Regenerate a Network of Organizations @ARCI Pesaro-Urbino

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Together with my colleague Daniele Bucci, I led a training day at ARCI Pesaro Urbino.

ARCI is one of Italy’s largest associations for social and cultural promotion, organized through regional and provincial committees and a network of local clubs (circoli in Italian).

These local circoli are vital hubs of community life, especially in smaller towns and urban outskirts. They are run by passionate volunteers who are deeply committed to their mission, though often without the tools or methods needed to collaborate effectively and improve their collective impact. Our workshop was designed to offer an initial step toward closing this gap.

Participants came from circoli across Pesaro and Urbino province: a diverse mix in terms of age, activities, and the services they provide. Some represented a young, feminist, and intersectional club known for concerts and debates; others came from traditional clubs where older residents gather for tango, card tournaments, or local cuisine.

Our first objective was to help participants view their organizations as systems. We began with a short theoretical introduction on systems thinking, network dynamics, mapping methodologies, and inter-organizational collaboration.

Although most participants were new to these concepts, their curiosity and engagement were immediately evident. This enthusiasm carried into a series of practical exercises, starting with individual system mapping. Each participant mapped their club’s internal structure—boards, staff, volunteers, and roles—as well as their services and user groups. Sharing these maps sparked collective reflection on each club’s needs, aspirations, and potential contributions to the wider network, such as skills, spaces, initiatives, and expertise.

The day concluded with a collaborative mapping session that highlighted concrete opportunities for joint projects and partnerships among the circoli.

Despite their diverse contexts, the participants showed remarkable openness, energy, and a genuine desire to work together. The day ended with a shared commitment to stay connected, strengthen their network, and turn the ideas developed into tangible actions.