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The Value of Meaningful Work: Spazio 3R at the Fuori Festival of the Trento Festival of Economics

  • Writer: Spazio 3R
    Spazio 3R
  • Jul 14
  • 3 min read

Chiara Ceretti, President of Spazio 3R, was invited to speak at the Fuori Festival, part of the Trento Festival of Economics, the annual event organized by Il Sole 24 Ore to explore topics including work, opportunity, and social inclusion...


Panel al Fuori Festival

Reflecting on the meaning of work…


On Friday, May 22, we had the privilege of taking part in a panel discussion on the social economy titled "More Than Money: Work as a Life Project," held in the beautiful Sala delle Scienze at Palazzo Sardagna.

Moderated by Nicoletta Polla Mattiot, Director of HTSI–Il Sole 24 Ore, the conversation brought together Chiara Ceretti alongside Leonardo Costantini, social cooperative leader; social entrepreneur Silvia Polleri; and Luca Streri, founder of Movimento Mezzopieno.

"When we think about work," Nicoletta Polla Mattiot began, "we don't see it simply as a source of income. We think of it as a place where we can fulfill our aspirations, not only as individuals, but also through our relationships and our role within society."



Finding purpose every day…


Chiara Ceretti durante l'intervento

"When I was 18, I felt the need to step outside my comfort zone and spend a month volunteering in South America, "Chiara shared. "During that time, in a family home for children, I witnessed the power of social action. I met people who had dedicated their lives to improving the lives of others, and that experience stayed with me. I've always felt the need to find meaning in whatever I do, they understand why I'm doing it."

Working in the nonprofit sector makes it possible to rediscover that sense of purpose by responding to the real needs that emerge from people, communities, and society itself.

That same philosophy has guided Spazio 3R since its beginnings in 2016. Our work started by listening carefully to the needs expressed by the very first women who joined our training courses, and those voices continue to shape everything we do today.



Transformation through craftsmanship…


"3R stands for Recycle, Resew, and Reuse," Chiara explained, "but we like to add a fourth R: Restart. At Spazio 3R, we provide training and employment opportunities for women experiencing vulnerability. Every one of us goes through moments of vulnerability during our lives—times when we need to rediscover purpose. We do this through craftsmanship, tailoring, and the value of working with our hands. That's where transformation begins."

Over the years, working with their hands has been deeply therapeutic for many of the people who have passed through our workshops. Drafting a sewing pattern, sitting at a sewing machine, or carefully cutting fabric may seem like simple tasks, but they are much more than that.

These are tangible actions that require patience, focus, and presence. They lead not only to a finished product, but also to a profound sense of accomplishment, one that grows even stronger when experienced alongside others in a shared creative space.



From "I" to "we"...


The final topic explored during the panel was the challenge of attracting young people to careers in the social sector, where salaries are often lower than in other fields.

"Even nonprofits need to generate a surplus," Chiara said. "The difference is that every resource we generate is reinvested to create even more value. What we earn becomes more jobs, greater social impact, and more opportunities for others. That's how we move from thinking about 'I' to thinking about 'we.'"


That is the true beauty of working in the nonprofit sector: knowing that the work we do creates opportunities not only for individuals, but for entire communities. It produces value that is both tangible and intangible, value that continues to grow long into the future.


At Spazio 3R, we experience this every day. The impact of our work, whether it's vocational training for unemployed women, workshops with children, educational programs in schools, or the hours our seamstresses spend in the workshop, I rarely immediate. Instead, change happens gradually. It takes shape through small, meaningful moments that strengthen people's confidence, create opportunities, and help mend the social bonds that hold communities together.

And it is in those quiet transformations that we find the greatest motivation to begin again.


 













 
 
 

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