BolognaAzienda Pubblica di Servizi alla Persona (Public Company for Services to the Person, ASP)
What is inspiring?
The Azienda Pubblica di Servizi alla Persona is responsible for the coordination of the Italian reception system in the entire Bologna metropolitan area and brings together several of the oldest civil society organisations. It provides welfare and integrated social and health services which ensure a better life-quality of its residents, regardless of their residency status.
Contact
E-Mail: segreteriaprotezioniinternazionali@aspbologna.it
How does it operate?
The ASP constitutes an integrated network of social-health services of the municipalities within a system of rules defined by the region. Among other services, it coordinates the Italian reception and integration system (SAI) over the entire metropolitan area. Bologna’s cooperation with 40 surrounding municipalities and civil society organisations working with migrants and refugees makes this system specially effective and worth highlighting.
Who initiated the project? How?
The Public Companies for Personal Services (ASP) are not unique to Bologna: They are established by the regional government to restructure Public Institutions for Assistance and Charity (IPAB) and enhance access to and quality of social and healthcare services in the Emilia-Romagna region. These companies collaborate with other entities to form an integrated network of territorial services.
What is the outcome?
ASP’s goals are achieved through a variety of services and projects like a.o. legal guidance, social care for adults and unaccompanied minors, support in finding housing, promotion of family reception and cultural linguistic mediation. An additional interesting feature is the cooperation with civil society organisations acting in the different sectors. One example is the CIDAS cooperative, which has been working in Emilia-Romagna for over ten years in the reception of asylum seekers and refugees.