AGI – The role of non-profit organizations is growing in Italy, even during the pandemic. A universe that counts 375,000 institutions including associations, foundations and social cooperatives, an increase of 25% compared to 10 years ago. The Italians who participate in association activities are 10.5 million, that is 1 in 5 among those over 14 years old. The value of production is estimated at 80 billion euros and is close to 5% of the gross domestic product.
The employees are 900,000 (70% women), plus 4 million volunteers. This is what emerges from a research conducted by CNEL, the Astrid Foundation and the Foundation for Subsidiarity, on the occasion of the presentation of the book “A society of people? Intermediate bodies in today’s and tomorrow’s democracy”, scheduled for Friday 28 May.
Research confirms that the Peninsula is one of the countries with the most “subsidiary vitality” in Europe, with an association for every 160 inhabitants. About 85% of third sector institutions are represented by associations, the remaining 15% are social cooperatives, foundations, trade unions or entities. Two thirds of non-profit institutions (65%) operate in culture, sport and recreation; followed by social assistance and civil protection (9%), trade union and business relations (6%), religion (5%), education and research (40%) and health care (4%).
“The vast world of the third sector and more generally of the private social sector represents a resource of enormous value for the country and its economy, as we have experienced during the health emergency and in particular in the difficult months of the lockdown, a decisive contribution to employment both in quantitative and qualitative terms “, says Tiziano Treu.
The third sector, continues Treu – will have un “strategic role also in the implementation of the NRP. For this reason, associations and social enterprises must be supported and taken into due consideration as repeatedly highlighted in parliamentary hearings and with CNEL documents presented to the Government and Parliament “.” This new research – underlines Franco Bassanini – is even more widely the one we will present on 28 May at Cnel bring out the crucial role of intermediate communities in a rapidly changing world.
In which globalization and digital technologies, and now the pandemic, produce fragmentation and atomization. But in which it is increasingly evident that, on the contrary, only the revitalization of the fabric of intermediate communities (redefined in their objectives and ways of operating) will allow us to face the challenges of social and environmental sustainability and the crisis of legitimacy and representativeness of our democratic systems, weakened by the illusory practices of political and social disintermediation “.
“The pandemic – observes Giorgio Vittadini – has enhanced the role of the third sector which has supported public intervention in key sectors such as assistance and health. Certainly the Covid emergency has penalized some sectors such as kindergartens, day centers for the disabled, sports and recreational activities. Despite the crisis, private individuals and public bodies have supported the third sector with donations and contributions, recognizing its great social value and helping to spread the culture of subsidiarity “.
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