27–29 October, Naples (Italy)
Join us for this two-day event focused on how European community foundations can foster youth leadership, empower young people, and meaningfully involve them in decision-making to build fairer, more equitable, and thriving communities.
Organised by ECFI in collaboration with San Gennaro Community Foundation and Assifero, this interactive gathering will bring together community philanthropy practitioners, youth organisations, and other actors from the philanthropic field. You will have the chance to exchange with peers, share ideas and experiences, and reflect on how your organisation can better attract and involve young people.
Preliminary Agenda
A wonderful Steering Committee, comprising 7 people under 35 from across the community foundations field, has crafted the following agenda (available here in PDF)
Day 1 — Monday, 27 October
17:00 – 19:00 | Visit to the Catacombs of San Gennaro Via Capodimonte, 13, 80100 Napoli NA Kick-off with an inspiring visit to one of most meaningful sites for San Gennaro Community Foundation: the Catacombs restored by young people as driver for social and economic development. |
19:00 – 21:00 | Dinner & Connections Locanda del Monacone, Via Sanità, 32A, 80137 Napoli NA, Italia |
Day 2 — Tuesday, 28 October
Where? Chiesa Santa Maria dei Cristallini, Via dei Cristallini, 73, 80137 Napoli NA
09:30 – 09:40 | Welcome & Grounding |
09:40 – 09:55 | Setting the Scene Presentation of San Gennaro Community Foundation |
09:55 – 10:20 | Networking Activities |
10:20 – 11:50 | Session: Individual & Collective Leadership Skills exploration Through a series of interactive moments and conversations in smaller groups, we will explore what makes a good leader, what qualities and skills are necessary for today’s world and what collective leadership looks like. |
11:50 – 12:30 | Coffee Break & Clinic |
12:30 – 13:15 | Panel: Youth Participation & Agency: what do we mean, how it can be fostered?
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13:15 – 14:30 | Lunch |
14:30 – 16:00 | Conversations: Fostering Youth Leadership in our organisations and communities Parallel sessions with real-life practices and peer exchange on where in the philanthropic cycle we can create the conditions for meaningful youth agency, such as:
More topics to be added |
16:00 – 16:45 | Coffee Break & Clinic Space for mingling and short peer-support sessions. |
16:45 – 18:00 | Conversations: Fostering Youth Leadership in our organisations and communities (part 2) |
18:00 – 18:15 | Closing of the Day |
18:15 – 20:00 | Free Time |
20:00 – 22:00 | Dinner Enjoy the famous Neapolitan pizza at Basilica di Santa Maria della Sanità |
Day 3 — Wednesday, 29 October
09:30 – 12:15 | Site Visits Registration for the site visits will be sent separately to participants |
12:15 – 13:15 | Foresight & Future Thinking |
13:15 – 14:30 | Lunch |
14:30 – 16:00 | Final Reflection Session |
16:00 – 16:15 | Goodbyes & Closing Circle |
Venue & Accommodation
The event will take place in Rione Sanità, Naples, with activities hosted at Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena ai Cristallini.
Recommended Accommodation:
Casa del Monacone – Via Sanità, 124 | +39 366 462 1088
Borgo Vergini Garden B&B – Via Mario Pagano, 23 | +39 334 160 5168
La Collina di Capodimonte – Corso Amedeo di Savoia 285 | +39 327 440 5486
Domus Capodimonte – Via Santa Teresa degli Scalzi, 162 | +39 338 382 8250
B&B Miglio Sacro – Vico Lammatari, 72 (1st floor) | +39 351 537 0195
B&B Imparato – Via Santa Teresa degli Scalzi, 148 | +39 366 454 6363
Hotel Capodimonte – Via Capodimonte, 3 | +39 081 365 3494
Other options:
You can also search for apartments via platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, or Wonderful Italy, a social enterprise that promotes responsible tourism.
How to Get to Naples
✈️ By plane:
Naples Capodichino Airport – Direct shuttle (Alibus) to the city centre
Rome (Fiumicino or Ciampino) – Train from Roma Termini or FlixBus to Naples
🚄 By train:
High-speed trains from Milan reach Naples in about 4 hours. Milan is connected to major cities like Paris and Vienna.
Participation Contribution
To help cover organisational costs (meals, transfers, venue, etc.), the following fees apply:
€100 for community foundations and their support organisations
€100 for youth-led organisations (with a majority of members under 35) working with young people
€200 for philanthropic organisations, other civil society organisations, and individual consultants
If you’re unsure which category applies to your organisation, contact Francesca Mereta: francesca@communityfoundations.eu
Tickets are non-refundable, but you can transfer them to another person from your organisation.
Registration closes on 17th October or once capacity is reached.
👉 Register here – After registering, you will receive an invoice from the ECFI team.
