On the occasion of the celebration of the International Day of Disability, which is celebrated every December 3rd, the radio programmeEs Radio La Mañana León has made a special programme dedicated to Inclusion that has been broadcasted from SOLTRA’s facilities in La Virgen del Camino.

Led by Arturo Martínez, the space has been attended by various guests who have addressed the issue of disability and inclusion from different perspectives.

The first to take the floor was José Antonio Idoeta, General Director of SOLTRA, who explained to the listeners the work that SOLTRA, as a non-profit social initiative organisation, has been carrying out for more than twenty years. This work is focused on generating quality employment opportunities for people with disabilities through its various sections, which are constantly growing. He gave the listeners an exclusive preview of SOLTRA’s two new actions in this area, the opening of a new supermarket in January with the support of Vegalsa Eroski and the development of a Contact Centre in collaboration with Be Call. Idoeta did not want to miss the opportunity to thank the customers who trust us, the administrations and society in general who help us to demonstrate the importance of people’s different abilities and the value they bring to society.

After the words of the general director of SOLTRA, it was Esther Muñoz, delegate of the Junta de Castilla y León in our province who sent a message of support to all families on the day of disability. In his speech, he recalled that all people, regardless of their ability, contribute to society and it is everyone’s mission to include them in it.

The head of Psychiatry at CAULE, Francisco Rodríguez, shared with those present the objectives of this hospital service, which is none other than “Treat, Integrate and Include”. To this end, he recounted the invaluable support provided by the SOLTRA Foundation through the Doña Cinia Residence and Occupational Centre. In a clear allusion to the name SOLTRA (Solidarity and Work) Francisco emphasised the importance of solidarity for those in need of integration and work, the best tool to achieve inclusion.

Delfina Segarra, winner of the first edition of the Inclusive Economy Short Story competition organised by SOLTRA in collaboration with the University of León, presented her story entitled “Mañana”. A love story in all its aspects. It tells the story of the love between two young people with Down’s syndrome through companionship, solidarity and family affection. A message of hope for a future of inclusion.

The next guest speaker was José Ángel Crego, president of Autismo León. The association has 230 families and has grown by 75% in the last 5 years due to the large number of diagnoses made. The province of León, given its large size, is highly complex, so with the help of new technologies, support and training is being provided to all users in the province. People with autism do not have to have an associated intellectual disability, so sometimes their inclusion in some aspects of life, such as school, is complicated, arising numerous cases of bullying. In the labour incorporation, it is also a group that initially can find problems, but from Autismo León they develop an important work of accompaniment in the search and incorporation to employment of these people, facilitating their adaptation to the labour environment. He ended his intervention with the good news of the inclusion in the general state budget of the State Reference Centre for Autism.

The approach to disability from a legal point of view was the responsibility of the Delegate Prosecutor of León for people with disabilities, Francisco Javier Gutiérrez, who detailed the new contributions brought to us by the Disability Law that came into force in September 2021, whereby the person with disabilities is the one who decides on their own life, respecting their wishes and dignity at all times. The figure of the Guardia de Hecho is the support that can be counted on in case of need, but only in the aspects that are really necessary.

Next, Víctor Fernández, a handball player from León whose life was changed by the road in 2019, told his story of overcoming, but without forgetting that suffering is unique to each person, being happy is not easy, you have to fight hard to achieve it. He is currently a member of the Spanish wheelchair handball team, which last week finished fifth at the World Championships in Portugal.

Finally, Beatriz Fernández and Angela Grande, SOLTRA workers, shared with the listeners what their day-to-day work at SOLTRA is like.

You will find a link to the full programme below.