MILAN. Recognizing and certifying the “soft skills” that thousands of students acquire through volunteer work. This is the goal of the “Skills Certification” project presented in Milan, the result of a protocol signed by the Csv (Volunteer Service Center) of Milan, the Lombardy Regional School Office, and the Lombardy Region.

The initiative, which is the first of its kind in Italy on a regional scale, is aimed at upper secondary school students. By committing to at least 60 hours of volunteer activity at an organization affiliated with Csv Milan, these young people will not only help the community but will also see the transversal competencies they develop—such as teamwork, problem-solving, relational skills, and a sense of responsibility—formally recognized. These competencies will be certified and added to their “skills portfolio,” a document that is part of their school curriculum.

“The world of volunteering is an immense and often unexpressed training ground for citizenship,” comments the president of Csv Milan, Cristina Laudi. “This agreement is a beautiful sign of attention towards the younger generation and the world of volunteering, which offers them not only an opportunity to do good but also a chance to grow and learn useful skills for their future professional lives.”

The regional secretary of the Lombardy School Office, Alberto Sonzogni, echoes this sentiment: “This is a significant step towards building an educational alliance between schools and the territory. Certifying the skills gained through volunteering means giving concrete value to an educational experience that complements the knowledge acquired in the classroom.”

For the regional councilor for Volunteering, Francesca Brianza, “this project, which we strongly supported, enhances the enormous heritage of Lombard volunteering and offers a new tool to fight educational poverty and youth hardship. It is a virtuous example of how institutions can work together to create opportunities for our young people.”

The operational details were explained by the director of Csv Milan, Marco Giungi: “Students can choose from over 1,500 organizations in the province of Milan. After their experience, the organization will validate the hours completed, and the school will then be responsible for formally recognizing and certifying the acquired skills within the student’s educational path.”

“The true added value of this project,” concludes the director of the regional school office, Giuseppe Bonelli, “is its ability to create a network. It connects the world of school, the third sector, and institutions in a common effort to guide young people, helping them discover their talents and build their future.”