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The project conceived by psychologist and ski instructor Alice Diana offers personalized activities, mediation, and opportunities for meeting to make the holiday part of the community's life.
In the heart of the Friulian Dolomites, Forni di Sopra is a mountain destination frequented throughout the year. The village is located in Carnia, in the province of Udine, within the Natural Park of the Friulian Dolomites and in a landscape recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In summer, the location attracts families, hikers, and outdoor activity enthusiasts with trails, mountain huts, mountain bike paths, ski lifts, playgrounds, and an Adventure Park. In winter, however, snow becomes the main attraction: the ski area includes slopes for alpine skiing and cross-country skiing, areas dedicated to children, an ice rink, and a ski school. Over the years, Forni di Sopra has welcomed groups of people with various disabilities, especially for sporting events, including a stage of the Italian Cup for Paralympic alpine skiing.
It is in this context that “Where everyone belongs” was born, a project promoted with the support of the Municipality of Forni di Sopra to encourage the participation of people with disabilities in the tourist and social life of the town.
From psychology to the mountain
The project was conceived by Alice Diana, a clinical psychologist originally from the area. After studying Psychological Sciences and Techniques at the University of Trieste, she continued her training in clinical psychology. In her work, she has long been involved in disability, autonomy, social relationships, and personal well-being.
Alice is also a ski instructor and has completed the recent training for teaching adapted skiing to people with disabilities. During the winter, she collaborates with the Ski School of Forni di Sopra, where various trained professionals are available to offer personalized snow experiences.
The idea of "Where everyone belongs" took shape after meeting the mother of a boy who uses a wheelchair. From that discussion, a phase of observation and experimentation began, followed by a joint design work to define activities, organizational methods, and necessary resources. The support, including financial, from the Municipality allowed the idea to be transformed into a concrete service, and at an affordable price for families.
The project is aimed at children, adolescents, and adults with physical, intellectual, and relational disabilities. The starting point is always the knowledge of the person and the family.
Before defining the activities, Alice gathers individual interests, desires, habits, and needs. Based on this, a proposal is built that may include expressive and motor activities, workshops, outings in nature, sports experiences, and moments of socialization.
The method does not consist of placing the person in a pre-packaged solution. It is the context that is organized and, when necessary, modified so that everyone can participate according to their own timing, interests, and ways.
"I believe that everyone should be able to express their resources to the fullest, especially in a place dedicated to vacation and leisure," explains Alice.
The intervention is generally individual and is agreed upon with the family.
Group experiences are also planned when people already know each other, as in the case of communities or cooperatives interested in organizing a common activity in the area.
Participate in the life of the country
One of the most interesting aspects of the project is the mediating role played by Alice. The activities do not take place in a separate space: the opportunities already present in Forni di Sopra are used, as much as possible.
A walk, a ceramics or woodworking workshop, a snack at Fantasy Park, a visit to a mountain hut, or a day at Adventure Park become opportunities to learn about the area and meet the people who live there or are visiting.
Alice accompanies the participant, collaborates with the operators, and intervenes on the organizational or relational aspects that could hinder the experience. Her task is not to replace the person, but to create the conditions so that they can choose, experiment, and take part in the activity.
Particular attention is given to informal groups that form during a vacation: children meeting in the park, kids playing together, families gathered for a snack or a day outdoors. These are seemingly simple relationships, but crucial for feeling part of a place.
The large playground of Forni di Sopra, with sensory structures and games accessible to people with different needs, represents one of the main meeting points. Here, Alice offers collective activities capable of sparking curiosity and facilitating mutual understanding. This happened, for example, with a large outdoor painting workshop: the sheet laid out in the park gradually attracted other children, turning the activity into a shared experience.
From the Adventure Park to the mountain huts
Among the most significant episodes recounted by Alice is a day at the Adventure Park with a boy who uses a wheelchair. Thanks to the collaboration of the staff and a suitable harness, the boy was able to experience some pulleys.
In the same park, an autistic child followed by Alice learned to independently manage the opening and closing of the carabiners. These are not therapeutic interventions, the psychologist emphasizes, but recreational experiences that can support confidence, autonomy, and awareness of one's abilities.
Another important moment was the visit to Malga Tartoi and Malga Tragonia. The availability of the managers allowed access to the facilities by car and parking nearby. The journey along the path, the movement of the vehicle, the arrival in the open landscape of the malghe, the presence of animals, and the contact with nature created an intense experience from a sensory and emotional perspective.
Walks with the donkey Biagio, sensory paths, activities in the woods, and trips on the chairlift complete a proposal that is not defined once and for all: each experience is chosen and adapted together with the person.
A network that learns from experience
“Where everyone belongs” does not only concern those who directly use the service. The project is having effects on the entire local network.
The Municipality has supported the initiative also on an economic level, while hoteliers, restaurateurs, business managers, and tourism operators have been informed and involved. The collaboration allows accommodation facilities to direct families towards the project and, at the same time, to ask for guidance to improve hospitality.
When inclusion is the reason to choose the destination
The project was initially envisioned as a service for families already on vacation in Forni di Sopra. However, the first requests showed an additional result: some people chose to stay in the town specifically to participate in the program.
Word of mouth has played a central role. Families have learned about the service through other families, local operators, activities carried out in public spaces, and the communication channels of Forni di Sopra. In some cases, a meeting that arose almost spontaneously during a day in the mountains turned into a new request or a subsequent holiday together with friends.
This result highlights a strategic aspect for destinations: accessibility is not just a technical feature of the facilities. It includes the possibility to participate, build relationships, receive reliable information, and find people willing to collaborate. When these conditions are present, the quality of the experience increases and the likelihood that a family will return or recommend the destination grows.
A model of community tourism
“Where everyone belongs” shows how accessible tourism can be developed starting from existing resources and putting them in relation.
The spirit of the project was fully expressed during the 52nd Ciaminada, the historic Ferragosto race that brought together 950 participants. Alice and Luigi, who uses a wheelchair, competed together on an accessible course, accompanied by the cheers of the crowd until the finish line. Applause, music, games, and the final awards ceremony turned the day into a great community experience.
In Forni di Sopra, accessibility starts with a simple question: what does this person want to do? The next step is to build the conditions together so that they can do it. And it is precisely here that the name of the project gains all its meaning: in a welcoming community, everyone is part of it.
Practical information
For information and reservations, it is advisable to contact Dr. Alice Diana in advance through the contacts provided in the project materials and on the official channels of Forni di Sopra.
Municipality of Forni di Sopra
Website for information and contacts
To contact Alice Diana
