ChangeMind, the project that aims to connect entrepreneurs of Italian SMEs and the boys of the Generation Z, concluded in its first Turin edition.
From an idea by Tacoma Consulting, a strategic consulting firm created by Stefano Davanzo e Riccardo Malsente, ChangeMind it is a social initiative aimed at proactively bridging the gap between SMEs and Generation Z. pilot project It started in Turin on March 7th and involved 12 boys/12 companies, including Joinfruit Producers' Organisation of Verzuolo as the representative enterprise for the fruit and vegetable sector.
Three months in which the 12 young recent graduates (young students from all universities, aged approximately 22-25) and the 12 participating companies worked in parallel. On one hand, the students followed a training course – completely free – started with a Bootcamp of 3 days of intensive training in a mountain hut together with the trainer Cristiano Ghibaudo and supplemented by classroom lectures and workshop more practical in nature, aimed at enhancing soft skills such as time management, management in receiving feeedback, inter-generational dialogue, public speaking and effective communication, skills necessary to enter the world of work with more concreteness and awareness.
On the other hand, companies have embarked on a journey of mutual understanding, confrontation and exchange on topics such as innovation, dialogue with the younger generation and how to get involved to create a working environment in line with the expectations of both (SMEs and Gen Z). During the 3 meetings dedicated to companies synergies arose between the various entrepreneurs: a desire to communicate, collaborate and create something new together. Together, the entrepreneurs drew up a “Pact with Generation Z” where the promises that each of them pledges to new, young talents are listed.
“How to imagine a different future for our sector – comment Bruno Sacchi, Director of Joinfruit – What if we don't look at it through the eyes of those who will live it? CambiaMente shows us that Generation Z can help us put a different perspective on our projects, both from the perspective of ESG principles such as giving back to the earth, circularity, connection with people and territory, and for finding new ways of communicating and therefore new sales and marketing models.”
Many contacts and collaborations were established between young people and companies: some started working at different companies even before the end of the project, which ended at the end of May with an event open to the public and organised at the Man and the Environment, a reality that will support Tacoma in organising the second edition of ChangeMind Turin – which will be held in autumn. The recent graduates presented the development and innovation projects assigned by the companies on this occasion: the elected winners were Sana Boumasdour (who won the prize awarded by the Cecilia Gilardi Foundation) e Andrea Milanino (which won the prize of ChangeMindBoth will receive a prize-funded internship at the company they wish to collaborate with.
“The CambiaMente project officially began on 7 March Explain Laura Izzo, Tacoma Community Manager - but for us in Tacoma it began in September: after months of work and preparation, the success of this initiative exceeded all our most optimistic expectations. The winning aspect of CambiaMente for us is equivalent to the quality relationships that have been established between the companies, between the young people, and mutually with each other. We are very happy to to announce that we will replicate the project in the autumn, and that we at Tacoma will do so surrounded by valuable companies with which to structure and organise the next editions”.
“The CambiaMente Project – concludes Bruno Sacchi - it was a further demonstration for us of how important it is that companies from different sectors network. We often take for granted that the standard approach created in our sector is the only way to solve problems, but this isn't the case, because broader synergies, even with contexts different from the fruit and vegetable world, can generate new, interesting opportunities.”
In addition to Joinfruit, the companies that took part in the 1st edition of ChangeMind The project does not stop there: the ambitious goal is to expand to other Italian Regions, bringing the same method to Lombardy and Tuscany.
English 
Italian