The visit to organisations and services in the city of Bologna (Italy) allowed us to discover its advanced social ecosystem and reminded us of the importance of sharing experiences and forging alliances to advance social innovation.

From 8 to 12 June, the iSocial Foundation held its fourth Innotrip, an annual journey in which our member organisations participate, and which aims to identify and uncover innovative models and projects in other countries in order to apply the knowledge acquired to our social context.

In this edition, the destination was Italy, specifically the Emilia-Romagna region, characterised by a strong civic involvement in the social sphere. The trip was an opportunity to learn about different models of care for people and experiences that address key challenges, from housing, poverty and exclusion, mental health, access to culture, to strengthening the third sector.

A system that puts the person at the centre

The first day, at the Comune di Bologna, was dedicated to understanding the architecture of the city’s social services system and its relationship with the territory. Representatives from the City Council, the Emilia-Romagna Region and the Third Sector Forum explained how they are articulated with one another and how they jointly build welfare policies. A session that put forward a model of “Shared Administration” which is not based on tenders, as is the case in Spain, and which directly challenges the pillars of our welfare system.

The iSocial Foundation took the opportunity to present its member organisations and the context of social services in Catalonia, opening a first dialogue between the two territories that would continue throughout the week.

Technology for autonomy, housing and holistic support

On Tuesday, the morning visits focused on how independent living is approached from very different perspectives. For over 60 years, AIAS Bologna Onlus has been supporting people with disabilities and their families, and has made technological innovation one of its central pillars: the Ausilioteca and the Domotic House offer concrete solutions for independent daily life.

Andria, on the other hand, demonstrates that housing can be much more than just a roof over your head. This residents’ cooperative has built entire neighbourhoods, such as Coriandoline, designed from the ideas of 700 children, placing participation and co-production at the heart of the project. The visit to Casa Claudia, a residential resource for people with disabilities, showed how this model is also applied in care for individuals.

In the afternoon, we visited Agevolando, which supports unaccompanied minors in their transition to adult life, combining direct care with political advocacy and research. Its Care Leavers Network, a national network led by the young people themselves, promotes mutual support spaces, communication and awareness-raising activities, research projects and national meetings.

Arca di Noè, integrated into the Italian Reception and Integration System (SAI), presented a holistic model for the inclusion of asylum seekers and refugees, ranging from housing and legal support to participatory cinema as a tool for raising awareness.

Elderly people, disability, culture and gender-based violence

On Wednesday morning, we visited the Viale Roma Service Centre of ASP Città di Bologna, a multi-purpose centre for older people and people with dementia which opened its garden for its summer party.

We also visited Open Group – Casa Tra le Nuvole: a three-storey, fenceless building integrated into the neighbourhood, which combines diverse residential models with support tailored to people with disabilities to foster their autonomy.

In the afternoon, Arte e Salute showed how the performing arts can be a tool for recovery and social inclusion through a community-based approach that integrates culture and mental health. We also visited the Recovery Info Point, which focuses on helping people to regain a full and independent life, beyond symptoms or diagnoses. In parallel, MondoDonna provided an essential intersectional perspective: an organisation that supports women in vulnerable situations, survivors of gender-based violence, migrant women, and single mothers, through personalised pathways that coordinate psychological, legal, social, and residential services.

Housing, volunteering and mental health recovery

The visits on the fourth day highlighted housing and the strengthening of the associative fabric as central themes. ASP Città di Bologna – Housing Fragility Network presented its municipal housing and reception system, with the Housing First model and community work strategies as the guiding principles. VOLABO, the Metropolitan City’s Volunteer Service Centre, showcased the Italian model of support for volunteering: training, organisational advice and impact measurement for hundreds of social organisations.

In the afternoon, La Quadreria – ASP Museum demonstrated that a museum can be much more than a heritage space: its Cultural Welfare initiatives with unaccompanied migrant youths, people with dementia and other groups put culture at the service of well-being and inclusion. The Dipartamento di Salute Mentale di Bologna concluded the day by presenting the Recovery College, a mutual learning initiative between professionals, service users and the community; the supported housing programme Abitare Supportato; and the IESA, a family-based model of support for people with mental health problems.

A closing event for sharing and connecting

On the final day, the closing and networking event brought together participants and local organisations to share learnings, raise questions that had arisen during the visits, and explore potential collaborations. A space that confirmed that the challenges facing Bologna are not so different from our own, and that the responses they have developed can be a very valuable source of inspiration.

We came away with ideas about inclusive housing, coordination between systems, and person- and community-centred approaches. But, above all, we are certain that learning together, between organisations, professionals and territories, is one of the most powerful ways to advance social innovation.

From the iSocial Foundation, we would like to thank all the member organisations that have joined us for this fourth edition: Associació Alba, Grupo Bogan, Federació Alzheimer Catalunya, Fundació Família i Benestar Social, Fundació Catalana Síndrome de Down, Fundació REIR, Fundació AMPANS, Grup Plataforma Educativa, Fundació El Maresme, Fundació Hàbitat3, Pere Claver Group, Support-Girona Foundation, MIFAS Group, SSI Group, INTRESS and Som Foundation.

And a very special thank you to all the organisations in Bologna who have opened their doors and shared their work with such generosity.