
Marco Vinicio Mero – Pisa
Valeria Stabile – Pisa
Andrea Fiumara – Pisa
Joseph Capuano – Pisa
Matteo Sanelli – Pisa
Paolo Sardo – Pisa
Mauro Narcisi – Bergamo
Davide Bettio – Padua
Piergiorgio D'Onofrio – Padua
Salvatore De Felice – Naples
Antonio Ascione – Naples
Giuseppe Abbate – Naples
Archangel Shepherd – Naples
Emilio Luciano Leggieri – Naples
Giovanni Ricciotti – Naples
Emanuele Iazzetta – Naples
Maria Luisa Mazzarella – Naples
Anna Ilenia Arianna Esposito – Naples
Luisa Cafasso – Naples
Fortuna Grimaldi – Naples
Rosario Michelino – Naples
Valentino Visone – Naples
Emilio Apicella – Naples
Paolo Parrella – Naples
Nanci Piscopo – Naples
Francesco Iorio – Naples
Roberto DiStefano – Naples
Nello DeBlasiis – Naples
Davide Panico – Naples
Giorgio Rapicano – Naples
Emanuele DiBenedetto – Naples
Vincenzo Cioffi – Naples
Wiktor Bak – Naples
Giovanni Caccavale – Naples
Maria Panico – Naples
Domenico Panico – Naples
Rosalia Sorrentino – Naples
Michele Spezzacatena – Naples
Giuseppe Franchino – Naples
Maurizio Esposito – Naples
Sabrina Alicante – Naples
Francesca Rosati – Naples
Michele DiCostanzo – Naples
Massimiliano Costabile – Naples
Ivan Pasquariello – Naples
Giuseppe Salvia – Naples
Salvatore Tammaro – Naples
Renato Palumbo – Naples
Pasquale Abate – Naples
Giuseppe Guerriero – Naples
Luigi Barile – Naples
Mario DiMaggio – Naples
Luciano Fiorentino – Naples
Daniele Ambra – Naples
Lorenzo Lupoli – Cremona
Francesco Donini – Modena
Giada Cotugno – Bologna
Davide Pisano – Rome
Nicholas Mingrino – Rome
Giovanni Schifino – Rome
Virginia Barone – Rome

ODG approved by the XIII National Congress of Arcigay