Labor Inclusion Project paves the way for young people with cognitive disabilities in tourism

Punta Cana. – With the mission of opening doors in the tourism sector to people with disabilities, the president of Futurum Educandi, Thomas Sartori, presented the progress of the Labor Inclusion Project, an initiative that combines training, internships and accompaniment to achieve true labor insertion. The program lasts between 12 and 18 months. Twelve weeks of theoretical training, three months of internship, and six months of follow-up. Participants are prepared in areas such as waiter, bartender, and restaurant host, with the support of Asonahores member hotels that have joined the project.

"Many times, people with disabilities are hired without being prepared or without the company being prepared, and after a few months they lose that opportunity. We want to be that bridge that ensures they are ready to stay and grow in the job," explained Sartori.

For now, the program started with young people with cognitive disabilities, who have already completed the first theoretical stage and are now experiencing work in pilot spaces and allied restaurants. The response from the hotel sector has been positive, with several establishments in Santo Domingo showing openness and sensitivity towards this initiative.

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Beyond technical preparation, the human impact is evident. Deivi, a young man with type one autism who participates in the project, assured he felt grateful along with his mother Miledys.

“Our lives have changed since we are here. We feel valued and part of something important in society”.

Sartori indicated that inclusion is not only an act of social responsibility, but also an opportunity for growth for companies. "Diversity enriches teams, improves the work environment, and projects a more human image of the sector to clients," he said. The vision is for this pilot program to be just the first step, expanding its reach to more hotels and different types of disabilities, with the goal of making inclusion a natural practice within the Dominican tourism industry.