Cultural association "Strauss", is a non-profit organization that began in 1999 in Mussomeli, a town in the centre ofSicily, in the province of Caltanissetta. It is a self-financed organization and subsidiary to ARCI, committed to promotinga multicultural and multiethnic society.Our organization’s main objective is to meet the needs of young people, to hear their voice and provide them with usefulservices for their cultural and personal growth.The target with which the association is working normally consists of young people aged between 15 and 30 years.The association Strauss manages a INFO-GIOVANI center (INFO-YOUTH), providing information to the community(especially youngsters) on matters as work, education and school, cultural activities, sports, etc. .. and besides it offersInternet point, print and fax services.Info-Youth desk is open from Monday to Friday.In addition of Info-Youth there is also Info-H, a support help desk for people with disabilities, opened 2 days a week (onTuesday and on Thursday) that has often became spokesman of popular complaints (for example through the editing andpublication of a Newspaper titled "L’Urlo", a (The Shout) a report newspaper against the architectural barriers inMussomeli and surroundings).Moreover, from some years, the association has taken a well defined European dimension, involving in many projectsfunded under the Youth Programme (now Youth in Action) in various parts of Europe (hundreds of youngsters thanks tothe association could live an experience of this kind), and organization and realization of 4 projects in Mussomeli (acultural exchange and 3 seminars).InMarch 2005 we have organized a youth exchange titled "A walk among art, culture and nature";In the same year we realized a journalistic project, in the frame of action 3 titled " Amunì…andiamo … costriamo "; innetwork with 2 associations and schools from Spain and Portugal.In summer 2006 we hosted in Mussomeli the seminar "The rural areas of Europe to comparison for a sustainabledevelopment";The last of these seminar - "50 years of EU: a look in the past to build the future " - has involved associations andparticipants from 23 EU countries, to celebrate the fiftieth of the Treaty of Rome.Finally this year we are carrying out a Youth Initiatives project titled “Radio Giornale Europa”, in the frame of whichwe are realizing a newspaper “Youth Eye” and a Web radio “RGE” in cooperation with partners from Lithuania.Besides we have realized , in cooperation with other partners the following projects:-In 2006 “Meli-Melo “ in collaboration with the association "Any Culture of Marmande" (France)-In 2007 we have taken part to a networking project titled “Slanguistic Dictionary” that aimed the realization ofa dictionary of the European juvenile slang, in cooperation with “Laguna Activa” – Spain-In 2008 “A Jewish Inheritance Against Intolerance"in cooperation with “Associatia Culturala Europea –Europea from Romania.-In 2009 “Web Radio” in cooperation with “Marie Espace Jeunese” from France.Finally in last September we realize a project in the frame of Europe for Citizens Programme titled “Wind of Europe”,where we host 60 youngsters, adult and elderly people coming from 12 European countries.In 2008 Arcistrauss has been accredited as an EVS hosting and sending organization . We sent abroad more than 20 Italianvolunteers and we are hosting 4 volunteer in our Association.In 2009 the association got approved a project in the frame of AMICUS preparatory Action by European CommissionDirectorate – General for Education and Culture – Youth , Sport and Citizenship.The project Let’s Be AMICUS turn out as one of the 10 best projects approved in all Europe. Aim of the project is to sendabroad 40 Italian volunteers in order to make them participate to volunteering experience projects.
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Associazione CulturaleAssociazione Culturale “Strauss” Piazzale Mongibello s.n. 93014 Mussomeli (CL)C.F. 92033640852TEL/FAX.0934-993971e-mail: infostrauss@virgilio.itAssociazione di promozione sociale,iscritta al n. 30 dell’Albo Nazionale delle A.P.S. ex art 7, legge del 7/12/2000 n.383The experience gained in European field , has moved us to the opening of the "Europe-desk", a help-desk which aim isto provide information and advices on the European policies and in general on the opportunities that the EU offers toyoung people. This desk now count on the contribution of PLD ( Decentralized Local Point) Eurodesk of Mussomeli : infact, in 2006 our association has been accredited as PLD Eurodesk and also has 9 territorial relays spread in the territorywhich it refers.The "Europe-desk", is opened from Monday to Friday.The association Strauss is also responsible for the editing and publication of the magazine “ L’ALTERnativo” : a localfree bimestrial magazine which analyze subjects of local interest with a youth and ironic style .Weekly meetings are planned between the members of the editorial staff to discuss the issues that must be treated in thevarious issues of the magazine and to deal with the many aspects that the management of a newspaper implies.L’ALTERnativo can count on the support of Gianfranco Belgrano, an international renowned journalist, member of ourassociation and director of our newspaper.Besides , from some years, our organization has worked with high schools institutes of Mussomeli in the project "A scuolad’ Europa", an initiative that aims to bring young people closer to a European dimension, giving them key informationabout the EU, its institutions and its policies. This project sees the association committed every year, in different periodsagreed before with the schools.Since this year, in addition, the association Strauss is part of the project “Una rete per la vita”, funded under the Act 328of 2000 and managed by the Health- district D10.Under this project , “Strauss” manages the service "Borsa Lavoro", which aims to promote the reintegration of childrenwho have had problems with the penal code (these are followed by young tutor put at their disposal by our association),and ( in cooperation with the CIS) “the Recreational Center for Youth”, open 2 times per week in a place of themunicipality, with the aim of giving young people aged between 15 and 25 years an alternative to the road, organizingthem different kind of recreational activities .In 2006 Arcistrauss registered to the “Sicilian Forum of the Civic Society”.Finally, the Strauss also aims to create moments of meeting and socializing in a constructive and stimulating way. Amongthe activities carried out in the past, there are: the Festival of Music, the Anti-Mafia Caravan, the “Writing and Hip hop”meeting.The staff of cultural association Strauss is composed by 3 part-time workers and 3 volunteers, performing the followingtasks:1 operator for the Service Infogiovani and INFO H, 1 operator for Europe- desk, 1 contact person for the PLD Eurodesk, 4members of the editing of the ALTERnativo, 2 tutors for the Borsa Lavoro.In addition to the staff, the Strauss have the backing of several members who assiduously attend the center and participatein its activities.
www.arcistrauss.it
