Corporate Volunteering at Cucine Economiche Popolari

   

Padua, January 3, 2023

  The Cucine Economiche Popolari of Padua as a place and an opportunity to enhance one’s soft skills, engaging in interpersonal relationships, conflict management, sharing, and volunteering… This is the corporate volunteering proposal launched by the Cucine Economiche Popolari of Padua in the year celebrating its 140th anniversary. This volunteering experience, open to companies of all sizes, is structured as a training and experiential journey with appropriately trained facilitators. It aims to provide participants with new perspectives on communication and conflict management, enriching their knowledge and skill set. The program consists of four stages (which can be structured as single or multiple sessions depending on needs and group requirements): Welcome and briefing, Training and case studies, Volunteering service, Debriefing and sharing. Participants will first be introduced to the reality of the Cucine Economiche Popolari of Padua, gaining insight into its history, vision, and mission. Through the guidance of facilitators, they will then explore examples of conflict situations to help them recognize possible solutions. In the third phase, participants will gain hands-on experience, working alongside the Cucine staff to serve guests (in the kitchen, at the service desks, at tables, etc.). Finally, a reflection session will allow them to process the experience and identify aspects that can be applied in their own workplaces. The Cucine Economiche Popolari provide a particularly stimulating environment in this regard: people who visit them come from 82 different countries, bringing diverse cultures, traditions, religions, and lifestyles. While they share common struggles (economic, housing, employment, relational challenges, etc.), the Cucine foster an atmosphere of real coexistence that values individuals and their abilities. The corporate volunteering initiative at the Cucine has garnered interest from socially responsible businesses that see value in such training programs. These initiatives encourage employees, during working hours, to actively support a nonprofit and third-sector organization. Among the pioneers of corporate volunteering at the Cucine Economiche Popolari is Lago Spa of Villa del Conte (PD), a leading furniture manufacturer. The company has chosen to raise awareness among its management and employees about the Cucine, offering this experience to senior executives and staff in 2023 as a means of personal growth and continuous improvement. The initiative was spearheaded by the company’s leadership, who took part in the experience just before Christmas. "The experience at the Cucine Economiche Popolari was incredibly enriching," says Daniele Lago, CEO & Head of Design at Lago Spa. "We sincerely thank everyone who tirelessly contributes to such a wonderful and extraordinary project, from the staff to the many volunteers. I truly believe that experiences like this give us much more than we give, and projects like ‘Corporate Volunteering’ offer invaluable training on multiple levels—both for companies and for individuals who, through direct involvement, become active participants in supporting others and the broader community." The proposal was later presented to Lago Spa employees by the project coordinator, Matteo Antonini, a staff member of the Cucine Economiche Popolari. "The Cucine Economiche Popolari," adds Sister Albina Zandonà, director of the Cucine, "are a crossroads where men and women without a place to rest their heads come together. Having the chance to experience this crossroads is an opportunity not to be missed, as it opens both the mind and the heart to existential realities we often perceive as distant. However, if we have the courage to be present, we discover that these realities also dwell within our own deepest existence. Through these encounters, we realize that we are all fellow travelers on the journey of life."