Supporting refugee children and young people through the “Growing Up” project
Last updated: March 23, 2026
First published: August 7, 2024
Intesa Sanpaolo renews its support for “Growing Up”, the project promoted by the Italian Council for Refugees (CIR) dedicated to the social inclusion of foreign minors, unaccompanied minors, and young refugees aged between 15 and 29.
Launched in 2023, the initiative aims to support young people along their growth journey and toward full personal, educational, and professional autonomy.
The project is based on a multidimensional support model that integrates psychological, legal, educational, and employment assistance, taking into account the participants’ age, as well as their emotional and psychological development.
Its goal is to foster inclusion within host communities, support the completion of educational pathways interrupted or started in the countries of origin, and promote equal access to education alongside Italian peers. Particular attention is given to learning the Italian language, considered an essential tool for integration.
Intesa Sanpaolo for Social Impact’s support for the project
The support provided by Intesa Sanpaolo for Social Impact has enabled the development of targeted activities, including:
- training programmes, career guidance, and internships
- financial education
- support for achieving housing autonomy, including assistance in identifying suitable accommodation
- facilitation of access to local services and participation in the cultural and social life of the communities in which beneficiaries live
Results achieved in 2024
In 2024, the project supported 154 refugee and migrant young people aged between 16 and 23, from over 30 countries, including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Senegal, Guinea, Gambia, Colombia, Egypt, Tunisia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Albania, Nigeria, Ukraine, Côte d’Ivoire, El Salvador, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, Syria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Philippines, Iraq, Lebanon, Mali, Morocco, Peru, Somalia, and Ghana.
Participants were supported through the critical transition to adulthood with training pathways, job placements, and psychosocial interventions.
Growing Up expands with its second edition
With the new edition launched in 2025, Growing Up has expanded its target group up to age 29 and taken on an additional 60 young beneficiaries, while ensuring continuity of support for those already involved.
This expansion responds to the real needs of young migrants in Italy and strengthens an intervention that cannot be considered extraordinary or occasional.
The project mainly operates in Lazio (Rome and its metropolitan area) and Sicily (Catania and its metropolitan area), with targeted actions also in Friuli Venezia Giulia. The programmes aim to prevent school dropout, vulnerability, and the risk of exploitation, while fostering the development of strong connections with local communities and services.
In recent years, the presence of unaccompanied foreign minors in Italy has shown significant fluctuations. As of June 30, 2025, there were 16,497 unaccompanied foreign minors in the country, according to the semi-annual report by the Directorate-General for Migration Policies of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies. This figure confirms the importance of structured and continuous interventions to support the inclusion pathways of young migrants.
Last updated 23 March 2026 at 09:20:01
