Rodilla A LA PAR, un Rodilla diferente

A La Par Foundation's submission 'Rodilla A LA PAR, un Rodilla diferente' was chosen as one of the three promising practices within the 'Employment' category. Un Rodilla diferente is a social economy initiative which involves the establishment of the first restaurant developed and ran by staff with intellectual disabilities.

Name of practice: Rodilla A LA PAR, un Rodilla diferente

Organisation: A La Par Foundation

Description of the Organisation:

The A LA PAR Foundation has more than 70 years of experience. It works for the participation and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in society. The organisation tries to develop services that satisfy the main needs of persons with intellectual disabilities in their development. Activities include training, employment centres, sports clubs, units for attention to victims of abuse or mistreatment. The foundation supports more than 1,100 people.

Country: Madrid, Spain

Year of Initiation: 2019

Funding: A LA PAR Foundation

Link to UNCRPD: Articles 27 - Work and employment, Article 28 - Adequate standard of living and social protection

Description of practice:

The practice is a social economy initiative managed entirely by people with intellectual disabilities. It constitutes a solid and profitable business model that aims to become a benchmark for social entrepreneurship. ‘RODILLA’ is a chain of 156 informal, artisan, healthy and quality restaurants throughout Spain that serve as a meeting point for all citizens and aim to guarantee the economic and social autonomy of the persons with intellectual disabilities they employ.

Problems targeted:

The problem addressed by this practice relates to the socio-economic exclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. The practice addresses the following challenges:

Non-inclusive selection processes based on job interviews and tests instead of considering practical performance tests.
Many digital tools are inaccessible, which represents a new difficulty for people with intellectual disabilities.
Availability of low-paid, non-quality jobs in precarious working conditions for people with intellectual disabilities, including part-time or short duration.
Lack of awareness-raising about the role and added value of including people with disabilities in the labour market and in society.

Solution offered:

In May 2019, A LA PAR Foundation and RODILLA foundation opened the first restaurant developed by staff with intellectual disabilities nationwide. All workers benefit from supported employment. Moreover, a job coach visits at least once a week to check on job performance, the relationship between team members, and discuss how the employee is feeling and adjusting.
To ensure successful implementation, the practice provides the workforce with ongoing job training to enable them to support persons with special needs related to intellectual disability. Special care is taken to ensure compliance in matters of accessibility (visual aids, cash registers adapted with icons to ensure cognitive accessibility), equal opportunities and inherent dignity. The success of the practice lies in the incorporation of people with intellectual disabilities into the decision-making chain from the start.

Impact generated by the practice:

The partnership has resulted in the creation of fourteen jobs, twelve of which are taken on by people with disabilities across three different job categories: sandwiches, vendors, and managers. The restaurant receives approximately 2,000 customers per week through both in-person and online sales. As a result of the practice, workers have become more independent, with two employees now able to fully support their children.

The practice has helped to change the image of people with disabilities from passive recipients of aid to active service providers through their work. RODILLA provides lifelong learning opportunities for support. Additionally, as part of a service provided by Wizink Bank, they can promote further training resources for staff to enhance their skills and engage in catering, increasing their career prospects. The experience further allows its workers to enhance their CV with real work experience and apply for other job opportunities as well to improve their lives.

Sustainability of the practice:

The future prospects for this practice are twofold: (1) the improvement and expansion of the restaurant, including the opening of a catering service for companies close to the restaurant, and on the other hand, (2) the establishment of new franchise agreements with other restaurant chains. Current experience allows the model to be replicated in the future.

Contact information: Carmela Pérez Anchuela, Innovation, Training and Employment Manager: carmela.perez@alapar.ong

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