From Global Cooperation to Local Inclusion: Giulia's Journey

As a neo graduate, Giulia Agostini threw herself into her dream of being an international development worker. But reality proved more disappointing than the dream and prompted Giulia to focus on social projects closer to home. And so she found her true calling with Crisi Come Opportunità, an association that uses art for social integration, which she leads with an all-female team, and indeed she encourages young graduates to throw themselves into real experiences to find their true vocation.

Giulia's path started at Bocconi with a degree in business administration with a focus on the nonprofit sector. “My dream had always been to be work in international cooperation in the third sector,” she says. As soon as she graduated, in fact, she left for her first experience abroad, in a vocational training center in a favelas in the hinterland of São Paulo where she stayed for six months giving Italian lessons and helping in a nursery school. Upon her return to Italy, she found an internship at AMREF's project office. But the desk was a squeeze for her and she pushed for another field experience and as a volunteer flew to a rural hospital with the Flying Doctors project in Kenya, an air ambulance and medical service, “where I also ended up helping out in the surgical ward.”

To further her knowledge, she took a break to pursue a Master's in Development Management at the London School of Economics. And after a new stint at AMREF as a desk officer for projects in Kenya and Tanzania, Gulia again yearned for a field experience. She applied for the UN Fellowships program and was selected to work for a year in Uganda at the Italian Cooperation Office in Kampala.

“But the experience as a development worker disappointed me a bit. You live in a privileged context compared to locals, and I also think that the design and management of development projects should be entrusted more to the locals,” Giulia says.

Her focus thus shifted to pursuing social projects closer to home. But first another step with a PhD in urban planning at La Sapienza. “Urban planning is another passion of mine and I did a thesis on 'informal' housing in Rome. But I didn't then want to pursue an academic career - I am a pragmatist, who has to work in the field. And so already during my doctorate I started collaborating with Crisi Come Opportunità,” says Giulia.

A collaboration that continued as she took on the role of president in 2014. “An association whose name itself emphasizes how opportunities can arise from crisis situations,” Giulia explains. “We use art in all its forms to raise awareness and foster integration in contexts ranging from juvenile prisons to schools.”

Among the main projects of the association, which was founded in 2006, are theater and music workshops in various juvenile detention centres throughout Italy; culture, music and theater projects and awareness-raising on issues related to active citizenship, legality and affectivity education; and project development and fundraising activities with La Casa Internazionale delle Donne, where CCO has its headquarters.

“We are small organization, currently an all-female team of six full-time staff, and we get a lot of proposals. So now is the time to take an organizational and fundraising leap,” Giulia says. And reflecting on her journey, Giulia comes up with one piece of advice for young female students. “As a new graduate, it's hard to figure out what you want to do. So take the plunge - into practical hands on-experiences and with an open mind.”