Entering the workforce can be a major turning point for anyone, including people with intellectual disabilities. It not only provides a professional opportunity, but also helps people develop independence, build relationships, gain confidence in their abilities, and actively participate in community life. With this goal in mind, we support “Vale un sogno, progettare una concreta inclusione lavorativa”, a project promoted by Vale un Sogno Cooperativa Sociale, an organization founded in Verona in 2010 through an initiative of the Fondazione Più di un Sogno with the aim of helping people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities enter the workforce. Through the “VALEMOUR Generatore di Impresa” social enterprise brand — now recognized as an effective model for collaboration between for-profit and nonprofit organizations, as well as a sustainable approach to work inclusion — the cooperative provides structured training and employment pathways in real workplace settings. Its model of collaboration between businesses and the nonprofit sector turns employment into a genuine opportunity for personal and professional growth. Today, 43 people are employed through this model. Of these, 14 work at companies in the Verona area, where they are supported by educators throughout their employment pathway. Another 29 work, also with the support of educators, in spaces managed directly by the cooperative: the Good Food kitchen (active since 2010, producing individual meals for businesses and private customers); the Tennis Club (bar and restaurant services, as well as maintenance of green areas and tennis courts); Civico 34 (a space dedicated to training and on-the-job learning, joined in May 2025 by an additional facility where a specific business contract is managed). The project will help strengthen these pathways, ensuring employment continuity for the 43 people already involved and creating six new employment opportunities for an additional six beneficiaries, two of whom will work at external companies and four within the cooperative’s own workplaces. Our contribution will support part of the costs of the educators who assist beneficiaries throughout their training and employment pathways, as well as the purchase of a van and the outfitting of part of the organization’s headquarters and its new operational facility. Promoting work inclusion means recognizing the talent and potential of every person and making employment a tangible tool for independence and participation. Details Location: San Giovanni Lupatoto, Verona Association: Vale un Sogno Cooperativa Sociale Beneficiaries: 49 people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities Contribution: €100,000 Period: May 2026 – April 2027
