Thirteen students from the Raquel Payá special education school, accompanied by five professionals from the center, are doing hospitality internships in the cities of Gaziantep (Turkey) and Bergen (Norway), which, like Dénia, are part of the UNESCO Network of Creative Cities of Gastronomy. These are two activities framed in Erasmus Vet-Short programs financed by the European Union and their objective is to establish and consolidate an international network of specific educational centers for special education, special work centers and companies committed to the inclusion of future professionals in the hospitality with functional diversity.
The Erasmus Vet-Short program has brought to Bergen nine students between the ages of 19 and 22 who have been carrying out 2-day internships at two hotels in the city since May 10; Scandic Torget and Scandic Byparken. They are in charge of attending the breakfast buffet of the two establishments, monitored by four professionals from Raquel Payá who accompany them. The day begins at 6:30 a.m. and ends at 11:30 a.m., preparing tables, cleaning items and supporting the hotel staff that attends the service.
The state director of the hotel chain, Asle Prestegard, and the regional manager, Nina Askvik, have been personally involved in the program, offering Scandic hotels for the realization of the experience.
On May 2, four recently graduated students traveled to Gaziantep and are doing internships at the Mutlu Kafe cafeteria-restaurant until next Sunday, accompanied by the center's secretary, Òscar Caselles. The premises, with the support of the public administration, is a special work center for people with intellectual disabilities, which was considered suitable for a training stay in a first contact visit carried out last March in the Turkish city.
During the two weeks of practices, the students are carrying out restoration service tasks. They make daily both traditional coffees and the country's typical drinks (menengiç coffee, chai or traditional Turkish coffee) and take care of customer service, reception, order taking, service and cleaning.
International internships allow CEE Raquel Payá students an experience that not only improves their training. It puts them before the challenge of overcoming barriers, both linguistic and cultural, and discovering other cultures. Turkish public television has devoted attention to the practices of Dénia students by broadcasting a report in one of its news programs.
For the school's management “the internationalization of work practices requires a great effort, but it can be decisive for the development of our students; consolidating skills and promoting a more positive view of the work context. It represents a form of preparation to continue in the following stages with greater confidence and commitment towards the investigation of a safe work environment. It is also a way to encourage and inspire students who will star in similar experiences in the future”.
