‘N’UOVO’ is launched: an educational space for young people in Torpignattara and East Rome

On 24 September, the YOLK Foundation will open N’UOVO, an educational space created through the regeneration of the former caretaker’s house at the Laparelli Institute in Torpignattara. What was, until recently, an unused building is now being brought back to life as a new focal point for the neighbourhood. An ecosystem of non-formal education where young people can grow through relationships, shared time and, above all, high-quality experiences: from the DJ School to the mindful and creative use of digital tools; from meetings with industry experts to physical activity; and from creativity to their first steps into the wider world.

The space will be open to everyone, but has been designed with a particular focus on 11–14-year-olds – a delicate stage of development that is often overlooked, precisely at the time when they begin to develop interests, independence, relationships and make their first choices that help shape a person’s future. N’UOVO will also become part of Rome’s network of ‘Climate Shelters’, a programme promoted by the Climate Office to increase the number of accessible and welcoming spaces during periods of extreme heat, offering a new point of reference from an environmental perspective as well.

After years of working in schools in Rome and Palermo, YOLK is taking things a step further. Since 2017, the foundation has been developing educational programmes to tackle educational poverty, creating opportunities for growth for children and young people. With N’UOVO, that experience has found a home: a vibrant, everyday space that expands on the work carried out in schools and brings it into the neighbourhood, combining education and urban regeneration in a single project. ‘With N’UOVO,’ commented Clementina Cordero di Montezemolo, founder of YOLK, ‘we want to leave a mark on the lives of those who pass through it. Pre-adolescence is a crucial age, when there is a whole world to discover: both outside and within oneself. We want to offer opportunities, encounters and experiences that help young people understand a little better who they are and what they’re passionate about.”

Awarded to the YOLK Foundation following a public call for tenders by Rome’s 5th Municipality, the former caretaker’s house at the Via Laparelli Comprehensive School has undergone a regeneration project, for which YOLK itself was the main driving force, thanks also to contributions from the BNL Foundation, Banca Ifis, Moncler, IKEA Rome, Fassa Bortolo and Pasqualucci Costruzioni. The project will also benefit from the support of partners such as Poste Italiane and the Kainon ETS Foundation for the development of specific projects within the educational programme, alongside UniCredit, which, through a contribution from the Carta Etica Fund, supports the BOLD educational project. Other organisations will also join the initiative over time to contribute to the growth of N’UOVO as a stimulating environment offering opportunities and guidance.

“We are very proud of the opening of the ‘N’Uovo’ space,” added Cecilia Fannunza, Councillor for Education and Schooling Policies at Rome’s 5th Municipality. “ “Born out of a collaborative project between the local authority and a third-sector organisation, the former caretaker’s lodge has been transformed into an important space for teenagers to meet, be listened to and socialise. A new space for our community, built together.”