Associazone Centro ELIS (ELIS Center Association)
ELIS aims to fight educational poverty by supporting young people in discovering their professional vocation and placing them in the labor market to promote local entrepreneurship and the social and economic emancipation of women.
Virginia Filippi
12 years in Consumer Relations and Sales/CBD, Italy.
Other involved Alums (2): Patrizia Gabellini and Luigi De Costanzo.
Virginia is now Chairperson of the Board of CEDAL (Cooperativa Sociale Educativa ELIS), an affiliated program within the ELIS organization that provides vocational training among other social benefits. In the past 7 years she has led a major expansion of the organization, growing its employee base from 110 to over 500, 49% of whom are women.
In her letter of endorsement, Virginia says: “I joined this organization because I strongly believe in its mission and purpose and with the intent of giving back what I learnt in my 12 years at P&G.”
The project aims to help reduce juvenile delinquency and the likelihood of repeat offenses among young adults who have been in trouble with the law, focusing particularly on the Lazio Region and the metropolitan area of Rome. Second Chance 2 is the extension of the Second Chance project which resulted in 21 young adults trained and offered the opportunity to enter the job market through an internship. Results to date indicate a near 100% reduction in recidivism rates. This 2nd phase will facilitate the socioeconomic reintegration of an additional 15 young adults entangled in legal issues. Participants will obtain the professional qualification certificate for ‘installer and maintainer of industrial electrical systems’ and will be trained in life skills. This dual & integrated model with peer-to-peer education & life coaching combined with the technical professional training trajectory is aligned with market demands. Program will be run in collaboration with relevant juvenile justice authorities.
The 2024 PGAF Grant of $25,000 will be used across all phases of this 12 month program including: Screening of potential candidates, staff salaries, tutoring, training equipment & rooms and support for job recruitment.
Luigi stands at a pivotal moment, transitioning from a past marred by mistakes to a present where his sense of responsibility toward his family is steadily growing. Having faced the challenges of growing up too soon and making poor choices, he found an opportunity for a fresh start at ELIS, where he established new goals for himself. While aware of his imperfections, Luigi has chosen to “run” toward a better future for himself and his children. His deepest motivation is to provide them with a peaceful and united family life. Simple gestures, such as picking up his daughter’s teddy bear, symbolize his commitment to offering the love he lacked as a child. For Luigi, true fulfillment lies in waking up each day knowing he has built a joyful and stable life alongside his loved ones.