Identity
Sementera
It was 4 October 1995 — I remember it perfectly.
Many years have passed since the founding of Associazione Sementera.
Francesco, who felt as though he didn't exist;
Caterina, who lived isolated from the world and no longer wanted to see anyone;
and then Davide, who longed for a world that didn't exist;
… and Maria, who hadn't spoken in years.
The mission of Sementera
To develop and use innovative therapies to help people with mental health conditions. To rehabilitate them in their daily lives. The type of therapy pursued over the years by Associazione Sementera is Non-Verbal therapy. The method addresses the verbal deficit of psychotic and autistic patients, proposing non-verbal forms of communication such as amniotic water therapy, mirror drawing and video integration.
The Sementera working group then created Sensory Integration Therapy, technology-mediated (using the Painteraction platform and the Avatart software), giving rise to Associazione Atlas and establishing, in 2016, the Atlas Centre in Perugia. The Atlas Centre is today a space for inclusion, growth, training and research.
Atlas has embraced the challenge of the "digital revolution" and has ensured that new multimedia and technological tools are not instruments of isolation but vehicles for expression and deep connection, through a system of interactive software (the Painteraction System); a platform of technological tools that supports therapists in building a relationship with patients, overcoming communication barriers and socialisation difficulties in an entirely innovative and effective way.
The system is used by the association's practitioners at the Atlas Centre and at organisations that request it. It benefits people with autism, psychosis, neurodevelopmental disorders, multiple disabilities, relational difficulties and internet addiction. The innovative method of Atlas and the methods of Sementera continue to help hundreds of people, to train therapists, and receive a great deal of recognition and appreciation in the scientific community.
The Charlemagne Foundation's involvement
Ours is a relationship built over many years, based essentially on core funding. Since 2002 we have supported the long-term stability, growth and evolution of the association, and have also helped foster the establishment of Associazione Atlas.
The Foundation's support has not been limited to the association's individual initiatives, but has accompanied the organisation as a whole. This type of approach is fundamental in allowing organisations to stabilise and also to test new solutions. Our accompaniment, aimed also at empowerment and the development of international relationships, has enabled the method to gain recognition at the United Nations and in EU project design.
Our involvement also made possible the development of the Painteraction software through a significant grant, which is a source of great pride for us.
The effectiveness of the interventions and the reliability of the organisations have enabled them to secure funding from other institutions.
The collaboration and exchange between the Foundation, Sementera and Atlas have never ceased.
Project figures
+
years of collaboration
€
granted in support of Sementera and Atlas by the Foundation and its partners
