CONFERENCE 28 October 2025
New spaces for te Civil Economy
The employment inclusion of people with disabilities. The story and development of the Job Placement Network project, which has created 50 new employment contracts in two years.
When social innovation meets the world of work, concrete opportunities can be created for the most vulnerable. This is the story of Job Placement Network, a project developed by a network of 10 type B social cooperatives and two cooperative consortia, with the support of Fondazione Cariplo. Over the past two years, the project has created 50 new employment contracts through 30 work assignments under Law 68/99.
The results of this experience will be presented at the conference New Spaces for the Civil Economy. Challenges, Successes and New Pathways for Employment Inclusion, which will take place on Tuesday 28 October 2025, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., in Aula Pio XI, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli 1, Milan.
The conference is promoted by the Job Placement Network together with the Order of Labour Consultants and ANCL Milan, in partnership with ALTIS Università Cattolica.
The initiative, which has received the patronage of the Metropolitan City of Milan, the Province of Varese, the Municipality of Bollate and Manageritalia Lombardia, offers an opportunity to share an innovative model that addresses one of the most complex challenges facing the Italian labour market.
A concrete response to the need for inclusion
The Job Placement Network model is based on an integrated strategy involving cooperatives, companies and consultants. It makes use of the tools available — starting with the new Regional Framework Agreement under Article 14 and the most recent ministerial decrees — to implement inclusive and sustainable policies.
Article 14 of Legislative Decree 276/2003 enables companies to employ disadvantaged workers through type B social cooperatives. Companies entrust work assignments to these cooperatives, thereby helping to cover both the cost of the workers employed and the related production costs.
The network of cooperatives involved — active in the Milan metropolitan area and in the province of Monza and Brianza — has developed a structured approach, offering companies a catalogue of more than 45 diversified services. These range from specialist consultancy to recruitment and selection, supporting both companies and workers throughout the employment inclusion process.
“In these two years, we have shown that when cooperatives, companies and consultants work together from a perspective of shared mutuality, concrete employment opportunities can be created for disadvantaged people,” explains Sara Valorsa, President of Alveare Cooperativa Sociale, the project lead.
“Thanks to the support of Fondazione Cariplo and to the sharing of know-how and inclusion practices among the cooperatives and consortia involved, Job Placement Network has helped create a new scenario for employment inclusion — one that would have been unimaginable before the project began.”
The event programme
The meeting, moderated by Simone Fanti from RCS, will feature representatives from institutions, the cooperative sector, employers’ associations and trade unions.
Speakers will include Luca Pesenti from ALTIS Università Cattolica, Potito di Nunzio, President of the Order of Labour Consultants, Alessandro Graziano, President of ANCL Milan, Ivan Lembo from CGIL Milan, and Valeria Innocenti from Assolombarda.
The event will conclude with a call to action to promote the civil economy and strengthen collaboration between public and private stakeholders in the field of inclusive employment.
The Job Placement Network
The network includes the social cooperatives Alveare, the project lead, Arca, Betania Travel, Fabbrica dei Segni, Il Grappolo, La Goccia, La Tenda Amatese, Millemani, Re-tech Life and Sammamet, together with the social cooperative consortia Consorzio Idea Agenzia per il Lavoro and Consorzio SiR – Solidarietà in Rete.
Inclusion that generates inclusion
A concrete example of how employment inclusion can achieve outstanding results when it focuses on skills is provided by Out of the Blue, the agency responsible for all communication activities for the Job Placement
Network project
Established within Consorzio SiR, which is part of the JPN network, and composed mainly of people with autism, Out of the Blue is now preparing to become a social cooperative in its own right. This demonstrates how removing social barriers and focusing on talent can generate unexpected opportunities.
Places for in-person attendance are fully booked. Register to follow the event via live stream.