This book is a directory of 200 community organizations working across the Parma region in 14 different sectors:
- care for the sick
- women's issues
- prison and criminal justice
- disability
- physical impairment
- peace and human rights
- chronic illness
- children and youth
- human development
- civil protection
- essential services
- elderly care
- development and international cooperation
- substance abuse.
In the disability section, the authors present three types of initiatives: 1) Local branches of national organizations (ANFFASS, AIAS, and others); 2) Information and advocacy programs; 3) Direct service providers (full-time staff, social clubs, residential homes).
Each entry spans one page and includes the organization's address, contact person, and availability. The authors describe each group's activities, mission, participants, and cooperative or associative structure.
Several aspects of the disability initiatives stand out:
- Many are anchored in local parishes;
- Service providers often operate as cooperatives, combining full-time staff with volunteer participation;
- Collaboration among groups is common—parents, volunteers, parishes, and health authorities working together.
This is an invaluable resource for anyone in the Parma region seeking help or wanting to volunteer. The authors hope it will foster greater collaboration among these initiatives and prevent them from working in isolation. For readers elsewhere in Italy seeking to connect with their local solidarity networks, this book offers numerous examples and ideas to build upon.
- N.S. , 1993