The team from Ibiza and Formentera, winners of Spain’s national competition, secured second place at the Erasmus+ Skills Plus European final in the Netherlands.
The team representing the Asperger Ibiza and Formentera Association (AIF) has achieved an outstanding result, finishing second in the European final of the Erasmus+ Skills Plus project, held on Wednesday, 4 November, in Burgh-Haamstede, the Netherlands.
Representing Spain in the adaptive cooking category, the team finished behind the Netherlands, which took first place. Seven European countries competed in the event: the Netherlands, Spain, Lithuania, Romania, Italy, the Czech Republic and Greece.
The Ibiza and Formentera team consisted of three association participants accompanied by two members of its professional staff. During the competition, they were challenged to prepare a chicken breast salad with fine herbs.
The participants demonstrated their culinary abilities in an adapted working environment featuring visual support materials and clear-language communication. These methods are designed to promote inclusion and equal opportunities for people with disabilities in real workplace settings.
Spain was also represented by a second team from Madrid-based Fundación Prodis, which competed in the office skills category. Its participation helped highlight the potential of inclusive talent across different professional fields.
A European experience that builds confidence and independence
Joan, one of the cooking competition participants and a member of Asperger Ibiza and Formentera, spoke about what he had gained from the experience in the Netherlands, highlighting both personal development and the opportunity to connect with people from other countries.
“This experience has helped me realise that society is becoming increasingly aware of the needs of people with disabilities. I have also realised how important it is to speak English and how enriching it is to meet people from other countries and other parts of Spain. In the Netherlands, we made new friends from Madrid and Greece,” he said.
The Ibiza team’s place in the European final followed its victory in the Spanish national competition, which secured its qualification for the international event.
According to the association, taking part has helped strengthen participants’ social and workplace interaction skills, representing an important step in their journey towards adult independence and supported employment.
Erasmus+ Skills Plus promotes inclusive employment across Europe
The Skills Plus project, funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme, aims to improve employability, personal independence and social and professional inclusion for people with disabilities.
It achieves this through active learning methods, practical training and adapted skills competitions, giving participants opportunities to develop their abilities and demonstrate their potential in a supportive environment.
