A Summer School Unlike Any Other
Every summer, in the small village of Pratrivero in Valdilana — in the Biella foothills of Piedmont — a group of young people aged 15 to 20 gathers for a few days of learning, working, and connecting around the themes of recycling and sustainable living. This is the Summer Volunteer Work Experience, organised annually for the past 15 years by Cooperativa Mani Tese and its local partner, the voluntary association Mani Tese Pratrivero.
Mani Tese is a well-established NGO committed to justice on economic, social, and environmental fronts. The Cooperative, established within the NGO system, focuses specifically on climate and environmental justice and social inclusion, with a strong practical presence in local communities through second-hand markets and Reuse Centres. In Pratrivero, the local association has built over the years a relationship of trust with the community and with schools in the surrounding area — a relationship that makes this summer experience possible.
Morning Workshops, Afternoon Work
The structure of the camp is straightforward and effective. Mornings, from 9 to 12:30, are dedicated to training sessions on sustainability topics led by experts and guest witnesses who share their experiences from the field. Everyone eats lunch together — a communal moment that reinforces the sense of shared purpose. In the afternoons, participants move into hands-on work at the second-hand shop “Il Ricircolo,” sorting donated materials and serving as assistants in the store, accompanied at all times by experienced volunteers.
The combination of formal learning in the morning and physical, practical engagement in the afternoon creates a rhythm that participants find both stimulating and rewarding. The act of sorting materials — deciding what can be reused, repaired, or recycled — makes sustainability tangible in a way that no amount of reading or listening can replicate.
School Collaboration and Recognition
One of the key success factors of the camp is the formal collaboration with local secondary schools, including lyceums and technical institutes within approximately 15 kilometres of Valdilana. Schools enter into agreements to recognise the hours participated in the camp as PCTO hours — the Italian pathway for transversal skills and vocational orientation. This bridge between non-formal volunteering and formal educational recognition gives the experience greater legitimacy and makes it easier for young people to justify their participation to parents and institutions.
Growing Demand and Future Plans
The camp has attracted interest well beyond its immediate area: requests have arrived from as far as the province of Milan, from youth groups and oratories that would like to participate. This demand has prompted the organisers to explore the possibility of making the camp residential, involving other organisations that could provide accommodation. The communication around the initiative is also an area identified for improvement, to ensure that the potential audience is better reached each year.
Relevance for Sustainable Learning
This good practice demonstrates how the integration of theoretical learning and direct voluntary experience can create meaningful, lasting engagement with sustainability among young people. It connects to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action), among others.
Website: manitese.it
Contact: Maria Facciotto – pratriveromanitese@gmail.com
