Since 2018, the work in Corigliano d 'Otranto has been equipped with a vision and mission document to redesign its presence in the area and tell its story. According to this document, Dr. Coccioli explains, "we set out to achieve four of the goals of the 2030 Agenda. The newly-opened day centre contributes to the achievement of objectives 1 and 4, namely combating poverty in all its forms and promoting quality education. This centre has been something the Educative and Pastoral Community of our work has long wanted, in response to the needs of the area, and to promote equal advantage for children, enabling them to participate in oratory activities of a cultural and sporting nature, including them in the Salesian Youth Sports Centre. The goal is to have the oratory and the day centre collaborate, so that the children are placed in a healthy, educational, welcoming environment that takes care of them."
The "Buona fabrica" day centre expands what the Salesians in Corigliano re offering, where there is already a residential educational community for situations in which the child is removed from the family.
"We will work closely with the social workers in the Maglie area", Dr. Coccioli concludes, "but we are open to welcoming children from outside this area, including from the Juvenile Court that already entrusts us with children for testing in the oratory or children to be followed up in the educational community."
The "Buona fabrica" centre is also financed with the funds from the "Bando delle idee" (appeal for ideas) run by the Salesians for Social APS, a programme to support the projects of member organisations to carry out activities for minors and young people in these areas, especially the poorest and most abandoned.
"With the ‘Bando delle idee’ we want to support these areas in their daily work alongside young people. And we are very happy to be able to support the activation of the "Buona Stoffa" Daytime Educational Centre for minors because it is not only a group fighting against social and educational poverty of minors and supporting them in their growth, but also the first educational group of this kind in Maglie" Fr Francesco Preite, SDB, President of Salesians for Social Affairs commented.
"The opening of an educational centre is a reason for hope for the entire community, because it increases the ‘educational GDP’ of the entire territory. Best wishes to the educators from the APS ‘Buona Stoffa' and its ‘Little Steps Big Dreams’, and to the Educative and Pastoral Community in Corigliano d 'Otranto", concludes the Salesian.
