Last month I visited our Spanish colleagues who run innovative and commercially successful initiatives in the Montblanc region (120km from Barcelona). Aprodisca was established nearly 30 years ago to promote quality of life and social & economic integration of people with learning difficulties. They have done this by providing education, employment, housing, leisure and education programmes funded by public and private sectors in Catalonia. The organisation has a professional staff of sixty. Each year, it creates work placement opportunities within its organisation for between 30-50 individuals with learning difficulties. During my two day visit I saw how Aprodisca has turned its core purpose into commercial opportunities. For example it now owns farming land and produces organic fruits and vegetables which are sold to customers living locally and in Barcelona. It has built a state of the art food manufacturing unit to produce organic sauces and food. It contracts with local car manufacturers to assemble car components giving employment opportunities to its core client group. Aprodisca is a leader in Catalonia’s economic development sector. Its founders and staff have tremendous energy and foresight to ensure that their organisation is self-sustainable and moves forward all the time. They have a commercial mindset but at the same time a community purpose. They haven’t forgotten their roots. Last year we hosted a London study visit for Aprodisca’s senior staff. We shared with them our knowledge and expertise in sustaining community initiatives and gave them some useful ideas on connecting with the business community. We are now planning to take a study visit to Aprodisca next spring. If you are interested in joining us please contact me, vijay@londonaed.com or on 0208 438 4550. Posted by Vijay Amin |
On January 16, 2011 Hortus APRODISCAe appeared in the Diari de Tarragona (a local newspaper). Get the PDF document below: |
We have not stopped since that in 1986 a group of parents who created an occupational workshop for people with intellectual disabilities. We created the job center, the special employment center, home-residence, protect the foundation … We have developed therapeutic services, rehabilitation, employment, training, housing, leisure and support employment in the mainstream companies. Our mission was and is to promote quality of life and social and labor integration of persons. In this long journey we have expanded our horizons solidarity because we realized that social exclusion has many different faces: physical disabilities, mental illness, poverty, immigration, etc. …. We realize that what really matters is to remedy this and to fight social exclusion and not the why of it. To achieve this, we had to find the necessary resources, and when they found them, we had to learn to be independent and to build them ourselves. Handling industrial services graphic arts, crafts, gardening, washing cars, cleaning industry, and our commitment to the future: agriculture, food and organic food. Activities that have allowed us to continue with our social project. We have achieved things that we had not imagined in our origins. The authorities have declared Aprodisca Public Utility Company, have rewarded our social history, we have achieved the employment of ordinary people in the company, we have the example of companies that inspire future … But all this would not have been possible without all the people who helped us, all the people from inside or outside the organization who believe in this project and have given the power he now has. It is for this reason that we celebrate these 25 years of life especially, sharing with those who want the keys to developing Aprodisca with an exhibition that will take place during 2011 by some people of the Basin of Barbara and the municipality of La Selva del Camp. See you there!
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Since Christmas comes and with it also comes a spiral around us making consumer very often buy products that do not need it, so do not use it. Moreover, often end up spending more money in our pockets that can support … And under the influence of commercials, we risk falling into the trap of reducing the indiscriminate buying Christmas gifts. But the euphoria generated by passing bought or received a gift, fade and become void if there is anything else, if the event did not materialize acompanayat something to the Christmas spirit of love and solidarity. Christmas, therefore, becomes a perfect opportunity to reflect on our consumption habits. In Hortus APRODISCAe also think we have to get our responsible consumption and we”ve taken some actions that can help us and that we share as follows:
Gandhi said: “If you want to change the world, canvia”t yourself.” And we can make our actions, together with those of other people, are designed to make the world a better, fairer, more caring, more sustainable. A good Christmas wish that today we share with this writing. |
On 2 December 2010 was held on Corporate Volunteer Day in Abertis focused on sensitizing people on disability. During the day conferences were held, there were initiatives of solidarity for workers and institutional level, and installed a charity fair where various associations and foundations have to sell products from their sheltered work, mostly made up of people with disabilities. Hortus APRODISCAe participated with a stall where Xenia, Anna and Karen sold homemade organic food: orange marmalade, tomato jam, nuts, olives, salsa romesco … The workers Abertis over taste and buy our products could learn about our social project, raising awareness of the importance of promoting quality of life and social integration and employment of persons with disabilities intellectual, mental illness and / or social exclusion. Abertis applaud this initiative as positive for all participants: company, employees, NGO participants and their users.
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© Hortus Aprodiscae, tots els drets reservats | C/Josep M. Poblet, 1 - Tel. 977 86 07 68 - 43400 Montblanc - hortus@aprodisca.org -