Our journey into integrated territorial projects continues together with the CISA team: after the interview with Elena Corsi, today we read the words of Vittoria Monleale, who talks about her role as Impact Developer from the work setting to the skills useful in this field.
1. As an Impact Developer, what does developing a territory mean to you?
Developing an area means giving it added value in various aspects, for example in terms of infrastructure, skills, economic resources, sustainability… and this happens on two fronts. On the one hand, it is necessary to enhance what already exists by strengthening the characteristics and peculiarities of the area under study, which are often not sufficiently exploited, particularly in small Municipalities where resources are scarce. On the other hand, by listening to the needs of local Administrations, developing an area means above all filling in its gaps and criticalities, transforming them into strengths and uniqueness that will become the driving force thanks to which integrated, sustainable and supra-territorial development strategies can be devised and implemented.
2. What are the aspects you deal with throughout the project cycle concerning the sustainable and integrated development of an area? And what are the first steps you take when you start work on a new project?
The first step is to study the territory and this is done by researching, collecting and analysing the main territorial data and strategic planning documents. This allows me to have an overall vision of the territory and thus to understand its main characteristics and criticalities. Once the preliminary study phase is over, the dedicated team listens to the municipal Administrations to understand their requirements, needs and desires. Starting from these, which will constitute the foundations of the project, I as Impact Developer together with the Project Manager in charge, will work out a possible development strategy by describing it in the Focus Territoriale documents with the aim of returning a real vision from above, a ‘photograph’ that, enriched by our know-how, will lead to the sustainable and integrated development of that territory. Once the results of the Focus Territoriale have been shared with the Administrations, I draw up, together with the dedicated team, the Fattibilità tecnico-economica document, which marks the transition between the end of the development phase and the beginning of the operational phase of the project.
3. When setting up a sustainable development strategy, it is essential to base it on the needs and desires expressed by the individual territory. At the same time, however, we must not forget that there are also various international, european, national, regional and local strategic policies and instruments that must be taken into account to ensure effective planning. How, then, to make these components aligned, relevant and mutually consistent?
As a first step, already in the study phase of the territory, it is very important to take into account, as well as analyse and study, international, european, national, regional and local strategic planning documents. This is because, when we go to design the strategy, it is essential that the projects that make it up are consistent and aligned with the objectives of the various policies, including those of the UN 2030 Agenda, the 2021-2027 EU programming, the PNRR and the various national and regional strategies for sustainable development, as well as with local programming tools. This makes it possible to guarantee the sustainability of the projects at 360 degrees, as our mission is precisely to create added value for the territory of reference by grounding interventions that will last over time, generating a positive environmental, social and economic impact.
4. Which previous skills do you think were particularly useful in your experience as an Impact Developer in CISA? And which did you develop the most, or which did you have to learn from scratch, to help you in your professional growth?
To be an Impact Developer it is essential to be able to listen to the needs and requirements of local Administrations, which are often located in territories with critical issues such as depopulation and an ageing population. Working every day with different territories leads one to develop such a sensitivity as to be able to understand what is needed for that territory given its weaknesses and peculiarities. What intrigues me most is the interdisciplinary nature of this work, because it requires continuous study that has allowed me to develop skills in different areas; devising integrated and sustainable territorial strategies starting from the needs of Municipalities, as well as the ability to research and analyse data, which allows to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a territory, are skills that I am enhancing every day while performing this role.
5. Looking ahead to 2025, what challenges do you foresee and what prospects do you wish for CISA?
What has always fascinated me about this job is its dynamism and I hope I can continue to have the curiosity to get to know different territories and to learn new things every day, not backing down but, on the contrary, taking on new work challenges because I consider this fundamental in a perspective of professional growth. What I wish for CISA, on the other hand, is to continue to have the ability and enthusiasm to bring added value to the territories, particularly those with the most critical situations.
