Study Visit in Italy
Cassero LGBTQI+ Center partners and their Global Cassero team organized the last study visit within the project in May 2025, in Bologna, Italy.
The 5-days learning experience brought together 18 LGBTQIA+/Queer and allies youth workers, young leaders, activists, ngo staff, including coordinators and participants of the Activate Youth project.
The visit followed an experiential learning approach offering a planned, hands-on educational, personal and professional journey designed to deepen knowledge, foster networking and exchange best practices.
Participants got to learn about youth work and realities of the partner organization as well as of their local partners.
Throughout the week, we explored their vibrant ecosystem of activism — from visiting the archives of Centro di Documentazione Flavia Madaschi Cassero to expressing ourselves through drag, movement, and performance with Freekk House Project.
We learned about Gruppo Scuola’s long-standing educational work in schools, joined the IDAHOBIT march organized together with Rivolta Pride, and witnessed how local activism connects advocacy, culture, and community care. Our journey continued with visits and workshops that deepened our political and social understanding.
At Casa delle Donne per non subire violenza, we learned about feminist approaches to supporting survivors of gender-based violence, while sessions with PeopAll and Gruppo Trans invited us to reflect on visibility, empowerment, and positioning ourselves within broader queer struggles. A powerful queer tour of Bologna tied history to present realities, reminding us that activism lives in streets, stories, and shared spaces — and that our movements grow stronger through connection across borders.
Between all the sessions and visits, participants got to connect, and network, strengthening the projects’ youth work community. They got to learn more about the project too, how they can get involved in the last project activities and which good practices they could bring back to their organizations and target groups.
Activate Stories
Get a glimpse of what part of the participants shared about the study visit and their experience.
“The Study Visit to Bologna was an incredibly valuable experience for me, personally and professionally. I had the opportunity to get to know different NGO organizations and learn more about their inspiring work, as well as connect with the young activists from across Europe. Activities offered so much – new knowledge and perspectives, space for reflection, and encouragement to think beyond the usual frameworks.
As a youth worker, this experience gave me fresh perspectives, practical tools, and new ideas that I can now bring into my own work with young people. A big thank you to the organisers for the excellent execution and for making this opportunity possible” – Michele, Slovenia
“The Study Visit at Bologna was an unforgettable experience. From the dynamic parade and the drag performance to the informational and to-the-point workshops, the project taught me many lessons which I can now insightfully share with my community and it also helped me regain some confidence in my self.
During my time there, I met some inspiring activists who opened my eyes to many important topics I hadn’t even through of and taught me strategies to better the world we live in and make it more accessible and safe for everyone. I particularly liked that the organizing team not only strictly fllowed the meeting agenda but gave us a glimpse of the local culture and city vibes. Thans a lot to all the organisers and fellow participants for making this trip so memorable” – Vasiliki, Greece
“It’s been really inspiring to see how Cassero, as such a big community of enthusiastic people, work for the benefit of our community. The way that such a large group of people can work together for the common cause has been very uplifting.
Putting their work always in the wider context of Bologna, Italy or Europe has been very helpful in understanding the scope of their work. The variety of groups and divisions truly makes it seem like there’s space for every queer person there, with all the complexities we come with, and they’ve done the same for us during this wonderful week! I’d definitely recommend this experience to other youth workers, activists, and allies in the community.” Zvonky, Latvia