Hidden and invisible: Children in mafia vulnerability

Participant details
Name and surname
Faustino Rizzo
Home institution
University of Padua
Location of the Training School
Faro, Portugal
Dates for the Training School
Thursday, July 4, 2024 to Friday, July 5, 2024
Training School Title
Family support and research for social impact
Research interests
Family education, social justice, children rights
TS details
Knowledge and skill acquisition

During the Training School, I gained a deep understanding of working with Evidence Based Programs. This approach has helped me appreciate the importance of using data and empirical evidence to develop and implement interventions and programs that are effective and replicable.

I found the in-depth exploration of various data collection and analysis methods, as well as impact assessment techniques, particularly useful. These skills are essential to ensure that the programs developed are based on solid scientific foundations and can lead to measurable positive outcomes.

Moreover, I greatly appreciated the dissemination work of the LEMA project. This project provided me with valuable insights on how to effectively communicate research results and evidence-based practices to a broader audience, including policymakers, professionals in the field, and the general community.

I plan to incorporate these new knowledge and skills into my current research project in several ways.

Outputs

During the Training School, I particularly appreciated the format of presenting in 5 minutes. This concise presentation style effectively conveyed key points. When some participants expressed concerns about the limited time, a helpful comment was to think of it as similar to a WhatsApp voice message. However, I also realized that 5 minutes can feel like a long time when presenting.

To enhance the experience further, it might be helpful to distribute the abstracts in advance. This would allow participants to follow along more attentively and engage more deeply with the presentations of their peers.

Future collaborations

The Training School provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen the EurofamNet network. This was a great chance to consolidate existing connections and foster new collaborations within the network. One particularly exciting idea that emerged is the proposal of a "Week of Legality." This initiative aims to socialize the concept of mafia vulnerability across other countries within the network, promoting awareness and collaborative efforts to address this issue on a broader scale.