UniCredit Foundation

Junior Achievement Italia (JA Italia) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing economic and entrepreneurial education to young people.

Founded in 2002, it is part of the global Junior Achievement network, which operates in over 120 countries.

The mission of Junior Achievement Italia is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy by teaching them essential skills in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness.

The organisation aims to empower students to develop their potential and become responsible citizens and leaders, providing: educational programmes - offering a range of programmes that teach financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness to students from primary school to university level; volunteer engagement - mobilising business professionals to volunteer and share their expertise with students through classroom activities and mentoring; and partnerships - collaborating with schools, universities, and businesses to deliver impactful educational experiences and create opportunities for students.

JA Italia has reached over 1 million students and involved more than 15,000 teachers and 10,000 business volunteers. The organisation's programs have been instrumental in helping young people develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today's competitive world.

Junior Achievement Italia (JA Italia) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing economic and entrepreneurial education to young people.

Founded in 2002, it is part of the global Junior Achievement network, which operates in over 120 countries.

The mission of Junior Achievement Italia is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy by teaching them essential skills in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness.

The organisation aims to empower students to develop their potential and become responsible citizens and leaders, providing: educational programmes - offering a range of programmes that teach financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness to students from primary school to university level; volunteer engagement - mobilising business professionals to volunteer and share their expertise with students through classroom activities and mentoring; and partnerships - collaborating with schools, universities, and businesses to deliver impactful educational experiences and create opportunities for students.

JA Italia has reached over 1 million students and involved more than 15,000 teachers and 10,000 business volunteers. The organisation's programs have been instrumental in helping young people develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today's competitive world.

The "Salvaborgo" programme aimed to prevent school dropout in the internal and marginal areas of Sicily, where rates of early school leaving and educational poverty were particularly high.

Salvaborgo focused on students aged 15 to 18 living in internal or peripheral areas of Sicily who were at risk of leaving school early. By providing targeted support, the programme sought to keep these students engaged in their educational pathways and reduce the risk of dropout.

The programme operated in the peripheral areas of the provinces of Catania and Agrigento in Sicily, addressing the educational challenges faced by students in these territories. By working closely within local communities, "Salvaborgo" ensured that support reached those who needed it most.

"Salvaborgo" adopted a multidimensional approach to address issues such as youth isolation, lack of motivation, low levels of school engagement, and insufficient guidance. The programme created opportunities for students to connect with local third-sector cultural organisations, fostering new synergies between schools and cultural associations.

In addition, the project involved third-sector organisations operating in the cultural field, helping to strengthen the social and educational environment for participating students and contributing to a more supportive and inclusive learning ecosystem.

The "Salvaborgo" programme aimed to prevent school dropout in the internal and marginal areas of Sicily, where rates of early school leaving and educational poverty were particularly high.

Salvaborgo focused on students aged 15 to 18 living in internal or peripheral areas of Sicily who were at risk of leaving school early. By providing targeted support, the programme sought to keep these students engaged in their educational pathways and reduce the risk of dropout.

The programme operated in the peripheral areas of the provinces of Catania and Agrigento in Sicily, addressing the educational challenges faced by students in these territories. By working closely within local communities, "Salvaborgo" ensured that support reached those who needed it most.

"Salvaborgo" adopted a multidimensional approach to address issues such as youth isolation, lack of motivation, low levels of school engagement, and insufficient guidance. The programme created opportunities for students to connect with local third-sector cultural organisations, fostering new synergies between schools and cultural associations.

In addition, the project involved third-sector organisations operating in the cultural field, helping to strengthen the social and educational environment for participating students and contributing to a more supportive and inclusive learning ecosystem.

Salvaborgo

Objectives and Results

Salvaborgo wrapped up in September 2025 after two years of inspiring work with over 150 high-school students from communities at risk of school dropout in Sicily. More than a school project, it became a journey of discovery: students explored local challenges, imagined new futures, and designed entrepreneurial ideas for positive change. Mentored by innovators, cultural leaders, and TechSoup, they strengthened their digital skills, while schools turned into real hubs of community innovation with the support of local partners.