* A name meaning literally "Free-for-all point".
On the outskirts of Bolzano, Italy, in some rooms offered by the parish, three educators take care of youngsters in difficulty, from the end of classes until the evening. The enterprise suggested a working method to the social services personnel in the town

by Roberto Vivarelli

In the suburb of Oltrisarco, on the outskirts of Bolzano, they all know her. On the streets, in the park, in the shops, everyone used to point at Evelyn, a girl in junior high school. Wherever she went, she would draw attention to herself using any means at her disposal, resorting even to scenes of panic, just to make herself the center of attention. The social services didn't know what to do about it, so, as often happens now when there are impossible cases in the area, they took Evelyn to "Puntoliberatutti," the hospice that operates in some rooms belonging to the parish. "At first she drove us mad," says the director, Laura Tedde. "In the first months, we discovered that the only way to calm her down during her frequent moments of crisis was to put her in the car and drive around the town with her, chatting together and looking at the scenery. In this way, she felt important, sensing that she was at the center of a privileged relationship. What won her over at first was the fact that we were not shocked by her behavior and were always ready to take her back again." This acceptance at Puntoliberatutti included her parents, too, making it possible for them to renew their relationship, which had become one of conflict. Today, Evelyn is doing much better at school; the scenes of panic are only a memory of the past. People in the area still point at her, but only to show how she has changed. No one was ever able to "deal with her," and the end of her story boosted the credibility of the Hospice, creating many openings for it in the area's social service offerings.