The Release of the Meridiano 13 in Palermo. A gradual transition to autonomy

Abstract

This article illustrates the peculiar experience of the Meridiano 13 “appartamento di sgancio” (release flat) of the reception and integration system implemented in Palermo. It is a service that meets a specific problem and need of minors in the transition phase to adulthood who live the particular condition of being without a family and unaccompanied by adult family figures to take care of them. The release flat accommodates young people who have just reached the age of majority and who have left the shelter for minors, offering them the security of accommodation in this delicate phase of transition to independent living. The article is built on the public communication documentation of the release flat, a collective interview with the managers and the young guests of the facility. The aim is to show the design, the purpose, the practices implemented; how it works in practice, the experiences and the concrete problems faced. We believe that this is an experience that could be a candidate for evaluation in terms of good practice in reception and integration processes.