The Aula Hispanitas project: labour and social inclusion.

The footwear brand Hispanitas, UPAPSA (Provincial Union of Associations of People with Intellectual Disability of Alicante, by its acronym in Spanish) and Sense Barreres (Rare Diseases and Disability Association of Petrel and Region) close two years of collaboration in which the Aula Hispanitas project has been accomplished with the aim of reducing social and labour inequality of people with disabilities from the Elda-Petrel and Region area. The main goal of the project is to raise awareness of their inclusion in the labour market, explaining that it is possible by focusing on the individual, his/her skills, and his/her potential for development.

Throughout 2023, the 14 students of the Aula, located in Sense Barreres facilities, attended the Commercial Assistant course with the involvement of the Chamber of Commerce of Alicante through the European Social Fund and the PICE (Integral Programme for Qualification and Employment, by its acronym in Spanish). In this course, they had the opportunity to participate in different training activities and family intervention, professional guidance, active job search and support in jobs activities, as well as to receive a certificate of professionalism.

Moreover, the project's scope includes other actions such as interviews to register them in the employment exchange, as well as an employability diagnosis and a follow-up, once they have entered the labour market, certifying that their quality of life has improved and the proper conditions for that are met.

It is worth highlighting some of the major improvements that have been achieved through this initiative. Thanks to the Aula Hispanitas, 14 people with severe disabilities have been hired by different companies in the area with their subsequent follow-up. Other milestones to name are the implementation of a support network in coordination with other services and resources (such as social services, mental health...) as well as the interviews conducted with more than 55 people with disabilities, detailing an employability diagnosis, support needs, comprehensive legislative advice and other aspects can help them to enter the labour market.

Luis Chico de Guzmán, CEO of Hispanitas, Ángela Durá, Head of HR at Hispanitas, and David Saéz from UPAPSA, together with the students of Aula Hispanitas.

Last March 2023, the three entities organised a business breakfast to gather various organisations, associations, and institutions in the area to make known this initiative and encourage them to collaborate in it, promoting the recruitment of people with disabilities. The event was attended by companies who shared their experiences after joining this initiative and adding to the team profiles with various types of disabilities.

This project entails a commitment to care about what Hispanitas, UPAPSA and Sense Barreres consider the most important value of society, people. A second call for the Aula Hispanitas is already planned for 2024.