This section presents the ongoing Service Learning projects during the 2024/2025 academic year at the Brescia, Piacenza and Cremona campuses of the Università Cattolica.
La mediazione in lingua cinese per l’inclusione degli alunni sinofoni (Mediation in Chinese language for the inclusion of sinophone students)
Faculty involved: Linguistic Sciences and Foreign Literatures
Campus: Brescia
Project coordinator: Dr. Enrica Peracin
Academic year of implementation: 2024/2025
The project, now in its second edition, involves a group of students enrolled in the "Chinese Language and Culture" course in a linguistic support activity for Chinese-speaking pupils attending primary and lower secondary school at the Arici School Institute in Brescia.
To ensure continuity and systematic monitoring of learning outcomes while fostering relationships, each university student follows the educational journey of a Chinese-speaking pupil, offering individualized and personalized interventions based on specific needs. Activities include support for literacy and linguistic mediation during curricular hours, as well as assistance with homework during extracurricular hours.
During the first semester, activities take place from October to December. The time commitment required from university students ranges from 3 to 5 hours per week, for a maximum total of 25 hours.
Service Learning Objectives:
- Apply knowledge of the Chinese language and culture in an extracurricular activity aimed at the literacy development of Chinese-speaking students;
- Enhance Chinese language proficiency through dialogue with Chinese-speaking pupils and the preparation of teaching materials;
- Reflect on the interaction between Chinese and Italian linguistic structures in Chinese-speaking learners;
- Actively collaborate with university professors and staff from the host institution;
- Build an active and productive relationship with the Chinese-speaking students benefiting from the service to deliver it effectively and engagingly;
- Citizenship skills: Develop a greater awareness of the real challenges faced by Chinese children in integrating into the school and social community. Experience being promoters of acts of hospitality, support, and openness (to cultural diversity) capable of positively shaping the perception of Italian society by the Chinese children involved in the project.
Al di là della rete (Beyond the net)
Faculty involved: Psychology
Campus: Brescia
Project coordinator: Professor Livia Cadei
Academic year of implemenation: 2024/2025
This project, now in its second edition, involves a group of female students who will participate in activities at a reception center for refugees, managed by the Kemay social cooperative and located next to the Via della Garzetta campus in Brescia.
The students will work alongside and support the staff in both planning and carrying out the daily activities organized by the center, as well as in developing initiatives aimed at raising awareness, fostering socialization, and facilitating interaction. These initiatives aim to support the inclusion of refugees and increase their visibility in the local neighborhood.
The activities will take place from October to December 2024, spanning a total of 10 weeks. Student participation is required during specific time slots, three days a week.
Service Learning Objectives:
- Promote understanding of issues related to immigration dynamics;
- Engage in direct interaction with others and contribute to the organization of activities supporting reception and integration, applying both personal and developing professional skills;
- Reflect on the significance of intercultural experiences and the dimensions of social integration.