After ten years of activity, the collaboration between Fieracavalli, ASD Horse Valley, and the Verona Prison has been renewed with the "Fieracavalli – Fertile Lands" project. Compared to the previous project, this new project introduces five internships for high school graduates and expands the training offering with new programs dedicated to reception, catering, and hospitality services.
Born from the belief that the relationship between man and horse can become an opportunity for personal and professional growth, the collaboration with the Montorio prison has involved – from 2016 to today – 184 inmates, leading to the achievement of 58 stable technician diplomas through a training program created with the contribution of veterinarians, farriers and specialized instructors, who over the years have brought their experience within the prison.
The new memorandum of understanding, valid until 2028, marks a new phase, introducing three-month practical internships designed to foster greater autonomy and new opportunities for social and employment reintegration. During the term of the memorandum, five inmates each year who have completed the stable technician course and are authorized to work outside the Verona prison thanks to the permits provided for in Article 21 will complete a internship at Corte Molon, supporting the staff in the daily activities of the equestrian center and applying the skills acquired in the field.
" Social reintegration necessarily requires concrete training and employment opportunities. Over the years, the project has demonstrated that building skills creates real opportunities for the future. The fact that some of the inmates who graduated are now working in various stables is the most concrete demonstration of the value of this process ," says Mariagrazia Bregoli , director of the Verona Prison.
" Internships are an important step because they allow graduates to concretely apply what they learned during the course and experience the daily operations of an equestrian center. At Corte Molon, they will be involved in the day-to-day management of the riding school, working alongside the staff and putting their acquired skills to the test. For us, it's a way to continue a project that began ten years ago and guide graduates towards concrete work experience ," says Linda Fabrello , president of Horse Valley ASD – Corte Molon.
With the new protocol, "Fieracavalli – Terreni Fertili" confirms its commitment to offering prisoners a concrete opportunity for growth and reintegration, through a project in which the relationship with horses becomes a tool for developing skills, independence, and new career prospects.
