Research · 15 October 2026
People, technology and territory
The new challenges facing volunteer organisations in the province of Modena. Twenty organisations interviewed between May and July 2026, a review of 27 academic articles and 2 reports, and a comparison with innovative experiences: generational turnover, digital tools, artificial intelligence and relations with the territory.
Editorial bites
- 17 of the 20 organisations interviewed struggle to attract young people and to keep them involved over time, organisational and administrative roles included.
- 14 organisations out of 20 struggle with digital tools: fragmented, poorly integrated systems add duplication and make management harder.
- Only 3 organisations out of 20 use AI in an established way. Another 16 see its potential but lack the technical and organisational conditions to apply it.
- Communication, AI and grant writing: key skills stay concentrated in a few people and struggle to become a lasting asset of the organisation.
- None of the twenty organisations rules out working with public institutions. The willingness to collaborate sits alongside red tape, perceived distance and hard access to funding.
- Small towns can bring people closer and make an organisation more visible. That does not by itself guarantee participation, social cohesion or the involvement of young people.
A study by OPERA, the research unit of the Department of Communication and Economics at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. The research team is Fabrizio Montanari, Nicola Casucci, Damiano Razzoli, Stefano Rodighiero and Teresa Marocchi, with the help of the Department’s students.
The qualitative survey covers twenty organisations in the province of Modena. The findings describe the sample interviewed and are not a statistical estimate of volunteering across the whole province. The full document goes deeper into organisational issues, the different approaches to AI, the specific features of inner areas and possible support measures, with Italian and international examples.