Big house, park and low taxes. Here are 156 Family Friends of the Municipality

Sant’Antioco is a town located in the south of Sardinia. Built on the ruins of Sulki, one of the oldest settlements in the Mediterranean, it is inhabited by more than ten thousand people. Forni di Sopra, in the province of Udine, is one of the most attractive Alpine villages in Italy. Nocera Umbra is one of the endless villages of medieval origin in Umbria. Cene is a beautiful town of five thousand inhabitants, located twelve kilometers from Bergamo.

Countries that are far from each other, with different histories and vocations. But we hope to get to know each other better, thanks to the Municipal network of family friends, who officially joined last week.

There are 156 municipalities that are trying to “impose” the model of family policies adopted by the autonomous region of Trento in their local reality. A “model” that is also spreading thanks to family associations and, in particular, to the National Association of Large Families, a partner in the project together with the management of the municipality of Alghero.

Last Sunday Luciano Malfer, general manager of the agency of social cohesion in the autonomous region of Trento and Mauro and Filomena Ledda, representatives of the network, collaborated with the members of Anfn – who met in Cagliari to adopt the budget of the party – on the development of the network of society friendly family. “The goal – Luciano Malfer looks at it with a touch of pride – which is enriched with new jerseys every week”. Joining the network – explains Malfer – allows the Municipality to be proud of the “Network family in Italy” brand, to know the good practices of the Municipality that we can define. family friend, access to the distance learning platform.

Of the 156 Municipalities that have joined the network, about sixty have adopted a real two-year family policy plan. Their mayor has taken the message of family policies, which have been important for the action of the city government. “And every plan adopted by a private office is examined by an assessment of the impact it may have on the family. An assessment that goes beyond the same family, organized in associations or districts» says Malfer.

More parks and conference centers, even outdoors. Libraries and museums with changing tables and rest rooms, to facilitate their use by mothers with young children. Public transportation for all budgets (the parent pays, not the kids. The alternative? Does the parent even ride the bus). “Family branches”. The adoption of a more equitable contribution calculation system than ISEE, when it is necessary to ask families to participate in the services provided. The largest social house, where even a large family can find a place. Meetings and opportunities for discussion between parents, teachers, educators, in the name of the educational union.

“Hundreds of measures have been taken by municipalities participating in the network to make cities more family-friendly” comments Filomena Ledda. Some entities then adopt organizational plans family friend, favoring the reconciliation of work time and family time. But how much does all this cost?

“Joining the network does not involve any difference in the budget. Instead, it involves reorganizing what is already being done and doing everything a thousand times more carefully to make the city welcoming to the couple who decide to bring one or more children into the world, accompanying them to when they will be free. Above all, the mayors of the network have understood that the family is not to be ‘turned’ to the council for social policies when it is in trouble. But it is a lesson to be developed, and to feed its well-being ». Until now, the cities that stick together and the “net” is inhabited by about four million people.

Mayors and managers of mutual friends of the family will meet today in the Palazzo dei Capitani, in the center of the Ascoli Piceno, for their sixth meeting with the theme: “Municipal policies for the well-being of the family”.