For Giuseppe, and many other young people like him in Italy, the consequences of exposure to criminality from an early age are very real – and extremely frightening.

That is why, with support from the European Social Fund (ESF), Italy's Ministry of Justice Department of Juvenile and Community Justice developed the Free to Choose project. The project operates in the Calabria, Campania and Catania Court of Appeals territorial area.

Free to Choose works with young people, especially children, who are exposed to crime related risks – in particular, linked to the mafia – to give them healthy social and educational experiences, helping them to find a path away from crime.

The project's specialized teams have supported 83 children and young people, working with them to help them build a new life away from criminal environments.

Each young person is given individual, tailored help based on their situation, personal needs and expectations. Focusing on reintegration, Project teams work closely with teams from Italy’s juvenile services, who have expertise in working with children from mafia backgrounds.

In particular, the project supports those who became parents at a young age, giving them specialized parenting guidance to help them avoid having their children removed by the state.

Free to Choose also includes specific support to encourage independence and involvement with wider society, including tailored employment advice, and help to find training courses, take qualifications and try out job placements.

‘Now I'm free,’ says Giuseppe, who is clearly grateful and relishing his independence. ‘I don't want to think about how it could have ended. I could have killed all my relatives.’

Thanks in part to the ESF funded project, Giuseppe, now leads a normal life, working in a bar and helping his uncle.