Civico Zero

Civico Zero investigates how —and to what extent— participation in artistic workshops can positively impact the lives of migrant youth and unaccompanied minors. The increasing complexity of today’s social fabric and the persistence of systemic inequalities call for innovative educational and relational approaches that promote agency, belonging, and well-being. Arts-based education emerges as both a pedagogical and political tool, capable of challenging exclusionary narratives, fostering transformative processes, and enabling young people to imagine alternative futures.

This pilot will work with youth and unaccompanied minors hosted in Civico Zero drop-in centres in Milan, Turin, and Rome. They are adolescents and young adults between the ages of 14 and 21, often having arrived in Italy after long and difficult journeys, carrying life experiences marked by instability, hardship, and sometimes trauma.

What is expected to be reached by this pilot action?

ADAPTATION
Adaptation to participants’ needs and situations will be central to the implementation of this pilot action for keeping participants’ engagement and motivation throughout the whole duration of the activities. Given the vulnerability of participants, young people aged 14 to 21 facing complex legal and emotional challenges, careful ethical considerations are central to the research. Making children and adolescents feel safe and protected is not only a need to be met, but a right to be respected and guaranteed. Recruitment will be done through trusted staff at Civico Zero centres, welcoming youth who voluntarily wish to engage while excluding those in situations of severe psychological distress.

CONVERGENCE
The project aligns with current educational and social priorities that seek to promote inclusion, well-being, and active participation among migrant youth and unaccompanied minors. In a context marked by increasing social complexity and persistent structural inequalities, arts-based educational practices respond to the need for innovative and context-sensitive approaches capable of addressing the specific life trajectories of young people with a migration background. The qualitative and quantitative evidence generated through the Civico Zero research will provide concrete insights to inform future interventions, contributing to more inclusive, participatory, and transformative educational policies and practices. These findings will support educators, institutions, and policymakers in recognising the value of arts-based education as both a pedagogical and social tool capable of fostering meaningful change in the lives of the young people involved.

NETWORK
The workshops will be conducted by a multidisciplinary team that includes cultural mediators, educators, artist-facilitators, psychologists, and teachers, all with expertise in expressive, educational, and relational practices. They will be involved in every stage of the research process. This integrated approach fosters a community of practice where all stakeholders are actively involved, recognising and valuing diverse skills and perspectives.

The research adopts a mixed-methods analytical approach, also based on participatory research. Qualitative data—including interviews, focus groups, participant observations, and creative outputs—will be analysed thematically, with visual and artistic materials further explored through visual and participatory analysis involving the young participants themselves. Quantitative data from pre- and post-workshop questionnaires and adapted psychometric tools will be examined too, to assess changes over time and thus measure workshops’ impact. The integration of methods supports a nuanced and context-sensitive understanding of transformation, grounded in the lived experiences and active contributions of youth co-researchers.