Cestim is an association of practitioners, social workers and educators dealing –as part of their professional duties or as volunteers– with immigrants and with their issues throughout various domains (e.g. trade unions, social and health services, schools and universities, editorial and public administration offices, and international cooperation and charity organisations). Each member shares his/her experience and professional expertise with the others and highlights relevant information and study materials which could be purchased and used to improve the organisation’s activities. The organisation was founded in Verona in 1990.

1.MISSION STATEMENT
2.OBJECTIVES
3.STRATEGIES OF INTERVENTION
4.MAIN INITIATIVES PROMOTED SINCE 1990
5.STATUS OF THE ORGANISATION

1.MISSION STATEMENT

• Cestim is committed to promote human rights and social solidarity in relation to immigration issues, with special attention to the Italian context.
• It operates to eradicate any obstacle, disadvantage or discrimination and to facilitate immigrants in enjoying fair living conditions, social and civil equality with Italian citizens.

2.OBJECTIVES

• To search for and make available fair and appropriate information on immigration issues. This is meant to prevent and eradicate possible biases encouraging misconception within public opinion while forcing immigrants in situations of social exclusion;
• To facilitate immigrants’ access to work (both as employee and self-employed), housing, social and health services, education, professional training and their enjoyment of all the rights inherent in full citizenship status. While abiding by the state laws, this process of integration needs to respect the diverse cultural identities;
• To assist individuals, families or groups of immigrants who, upon their explicit request, wish to return to their countries of origin.

3.STRATEGIES OF INTERVENTION

• Promoting public debates and researches on the immigration phenomenon;
• Looking into immigrants’ needs (through consultation and participatory methodologies) and advocating their rights to national and local autorithies; Being immigrants’ intermediary in any situation where their rights and needs are at stake (e.g. in the working place, health services, housing, schooling etc.);
• Designing social projects aimed at facilitating immigrants’ integration within the Italian national and local context;
• Designing programmes supporting immigrants’ positive re-integration in their home countries;
• Providing training to immigrants, social workers and practitioners on various issues related to immigration and integration.

4.MAIN INITIATIVES PROMOTED SINCE 1990

4.1. Study, reasearch and documents collection on immigration

• Setting up a library (approx. 1200 volumes) specialised on immigration issues. The library contains books, journals, research reports, seminar and conference acts, videos, education materials, and legal documents all available free of charge;
• Setting up a thematically organised web site (Cestim on line) making available on line the documents of the library and offering a daily press review of local and national newspapers in relation to migration issues;
• Designing educational exhibitions focused on immigration and emigration themes and ensuring their circulation through schools, public places and parishes;
• On-going monitoring and data gathering on migration flows and immigrants’ integration within Italy, Veneto, and particularly within the city of Verona;
• Organising and taking part in public debates, campaigns, conferences and researches on the phenomenon of immigration and its complex implications.

4.2. Activities facilitating immigrants’ integration within Italian society

• Offering advise on immigration issues to public administration institutions, National Health Service local units, trades unions, schools, and charity organisations interested in finding appropriate solutions to the specific challenges arinsing from immigration;
• Providing one-to-one tutoring to immigrant children and teenagers in schools within Verona province. This is made possible through a team of volunteers-tutors operating in the classrooms in agreement with teachers. This programme currently involves 70 tutors; Setting up various up-grading courses; e.g.:
  1) for lawyers, on the Italian legislation concerning immigration;
  2) for teachers, on intercultural education;
  3) for the volunteers taking part in the tutoring programme mentioned above.

5.STATUS OF THE ORGANISATION

• After more than ten years of activites, and due to new Italian laws concerning no-profit organisations, Cestim has modified its structure and it now articulates itself in two differents bodies: The NGO Cestim – Study Centre on Immigration – taking care of the library and of the web site Cestim on line and in charge of activities of study and research; The Association Cestim – Voluntary Service – dealing with the volunteers involved in the various programmes managed by Cestim. The two organisations share the same vison and a common history. They closely co-operate and intend to continue to do so