Grandparents on Borrow: Volunteers who care for children at risk of being left alone

Giulio is 76 years old, has no children or grandchildren, but as a volunteer he carries out very intense activity in Milan with the group of "grandparents friends”, born from an agreement between the municipality and the trade unions. In Brunico in Trentino Alto Adige they are called “grandparents on loan"And their work (always as volunteers) is the result of an agreement between the municipality of the town in the province of Bolzano, Caritas, and the VKE association (children's playground and recreation association). It works like this: i grandparents ready to do the volunteers They register in a register that is then made available to the town's parishes. Men and women who need help at home can access the lists. Either to look after their child, or to take the little ones to school or elsewhere. garden, or to assist other non-self-sufficient elderly people. At that point the "grandparents on loan” carry out the required household chores.

In Emilia-Romagna there are numerous municipalities that have promoted programmes of active aging and intergenerational volunteering, with networks of “grandparents and active grandmothers" involved in schools, libraries, family centers and educational activities. In Veneto there are widespread experiences of grandparents vigil, laboratories between grandparents and grandchildren and municipal projects that encourage meetings between elderly people and families.

In short, everyone uses the acronym they want, but the essence is always the same. Volunteers who, in concrete terms, carry out the function of real grandparents, for the benefit of needy families.