**Community Partner:** CO.GE.S

**Social Issue:** Community Cohesion - Refugees

**Ambassador:** Davide Casarin

**Main Life Skills:** Ambition, Communication, Cooperation, Personal Responsibility, Respect, Team Building

**About the Program:**

For the third consecutive season, Umana Reyer Venice has joined forces with Co.Ge.S don Lorenzo Milani Società Cooperativa Sociale to deliver its One Team program, which is a social entity that accommodates resident minors who are temporarily without parental care and minors who are in a state of neglect and/or are subject to proceedings before the Juvenile Court, in addition to unaccompanied foreign minors and foreign minors seeking asylum. Co.Ge.S delivers different educational projects whereby foreign minors are guaranteed a path to primary literacy. These individuals also receive support from first and second grade secondary schools, along with Vocational Training Centers in the province and Permanent Territorial Centers. School placements of minors are assessed according to the child’s age, skills and abilities. A dedicated group of retired volunteer teachers support community workers in after-school and assisted study activities.

A group of 10 to 15 young people aged between 14 and 17 years old attend One Team sessions held at Taliercio Gym and/or Ancillotto Gym two to three times per month.

Reyer’s program aims to support refugees and facilitate their integration into society by using the One Team sessions as a tool to encourage the attainment of many skills to reach the objectives of promoting social integration, encouraging recreational sports aimed at safeguarding personal health and psycho-physical wellbeing, developing the acquisition of autonomy, self-esteem and the ability to cooperate, improving awareness of their possibilities and their contribution, among others.

Reyer guard Davide Casarin is again acting as the club’s One Team Ambassador this season, demonstrating his commitment to this important initiative.