How did the Byblios project come about?

To answer this question, we interviewed Laura Caronna, the creator of the project and an Epale ambassador.

What motivated the creation of the “Byblios” project, and what are its main objectives for young adults with cognitive disabilities?

The “Byblios” project was born from the awareness that spaces allowing young people with cognitive disabilities to follow a path of personal and professional growth are extremely rare. I want to be honest: if my first daughter did not live with this condition (Down syndrome), perhaps the theme of inclusion would not have been such a priority for me. It has become one now; it’s part of my life, but I don’t want to reduce it to a personal issue. When I first thought about “Byblios,” I imagined doing something that was not just for her; many young people and their parents feel frustrated by the idea of having to disperse the legacy of small and large spaces of autonomy that they have fought hard to achieve over the years. I envisioned creating a piece of a larger plan that, in some way, could help change the perception of disability in the working world. This is the purpose of the project: to support young adults with cognitive disabilities in gaining work experience, with the help of various professionals, using validated tools for certifying their acquired skills. At the same time, it aims to help the “context” open up to their entry into the workforce. The “library assistant” profile holds the potential and characteristics to take on this challenge, thanks to the essential contribution of digital resources and experiential learning.

Why did you choose libraries as the primary setting for the project, and what role do they play in fostering community connections?

I thought about libraries because books are my world: as a teacher, I continue to believe that only knowledge brings freedom, and therefore, to me, libraries are a place to exercise democracy. I would say that they almost naturally seemed like the right place to start this venture. Moreover, they are quiet places, not stressful, and in inner territories, often isolated and “abandoned” by mainstream cultural initiatives, there are thousands of small communities where the school library is the only access point to discovery and interaction with books. Turning these small libraries into many small, beating hearts would allow not only young people with cognitive disabilities, but entire communities, to reconnect, interact, and grow.

What are your hopes for the project’s impact on social perceptions of adults with cognitive disabilities and on public policies related to disability and employment?

I hope that this project, which operates on both a local and international scale, can shift the social perception of adults with cognitive disabilities through a scientific approach validated by rigorous and reliable protocols. I hope it provides materials, tools, and good practices for those who want to do as we do, and that policymakers begin to take an interest in the disability/work relationship not from a welfare perspective, but with a mature attitude of promoting full citizenship. I have no illusions—it's a very challenging task, but precisely because of this, it should be embraced without hesitation.