Strengthening social services

The projects aim to consolidate the supervision programmes for social workers, with a view to fostering opportunities for reflection and critical thinking on professional practices that will strengthen their professional identity. The implementation of these projects has become crucial in the wake of the pandemic, which has given rise to increasingly complex needs, a rise in situations characterised by financial hardship and a surge in demand for services – all against a backdrop of scarce resources. At the same time, however, this context has led to ahigh risk of burnout amongst practitioners.

Three areas of intervention are envisaged:

1. Individual supervision: strengthening professional identity at an individual level through personal processing of emotional experiences; re-examining experiences and linking theory to practice; strengthening reflective and self-reflective skills. 
2. Group professional supervision: strengthening professional identity; developing greater awareness of one’s role and greater clarity regarding the role of supporting rather than replacing people; processing experiences and consolidating skills for managing tensions and conflicts; improving relational and communication skills; analysis and sharing of professional practices; promotion, through the group experience, of shared reflection; fostering a sense of belonging to the organisation by improving collaborative practices; enhancement of problem-solving and planning skills.
3. Organisational supervision of multi-professional teams: strengthening the identity and distinct characteristics of each professional role; enhancing the group’s interpersonal and communication skills; work planning and scheduling, and time management; reducing potential tensions between the operational level and the planning and decision-making level.

To prevent burnout amongst practitioners by improving the quality of social workers’ practices through the provision of tools that safeguard their wellbeing and enhance and support their professional competence.

In the face of economic hardship and an increase in demand, the aim is to improve the technical quality of interventions by refining the methodological, ethical, relational and professional standards required by the profession. Supervision aims to facilitate a process of constructive reflection on the difficulties and problems encountered both in relations with service users and in relation to the organisation and the work team.

Target: 2,250 hours of supervision and the involvement of at least 335 practitioners ( 170 and 165 practitioners respectively for each of the two projects).

The Autonomous Province of Trento is the implementing body, acting as a single territorial area, with the involvement of local authorities as project partners

The implementation of the PNRR in Trentino forms an integral part of the provincial framework for sustainable development, in line with the policies set out in the Provincial Economic and Financial Document and the related Update Note

PNRR funding: €420,000.00 (€210,000 for each project)

ByDirectorial DecreeNo. 98 of 9 May 2022 issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, the lists of projects for the Territorial Social Areas (a single area for the province of Trento) were approved.

On 22 December 2022, the Provincial Executive approved the draft agreement with the Ministry for projects – involving all the valley communities – aimed at strengthening social services and preventing burnout amongst staff.

In 2023, the agreement between the Province and the local authorities involved was signed (Resolution No. 640 of 14 April 2023).

As at 30 June 2026, the project’s target had been achieved, with 2,280 hours of professional supervision and more than 335 staff members involved, in accordance with the established deadline.