Problem addressed

People with disabilities face a range of physical, social and communication barriers that impede their access to the labour market. In Spain, even though the unemployment rate among this group decreased from 33% to 26% between 2014 and 2017, there is still a considerable opportunity gap in terms of training, education and quality employment between people with disabilities and the general population. Jobseeker support for people with disabilities in Spain is often not personalised to the specific needs of the individual, making it harder for them to get the support they need to access the skills and training necessary for eventual integration into the labour market. Furthermore, employers tend to have limited information or experience of how to recruit and retrain staff with disabilities.

Innovative solution

PorTalento is an innovative and fully accessible training and employment platform aimed at improving access to training and employment for people with disabilities. It features a web-based portal which works as a matchmaking platform for employers looking for employees and vice-versa. It also features legislative and grants information, as well as training opportunities. The project has expanded from its initial scope and now offers a range of support tools and platforms to increase the employability of people with disabilities.

Inserta Empleo - Fundacion ONCE, for example, acts as a recruitment agency for a large number of companies, and provides counselling services to people with disabilities. The agency runs specific programmes targeting sub-groups of people with disabilities, such as women and youth. The recently launched RADIA programme, for example, provides digital competences to women. Another programme co-financed by the ESF focuses on providing young people with support regarding overprotective families.

Inserta Empleo - Fundacion ONCE also provides tailored communication activities for its users, using alternative platforms, such as video games, to reach out to young people.

PorTalento is fostering strategic partnerships in order to maximise the outreach and impact of its activities. These partnerships have contributed to the development of a multi-stakeholder network with more than 100 members, including global companies, business and management schools, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) think tanks, social economy companies and the civil society movements (Foro Inserta), which focus on sharing and promoting good practices and supporting the inclusion of people with disabilities in labour market.

PorTalento also provides support and technical assistance to entrepreneurs with disabilities. The Emprende2020 community, which aims to support entrepreneurs with talent acquisition, good practice examples and legal information, is an example of such support.

PorTalento also recognises the importance of digital skills for the upskilling and integration of people with disabilities in the labour market. The newly established PorTalento Digital Initiative provides ad-hoc training that ensures people with disabilities do not miss job opportunities due to a lack of digital skills. 

Key results and benefits

Since 2009, PorTalento has provided assistance to more than 240 000 people with disabilities. Of these, approximately 100 000 people were supported through training opportunities, while approximately 72 000 people with disabilities moved into employment after receiving assistance through the project. Furthermore, around 400 people have received grants or other types of logistical support for self-employment projects.

Potential for mainstreaming

Inserta Empleo - Fundacion ONCE is supported by the European Social Fund (ESF) under two national operational programmes, the Social Inclusion and Social Economy Operational Programme (from November 2019 to December 2023) and the Youth Employment Operational Programme (from November 2018 to November 2022). The overall ESF contribution is EUR 700 000, which covers 70% of the total project budget.

The project’s expansion from its initial scope as a job-matching platform is evidence of its sustainable growth, as well as the added value of its services. A key factor in its success is its collaborative approach. This has enabled partnerships to be established with both SMEs and global companies, facilitating the scale-up of the project. Such a partnership-building focus would be a condition for successful transfer of the project to another context.

Fundacion ONCE and Inserta Empleo have received recognition from the Spanish Ministry of Labour and Immigration, and are now supporting its role as a Managing Authority of the European Social Fund in Spain.