OUR WORK
Our Junior Staff takes care of children and adolescents affected by Poland Syndrome. The purpose is to offer recreational and creative workshops during the meetings organized by AISP (Conferences, Open Days) and other opportunities to meet each other, such as the association holiday (Summer camp for teenagers aged 12-17 years).
The staff is composed of carriers of the syndrome who approached the Association as children or teenagers and grew up together with it.
We decided to take this challenge to let the new kids live the experience of the group and the AISP community.
OUR HISTORY
The Junior Staff was born and raised along with the Italian Association of Poland Syndrome. Since the very first conference we have been involved with improvisation activities and others that aimed at creating a group and strengthening us with serenity and higher self-esteem.
The purpose has been achieved and the need to meet us more often has increased over the years. This is how the first AISP Campus was founded in 2009 in Tarquinia, in the Lazio region. There, thanks to our volunteer Roberto Sileo, we shot a short movie. In 2010, following the success of the first edition, we shot a second one in Montecatini Terme, in the Tuscany region.
Since 2014 our responsibilities have been increasing and we shot our first commercial for AISP. In the same year we experienced our third association holiday in Ostia, with the assistance of three educators.
In 2015 took place the last Campus as “users” in Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region.
From 2016 things changed. For the first time we didn’t rely on external educators, but we took care of everything, except for some organisational practices: getting in contact with the kids, choosing the theme, organising the different activities and especially handling the kids while camping.
Not by chance, the title chosen for this year was Liberté, Égalité, Responsabilité – Freedom, Equality, Responsibility.2017 was the turn of Sorrento, while 2018 was that of Marina di Bibbona, in Tuscany.
In 2019 a new “generational turnover” took place. All 17-18-year-old teenagers started to organise activities for the kids participating in the camping in Tarquinia.
In 2020 they too officially became part of the Junior Staff by showing perseverance and willingness to give others what we have received during these years.
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ABOUT US
Roberta Rotondo
Introduction – Volunteer at the association and Poland Syndrome carrier. I was born in 1996 and I live in the province of Naples.
I am currently attending the University and my ambition is to work as a social worker.
I have known the association for 7 years and I grew up with it by overcoming pain and misunderstandings and meeting wonderful people who taught me to believe in myself.
Motivations -I am a member of the Junior Staff because my primary goal is to contribute to the harmony of the youngest kids by transmitting them what the association has given me: serenity and self-esteem.
Crescenzo Greco
Introduction – I was born on the 20th of April 1995 in Foggia, but since October 2014 I have been living in Milan where I completed my studies and I am currently working.
In 2006 I took part in my first AISP conference. I am a member of the Junior Staff since the beginning and I collaborate in the different activities.
Motivations – I love spending time with my longtime friends and transmitting to the youngest kids what I have “learnt” over the years with the Association, so that in the future it will be their turn to do the same.
Beatrice Cazzola
Introduction – I was born in 1996 and I am from Padova. I am in my second year of University and I am a volunteer. I am a member of the Junior Staff. I have known the association since I was 8.
Motivations – Being with the other kids is really helpful because it always makes me feel comfortable and reminds me that Poland Syndrome is a strength and not a weakness.
Anna Cannella
Introduction – I was born in 1997.
I live in Genoa and I am in my last year of high school. In the future I would like to attend Medical University or another department related to healthcare.
As a carrier I am a member of the Junior Staff and I am happy to help the association.
Motivations – I like to think that even just a game that we make can be supportive for someone else.
Matteo Moroni
Introduction – I was born in December 1996.
I live in Tarquinia and I have graduated in Economics and Business Law at the University of Viterbo.
I have been part of the association since I was a child, and now that I have the opportunity together with my friends to give my contribution I have joined the Junior Staff too.
Motivations- I participate in AISP initiatives because over the years a strong friendship with the boys and girls of the group has been growing.
Moreover, it is interesting to meet new people, acquiring their life experiences and making them partly mine too.
Nicolò Ugazio
Introduction – I was born on the 4th of August 1995 in Rome.
I live in Rocca Priora, a village in the Roman Castles area (a group of small medieval villages outside Rome) and I am currently studying to become a surveyor.
I am a Poland Syndrome carrier and I am a member of the Junior Staff to return the help received by the association.
Motivations – I collaborate with the Junior Staff because we are a big family, we support and encourage each other in the most difficult and delicate moments.
Ilaria Benvenuti
Introduction – I was born in July 1997, I live in the province of Novara and I am currently studying Sports Science.
As a Poland Syndrome carrier I am part of the Association since 2015 and I am specifically a member of the Junior Staff with my companions and friends.
Motivations – I am always glad to be with the other members of the Staff and work with them to organise the various activities and meetings of the Association. I also love being with the children of AISP and helping them to grow up in some way.
Martina Iannaccone
Introduction – Poland Syndrome carrier and member of the Junior Staff. I was born on the 15th of December 2000 in Avellino.
I am in my first year of Nursing Sciences at the University of Forlì and I have been a member of the association for five years.
Motivations-I consider AISP as a beautiful and big family where I had the luck to meet very special people with whom I shared opportunities of discussion and growth. Now that I am a staff member I wish to be a point of reference for all the youngest kids by helping to transmit them serenity and self-confidence. Poland Syndrome has not made us different, it made us more special!
Ilaria Masi
Introduction – I am a Poland Syndrome carrier and this year I became a member of the Junior Staff.
I am 18 years old and I live in Florence. I am attending high school and after graduation I would like to study Engineering.
I have known the association practically since I was born and this has helped me in many ways: on one hand I have been provided with information and medical support, especially regarding my surgeries, on the other hand I had the opportunity to meet wonderful kids who suffer from this syndrome like I do. Communicating with them has really helped me a lot and made me understand that I am not alone in feeling or thinking certain things.
Motivations: I feel really good when I spend time with the members of the association. I would also like to transmit to the “little ones” the same serenity that the others have given me, even just by being together.
Coordinator
Hello, my name is Massimo Masi and I live in Florence. I am Ilaria’s dad, who is a member of the Junior Staff and a Poland Syndrome (PS) carrier.
I have been a member of the association since she was born in 2003. I am currently the Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors. I have looked after the Junior Staff for some years. It is a key resource for the association as it represents our future.
