«GiocoQuando: an organizational mess that disappoints again»

Arezzo, May 20, 2025 – «Giocoquando: an organizational mess that disappoints again». The note by Valentina Vaccari, PD city councilor

«This year too, the GiocoQuando service, which should offer fundamental support to families, has turned out to be a resounding mess, disappointing the expectations of many parents who would have liked to take advantage of this opportunity. Let's give some numbers: 31 children were unable to access the service. Of these, 5 were "recovered" on Friday 16 May, but 25 children remained outside despite the demand and need for the service being very clear.

We were shocked to learn that the selection method for the children was done by random extraction, without considering any parameters such as the ISEE, the distance between the parents' workplace and the service location, and the parents' working hours, whether full-time or part-time. An incomprehensible choice, which excluded those who were most in need and those who had submitted a request for coverage for the entire month, without any criteria of fairness or priority.

The alternative solutions proposed by the deputy mayor are the classic summer camps. Of course! But the cost is very different. Giocoquando is a low-cost option, summer centers offer rates that are definitely out of reach for many families. Giocoquando for the entire month of July requires €187, while a city summer center (which we will not name for modesty) costs €685. A bloodbath for many families in Arezzo, who find themselves forced to choose between economic sacrifice and the need for support that should be guaranteed by the institutions.

What many parents are asking for is not just a service, but a service that responds to their real needs. Let us remember that facilities like Don Milani and Pallanca, which will remain closed for the month of July, could have satisfied all requests. With more careful management, based on clear criteria that respond to the real needs of families, and not with random extraction and disorganized management, this latest mess could have been avoided! The service that was supposed to represent help has turned into a disappointment, leaving a void that could only be filled by more far-sighted public policies that are truly capable of responding to the needs of citizens.

Valentina Vaccari, PD municipal councilor