Hands, Feet and Hearts: an Innovative Way to Enter the Labour Market

The project Mani, Piedi, Cuori - namely Hands, Feet and Hearts - is promoted by the Italian foundation Centro Produttività Veneto, the Superior Institute of Religious Sciences Santa Maria di Monte Berico and Veneto Banca. It stands as an innovative training means targeted to the religious niche which aims at providing young people with new professional skills on the job market. This project is an effective way to raise up a working field mostly neglected by youths as well as to explore its employment opportunities.

Three training paths are offered and directed to 24 beneficiaries. In particular, they concern metal processing, typographic art and touristic/cultural itinerary planning. All of them have a common program but they are preparatory to further specialization. The logic behind is to create specific professional figures that are - at the same time - complementary parts of the same supply chain.

The participants will learn how to make metal handworks recalling the style of Mount Berico sanctuary (Vicenza) artistic heritage and they will be involved in the handmade reproduction of prints, holy statues and touristic postcards whose original versions are in the basilica museum. Moreover, they will acquire the adequate skills to plan religious cultural itineraries taking the sanctuary as a starting sample to work on.

The recipients of this initiative are adults older than 18 years old. Educational qualifications in arts, religious sciences, touristic services or design are desirable but not essential. In addition, worth mentioning is the multicultural and inclusive side of this activity.  In fact, the selection is open to foreigners, coming from non-EU countries, regardless of their nationality. Although classes will be held in Italian, it will be a great chance for foreign people to come across one of the core element of Italian culture and traditions, and in particular sacred art.

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