IV WFTC INSTITUTE PRESENTATION

Dear friend

We’re pleased to communicate that from the 14th to the 18th of October 2010 the world most important event on Therapeutic Communities, organized by the World Federation of Therapeutic Communities and by the Centro di Solidarietà di Genova, will take place in Italy, in Genoa.

In this occasion, 200 among the greatest specialists of the field will come together to discuss what is today and how will tomorrow change the Therapeutic Community model.

Therapeutic Communities of the 42 countries within the World Federation of Therapeutic Communities have the same objective: Help men and women become free from drugs; through attention to individuals, the group activities and family involvement.

Italy was chosen for this event because the Italian Federation of Therapeutic Communities, member of the World Federation of Therapeutic Communities, has a prestigious history as Italian Centres have always been pioneers in Europe in the Community treatment for drug-addicted people and are still today in the forefront with regard to treatment against drug-addiction.

And Genoa was chosen, as well as for its wonderful natural location in the middle of the two Ligurian Riviera coasts that have always been an Italian and International tourism destination, for its territorial dimension, extended but not too much, that makes it a good example of a town with problems similar to the ones of other cities all over the world, but with a size that allows her to have a social dialogue between the different kind of people living in it.

The event will be organized, besides the World Federation of Therapeutic Communities, by the Centro di Solidarietà di Genova that is in the addiction recovery field for more than forty years, firstly with its founder Bianca Costa and today with who inherited with passion the task, made of positive values, enthusiasm and experience.

Founded in 1973 by Bianca Costa and a group of volunteers, the Centro di Solidarietà di Genova has the objective of facing problems linked to youth marginalization and in particular to drug addiction. During the years, activities widened to give an appropriate answer to the rise of new problems, offering attention to families and personal counseling to young people so that they can find in the Centro a reference point.

At the Centro di Solidarietà di Genova workers and advisors carry out their service with training and special skills, consolidated in years of service: Professional educators, psychologists, doctors, lawyers, psychiatrists, professional nurses, psychiatric rehabilitation technicians and administrative figures that dedicate themselves to the Centro. Volunteers committed in the various activities of support and help to the residents. Families helped from ’73 until now are now some thousands and 800 the persons reintroduced in the society.

The IV World Federation of Therapeutic Communities Institute that will take place in Genoa will be divided in two parts: during the first three workshop days the present criticalities and the possible developments of the Therapeutic Community concept will be analyzed and discussed: residents’ changes, model effectiveness and interaction with territory. While the fourth day, open to all the interested population, will be dedicated to the presentation of the results obtained during the first three days, with the presence of the maximum Italian and International institutions and in collaboration with the National Department for Antidrug Policies (Dipartimento Nazionale per le Politiche Antidroga).

Afterwards, a publication will be created describing the guidelines for all the Therapeutic Communities of the world working in the struggle against drug-addiction to be followed in the next years. It will be possible to download it from the website of the Institute.

You’re invited to this important event that involves us all to build together "The Future of TC in the Changing World".