"A patto che tu diventi autonomo" : significati di empowerment per stakeholder e beneficiari di una misura di contrasto alla povertà con condizionalità di attivazione lavorativa

The contribution discusses the results of a research project aimed at evaluating the specialized support actions for the qualified taking into account of citizens who are recipients of the regional measure against poverty Re.D 3.0, II edition (ex L.R. 3/2016) carried out in the Municipality of Modugno (BA) between April and July 2023. The following were involved: five out of eighteen beneficiaries of the measure, through in-depth interviews; seventeen between referents of municipal offices, third sector entities and forprofit companies engaged in the implementation of the individualized project, skills assessment, activation and realization of work internships through three focus groups.

After reconstructing the main features of the measure, the discussion will delve into the theme of conditionalities for employment activation as a lever for empowerment realization; the skills assessment as a tool for measuring empowerment; the value of the measure declared by the beneficiaries as a sign of empowerment from their perspective. Finally, we will question the need to agree on the meanings of empowerment among the various perspectives of the involved actors as a prerequisite for its evaluation. [Publisher's Text].