ABOUT US

CIVITAS SOLIS – 38 YEARS OF EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Civitas Solis APS is a non-profit organisation established in 1988, legally recognised under Italian Third Sector legislation and registered in the National Single Register of the Third Sector (RUNTS) Registration No. 51005.

With 38 years of experience, Civitas Solis operates in the fields of non-formal education, social and socio-educational services, youth empowerment, community development, international youth exchanges, and the prevention of educational disadvantage. Our work focuses particularly on children, adolescents, young people, and families living in socio-economically disadvantaged areas.

Organisational Background and Experience

Founded in the Locride area (Southern Italy), Civitas Solis has developed long-term expertise in designing, implementing, and coordinating local, national, and transnational projects.

Over the decades, the organization has successfully delivered hundreds of projects in the areas of:

• youth exchanges and mobility programmes;
• European citizenship and active participation;
• intercultural dialogue and Euro-Mediterranean cooperation;
• experiential and outdoor education methodologies;
• social inclusion and community-based educational services.

Civitas Solis was among the first organizations in Southern Italy to introduce innovative non-formal education methodologies, including outdoor education, experiential learning, Open Space Technology, and World Café facilitation processes.

International activities have involved thousands of young participants through partnerships across Europe and the Mediterranean region, including cooperation in complex socio-political contexts such as Lebanon, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Local Impact and Community-Based Services

Today, Civitas Solis is a key socio-educational actor in the Locride area and the Calabria region.

The organization:

• manages youth centres and community-based educational services;
• implements school support and early school leaving prevention;
• develops social inclusion pathways for vulnerable children and young people;
• supports families through community-based interventions;
• promotes skills development and active citizenship.

Throughout its activity, Civitas Solis has engaged thousands of children and young people in structured educational and inclusion pathways, generating measurable impact on local communities.

Civitas Solis is officially accredited under the Italian Universal Civil Service framework (Code 00352) and leads local partnership networks involving municipalities and Third Sector organisations.

Partnerships, Networks and Financial Sustainability

Civitas Solis operates within a wide network of institutional and civil society stakeholders, ensuring multi-level cooperation at local, national, and international levels.

The organization has established long-term partnerships with:

• European institutions and national ministries;
• leading national foundations and social enterprises;
• local public authorities and educational institutions;
• civil society organisations and social networks.

A significant share of our activities is supported by major national philanthropic bodies and social enterprises, including Save the Children Italy, Con i Bambini – Social Enterprise, and the Fund for the Digital Republic – Social Enterprise.

Our operational model is based on co-design, multi-stakeholder cooperation, social co-investment, and long-term sustainability. This approach enables the organisation to deliver structured programmes with continuity, financial accountability, and measurable social impact.

Civitas Solis is also actively involved in interregional and thematic networks addressing educational poverty, children’s rights, youth inclusion, and social innovation.

The organisation works in close cooperation with the Juvenile Social Service Office of the Italian Department for Juvenile Justice, implementing innovative programmes for minors involved in the juvenile justice system, recognised nationally as best practices.

Governance, Capacity and Institutional Development

As a legally recognised Third Sector organisation with legal personality, Civitas Solis operates with full organisational autonomy, transparent governance structures, and clear accountability mechanisms.

The organisation combines the voluntary commitment of its members with a stable team of qualified professionals, educators, social workers, and project managers, ensuring operational continuity, financial responsibility, and quality assurance.

Organisational sustainability is primarily supported through private foundations and structured partnerships, allowing medium- and long-term strategic planning.

Rooted in a socio-economically fragile area yet internationally connected, Civitas Solis continues to contribute to inclusive community development, youth empowerment, and the strengthening of democratic participation across Europe and the Mediterranean region.