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The Manifesto serves as a unifying framework for academics, degree courses, departments, schools and universities seeking to institutionalise service-learning into their curriculum. It has been developed by the Italian Universities Network for Service-Learning (UNiSL). It represents the initial outcome of a comprehensive analysis of research findings and documented experiences from Italy and abroad. This document introduces the Italian definition of service-learning in higher education, accompanied by a glossary consisting of nine key terms, each followed by an explanatory description. Its primary objective is to comprehensively understand the approaches, theoretical models and perspectives that characterise the Network. Il Manifesto della Rete delle Università italiane per il Service-Learning (UNiSL). Il Manifesto intende offrire una piattaforma comune per docenti, Corsi di Laurea, Dipartimenti, Scuole o Atenei che intendano istituzionalizzare il service-learning all’interno del proprio curriculum. Il documento è stato elaborato dalla Rete delle UNiversità Italiane per il Service-Learning (UNiSL) e rappresenta un primo risultato raggiunto grazie al confronto sugli esiti delle ricerche condotte e sulle esperienze documentate in Italia e all’estero. Nel documento si propone la definizione italiana di service-learning in contesto universitario e un glossario con nove parole chiave, ognuna accompagnata da una spiegazione, con l’obiettivo di comprendere in modo esaustivo gli approcci, i modelli teorici e le prospettive che caratterizzano la Rete.

Few studies so far have analysed the potential role of mentoring in decreasing hyperactivity and inattention problems. The aim of the current study is to investigate the impact of the Italian Mentor-UP mentoring program on hyperactivity and inattention problems in a non-clinical sample of mentees. “Mentor-UP” is a weekly school- and community-based mentoring program implemented in northern Italy over a period of 8 months. The sample included 468 students, 65 from the experimental group (mentees) and 403 as comparison group. Participants’ age ranged between 8 and 14 years (M = 11.31, SD = 1.40), 46% were females and 20% were non-Italian youths. Students reported their levels of hyperactivity and inattention problems at the beginning and at the end of the program. A significant interaction between time and group revealed a significant effect of the program on hyperactivity and inattention problems (B = −0.10, t (450) = −2.00, p = 0.04), which decreased in mentees (Cohen’s d = −0.21) but not in the comparison group. Results supported the effectiveness of Mentor-UP in decreasing youths’ hyperactivity and inattention. This might be due to the structural characteristics of the mentoring relationships established in the context of Mentor-UP.

Research in the United States has shown that youth mentoring is a promising strategy for increasing self-esteem and school connectedness in at-risk youth. There has been little confirmation of those findings internationally. The current study evaluates the impact of mentoring by trained university students on children’s self-esteem and school connectedness compared to schoolmates not involved in the program. Mentor-UP is a school- and community-based weekly mentoring program implemented in northern Italy over a period of seven months. Participants (209 students – 34 in the experimental group and 175 in the comparison group – aged between 11 and 13, 56% male, 27% immigrants) reported their levels of self-esteem and school connectedness at the beginning and at the end of the program. Results showed a significant increase in mentees’ self-esteem compared to the control group, while the difference in school-connectedness was nonsignificant. The findings support the effectiveness of Mentor-UP in nurturing youth’s self-esteem.