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Second Welfare

Percorsi di secondo welfare is a research and information Laboratory linked to the University of Milan. Thanks to the support of important institutional partners the Laboratory led by Franca Maino aims to:

📚 Develop Knowledge
It explores, documents and disseminates second welfare trends, experiences and good practices to fuel an empirically based, plural and accessible debate.

🔎 Study Welfare Models
It collects data and empirical evidence to outline new intervention models thanks to a consolidated research methodology in the field of social policies.

🎯 Drive Actions
It supports and supports organizations in strategic planning aimed at implementing innovative initiatives and designing the welfare of the future.

The concept of “second welfare”

“Second welfare” refers to a mix of social protection and social investment programs which are not funded by the State, but provided instead by a wide range of economic and social actors, linked to territories and local communities, but open to trans-local partnerships and collaborations. Read more.

Targets

The Laboratory seeks to promote a “virtuous nesting” between first and second welfare, that will ultimately be able to tackle the challenges posed by demographic trends and the emergence of new social needs, and worsened by the present financial situation. Our research encompasses several areas of the social provision, with a specific focus on the non-public actors that increasingly play a role in the welfare arena, and the dynamics that determine their growing involvement.

English Section

Percorsi di secondo welfare has a English section in order to provide articles translated and original international contributions as well as to promote the debate on second welfare and the exchange of best practices. You can read them below.

29 Agosto 2025

The Southern Model of Welfare Revisited

During the Espanet 2025 Conference at the University of Milan, Maurizio Ferrera delivered a keynote speech on the concept of Southern European welfare, which he first introduced nearly thirty years ago. In light of the current “polycrisis,” which has led to an increasing hybridization of traditional welfare models across Europe, Ferrera questioned whether it is time to revisit this analytical category.
27 Maggio 2025

A Third Way for Journalism: Why Philanthropy Must Act Now

The threats to independent, high-quality journalism at the international level call for innovative solutions to protect democracy and press freedom. Patrice Schneider outlines the strategy led by the Media Development Investment Fund.
27 Marzo 2025

The corrosive disadvantages of food poverty

Enrica Chiappero, Full Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Pavia and member of DisPARI's Advisory Board, examines the dimensions and implications of food poverty among adolescents, exploring the role of social innovation as a tool to tackle the phenomenon.
26 Aprile 2024

Residential Tourists and Healthcare Shopping in the EU: Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands

EU citizens staying in an EU Member State other than their home country can access emergency care in a rather straightforward way. At the same time, permanent residents from a different country are fully integrated into their host’s healthcare system. European and National norms that regulate access to cross-border health care make this possible. An overview of the state of implementing the EU healthcare regulations by comparing three different case studies.
20 Marzo 2024

Ageing, longevity and sustainability

Currently, in Italy, one in four individuals is elderly, and this proportion is likely to increase. However, living longer does not mean living better. Therefore, it is crucial to adopt a new conceptual approach in interpreting aging, moving away from the paradigm of old age toward a broader perspective of longevity.
13 Febbraio 2024

Heat waves are also a social problem

Rising temperatures are usually related to environmental issues. However, the social repercussions are also numerous and heavy: how can we mitigate the effect of heat on the most fragile?
26 Gennaio 2024

Corporate Welfare and Sustainability

More and more companies are choosing to pursue sustainability. An excellent example of this new sensibility is corporate welfare, especially when it involves local stakeholders.
16 Gennaio 2024

Jobs and digital skills, the situation in Italy

Digitalisation is essential for business development and is at the center of public debate in Europe. But it is still scarcely considered in Italy, where there are few skills in this field. What do companies think about this? Which profiles will be most in demand in the coming years?
14 Luglio 2023

Sustainability: the role of younger generations in Italy

Younger generations are increasingly sensitive to sustainable development issues but, at least in Italy, they practically have limited political weight. However, creating conditions that are conducive to listening to their requests and adopting policies that put them into practice is essential.
15 Giugno 2023

Is environmental sustainability also a gender issue?

Transport policies have different consequences for men and women, yet the gender variable is rarely considered when designing a public measure. In this case, however, environmental and social sustainability go in the same direction.
16 Marzo 2023

Long term care during and after the pandemic: the German case

In Germany, as in Italy, Long Term Care was strictly hit by Covid-19. During the pandemic, the German government allocated emergency funds - called “Corona premiums” - to cope with evident gaps in the Long Term Care sector, such as those related to shortage in nursing and health personnel. That of healthcare personnel must be the priority to work on, Professor Heinz Rothgang told Secondo Welfare.
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