Out of School Time

Good Practice

Equality

Midday lunch and play in primary and secondary schools.

Bolzano City Council

Italy

Local policy

POLICY OBJECTIVE

The project is mainly a support to help families better reconcile working time. Students can stay at school at lunchtime and participate in activities until 2.30pm.

CONTEXT

Many parents work all day or until early afternoon, leaving children home alone at lunchtime or, in the case of many, on the streets.

The situation has worsened over the years, with the presence of unaccompanied boys leading to growing numbers of small gangs who become a problem for the whole neighbourhood.

POLICY DESCRIPTION

After classes, students are supervised by youth centre activity leaders during and after lunch. Interested students can have lunch in the school canteen. Activity leaders become reference persons for the students, who often go with them to youth centres after school.

KEY ASPECTS

Creation of a network between the school, municipality and youth centres. Network members collaborate to solve problems and propose new activities that can change over time.

RESULTS

Parents have a better work-life balance; students have the chance to spend free time together; neighbourhoods face fewer and fewer problems with gangs of youngsters, and, with the help of activity leaders, teachers have a better relationship with youngsters in difficulty.

Policy's Website

Sabina

Scola

Office of Statistics and Time

sabina.scola@comune.bolzano.it

Good Practice