The Lonja del Arcipreste hosted the presentation of the selected personnel for the Jardines y Medio Ambiente Special Employment Center's work pools. This initiative, driven by the Alcalá la Real City Council, aims to foster the labor inclusion of individuals with intellectual disabilities and advance towards a more egalitarian society.
The event brought together the 35 individuals forming the five employment pools, accompanied by their families, as well as members of the selection tribunal, municipal council members, and the territorial delegate for Employment, Enterprise, and Autonomous Work in Jaén, Ana Mata.
Mayor Marino Aguilera highlighted the historical significance of this initiative, fulfilling a commitment made by the governing team to the Local Council for People with Disabilities and numerous families in the municipality. "Today is a very important day for Alcalá la Real, a happy day where we overcome many barriers and make our town a more humane place," he stated.
Aguilera recalled that people with intellectual disabilities traditionally faced greater difficulties accessing public employment calls, a reality that prompted the creation of these pools prioritizing intellectual disability through the Special Employment Center. He also thanked the work of the Councilor for Public Works and Services, Mercedes Flores, in managing this project.
The mayor further emphasized that this initiative not only offers employment opportunities to selected individuals but also aims to become a benchmark for the business community. "We want this experience to be a mirror where private companies can witness the capacity, efficiency, and commitment of these workers, encouraging more companies to adapt job positions and advance in the labor inclusion of people with disabilities," he noted.
Mercedes Flores highlighted the symbolic and social value of this step for the Special Employment Center, whose expansion of its social object has allowed for the creation of new professional profiles. "These individuals are eager to begin a stage of work, dignity, and equal opportunities," she expressed.
The Councilor for Public Works and Services explained that the pools will allow the progressive incorporation of the 35 individuals through rotating six-month, part-time contracts. The goal is for all members to have accessed work experience within a period exceeding two years. The first contracts, starting in September, will be linked to roles in concierge services, gardening, sports facilities maintenance, and at the Fortaleza de la Mota, always with necessary support and supervision.
The territorial delegate for Employment, Enterprise, and Autonomous Work in Jaén, Ana Mata, congratulated the City Council for an initiative she described as "innovative" and contributing to offering real employment opportunities to a group facing significant challenges in accessing the labor market.
Mata recalled the Junta de Andalucía's support for special employment centers, which currently total 41 in the province of Jaén, and explained that the Ministry of Employment maintains various aid lines for job creation and maintenance, as well as barrier removal, to promote effective labor insertion for people with disabilities.
Through this project, the City Council continues to strengthen the role of the Jardines y Medio Ambiente Special Employment Center as a tool for social and labor inclusion, consolidating a model that champions equal opportunities and access to employment as a path to foster the autonomy and full participation of individuals with intellectual disabilities in the municipality's life.
