TRENTO – The ESIC project has officially launched its educational outreach in Trentino. Recently, the Provincia autonoma di Trento (PAT) concluded a series of three high-impact introductory webinars designed to raise awareness of the project and guide participants through the definition of the future training pathways and professional development opportunities.
The initiative saw the active participation of 25 teachers from diverse academic backgrounds and subject areas, representing upper secondary schools and vocational institutions across the territory.
A Collaborative Approach to Social Innovation
The webinars were not a solo effort; they not only involved two other project partners, EURICSE and FTCoop, but also saw the participation of CSV Trentino, one local organisation that deals with volunteering and training for volunteers.
Each session was introduced by Ilaria Mascitti and Gaia Trecarichi, who provided an overview of the ESIC project and its objectives, and by experts who offered a specialized lens on different aspects of social economy:
- Mr Bodini and Ms Gotz from EURICSE focused on social economy providing a definition of social innovation (9 October 2025);
- Ms Elena Badeanschi from Federazione Trentina della Cooperazione (FTCoop) provided a deep dive into the cooperative model that is a hallmark of the Trentino identity (19 November 2025);
- Ms Giulia De Paoli from CSV Trentino (Centro Servizi per il Volontariato) explored the vital role of volunteering and active citizenship in the local context and focused on the Third Sector, a fundamental component of the social economy (10 December 2025).
Building Bridges with Schools
The primary goal of these sessions was twofold. First, they served as the first step in establishing a long-term collaboration with local upper secondary schools and vocational institutions. Given the growing importance of the social economy at both national and European levels — as highlighted by the Italian National Plan on the Social Economy published in October 2025 — the project aims to integrate elements of social economy and social innovation into future school curricula.
Secondly, the webinars acted as a “team-building” exercise for the project partners themselves. By co-delivering these sessions, PAT, EURICSE, FTCoop have strengthened their synergy, creating a more cohesive front for the future phases of the ESIC project.
“This webinar series serves as a cornerstone for the ESIC project. By engaging 25 motivated educators, we can align our initiatives with their specific training and professional needs, effectively translating complex social concepts into practical training modules and, subsequently, enriching learning experiences for students.” — Mariacarolina Leo, PAT.
Next Steps
With the introductory phase complete, the ESIC project is now looking toward direct engagement with teachers. Building on the preferences for training modules expressed by participants during the introductory webinars, a dedicated training program focused on social economy and social innovation is set to launch in Spring 2026.
Author: PAT Project team
Mariacarolina Leo
Ilaria Mascitti
Gaia Trecarichi
email: progettieuropei@provincia.tn.it
