Pro-Fili Project: Relaunch and Expansion of the Tailoring Workshop at the Istituto degli Innocenti

The Istituto degli Innocenti, which has been committed to protecting and supporting children and families for over six centuries, is relaunching the Pro-Fili project, a workshop set up in 2012 as part of the Rondini Project. This workshop supports and promotes the well-being, social autonomy, and interpersonal development of women hosted in shelter homes, specifically mothers with children and expectant mothers facing difficult family circumstances. The goal is to offer opportunities for growth and social autonomy to women housed in the Institute's communities by teaching them tailoring and craft skills useful for entering, or re-entering, the workforce after leaving the communities, thereby improving their living conditions.

In the newly renovated spaces of the Institute, the workshop is equipped with modern tools and materials donated by local foundations and associations. Over the past ten years, Pro-Fili has achieved tangible results thanks to the support of the Foemina Foundation, the CR Firenze Foundation and the Association of Volunteers of the Spedale degli Innocenti. Thanks to these partnerships, handmade objects created by the mothers hosted in the residential facilities of the Istituto degli Innocenti are now available, in exchange for a donation, at the new Charity Shop. The shop was inaugurated in December by CR Firenze Foundation in the former Pharmacy of Santa Maria Nuova.

A New Beginning: Expansion and New Goals

The project, which has so far supported women in difficult family circumstances, is now opening up to a wider audience. The Pro-Fili workshop, based inside the Istituto degli Innocenti in the premises adjacent to the access in Via degli Alfani, consists of two rooms that provide a space for aggregation and experiential activities mainly related to tailoring. These rooms have recently undergone renovation to make them fully functional to accommodate the activities, with one room dedicated to the creation of clothes and fabric items, and another reserved as a showroom.

More than 10 years after its launch, the Istituto degli Innocenti has decided to review and expand the project guidelines to address newly emerging needs. Pro-Fili has therefore become an inclusive space, aimed not only at the residents of the communities, but also at the parents of children attending childcare services and other individuals identified through specific projects.

The expansion of activities aims to achieve three main objectives:

1. Vocationaltraining. Providing training in basic tailoring to facilitate job placement.
2. Creativity and handicrafts. Encouraging the creation of handmade items, especially for children, emphasising the value of “working with one’s hands”.
3. Positive relationships. Fostering an environment for sharing, where new friendships and collaborations can be forged.

The relaunch of Pro-Fili is an important step to address new social needs and promote a model of inclusion and participation. The Istituto degli Innocenti thus reaffirms its commitment to being a place where education, solidarity and practical action intertwine to give hope and a future to those most in need.