The project “Be.St – Beyond Stereotypes” aims at contributing to produce a cultural change in educational agencies (beginning from primary schools) that can have a positive impact on the choices of future generations, who become carriers of a “zero tolerance” message on all forms of gender violence and are able to convey the cultural change in the society.
A critical thinking on gender stereotypes, transmitted through families and teachers, will help to encourage young people’s awareness of the importance of mutual respect in relationships and to diminish the phenomenon of social and psychological abuse of one sex over the other. This will facilitate a more balanced relationship between the genders and an education of children respecting the differences, which will be perceived as an opportunity for mutual exchange and growth.
Considering the importance of stereotypes in the development of each individual, the choice to define the Be.St. model and experiment the proposed path in a primary school allows to focus on individuals when the stereotypes are being formed. The school selected to be the pilot is invited to adhere to a path that includes training and information activities, addressed to teachers and families, on gender stereotypes.
In this perspective, through the definition of an innovative model of primary school that promotes the idea of ​​a Be.St school (beyond stereotypes), which is applicable and replicable on a larger scale, the project aims to achieve a twofold objective:
To contribute to the prevention of gender-based violence;
To contribute to the creation of awareness on the role of gender stereotypes in the dissemination of the gender-based violence.
The action is leaded by Fondazione PuntoSud and involves as project partners Comune di Milano – Assessorato all’Educazione and Assessorato alle Politiche Sociali; Associazione Scosse and Comitato Unico di Garanzia – Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca.
The initiative is supported by Fondazione Cariplo and Comune di Milano. Additional requests for funds have been submitted to the European Commission and the Italian Government (Dipartimento Pari Opportunità).

Our activities

• Creation of a multi-stakeholder working group for the definition of the Be.St standard
• Definition of the Be.St standard
• Development of training methodology and the training materials, according to the Be.St standard established by the multi-stakeholder working group
• Be.St standard testing and follow up
• Launch of the initiative through an awareness campaign
• Final event and distribution of the project final report to communicate the project’s results
• Impact evaluation