More than 150 ideas for a future designed for everyone: the first Italian Disability Agenda, promoted by Fondazione CRT and CPD \u2013 Consulta per le Persone in Difficolt\u00e0 (Council for People in Difficulty), is now available. It is a participatory model of inclusion, the result of an extensive process of listening and co-design that began in 2021 and lasted approximately one year, involving around 300 stakeholders, including nonprofit organizations and representatives of civil society.<\/p>\n
The document views disability as an opportunity and a resource. It embraces the \u201cLeave No One Behind\u201d challenge of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and is aligned with the objectives of the European Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.<\/p>\n
The Agenda is built around six strategic themes: inclusive housing, supporting families, experiencing and enjoying local communities, working and growing, learning inside and outside school, and healthcare and wellbeing. Based on these goals, concrete action lines have been identified to improve the inclusion of people with disabilities, who number more than 3 million in Italy (5.14% of the population), including approximately 225,000 in Piedmont and the Aosta Valley (ISTAT, 2019).<\/p>\n
The Agenda was presented on 3 December 2021 during a conference at OGR Torino as part of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. In the same period in 2022, the online platform was launched, membership was opened, and the first best practices were presented. These initiatives were developed not only by associations and Third Sector organizations, but also by companies: from innovative artificial intelligence tools that personalize website navigation and maximize accessibility, to training programmes for disability managers; from business game activities for people facing difficulties to the design of events, trade fairs and initiatives accessible to everyone, as well as short educational videos aimed at raising employees\u2019 awareness of the value of inclusion.<\/p>\n
Among the approximately 200 organizations that have already become \u201cInclusion Ambassadors\u201d by joining the Agenda, 10% are for-profit companies, increasingly acting as \u201cinclusive makers\u201d.<\/p>\n
Diversity in business \u2013 the \u201cD Factor\u201d \u2013 represents an ethical value that also has a positive impact on productivity and innovation. According to the international certification company DNV, which recently conducted the study \u201cAre Companies Taking Advantage of Diversity & Inclusion?\u201d involving around 600 companies in Italy and worldwide, diversity and inclusion are an integral part of the business strategy for the vast majority of organizations (79%). Furthermore, six out of ten companies believe that inclusive organizations perform better.<\/p>\n
The link between inclusion and growth has also been confirmed by the Diversity Brand Index (developed by Diversity and Focus Management): companies that invest in diversity and inclusion grow on average by 23%.<\/p>\n
Additional studies conducted by Bersin by Deloitte, McKinsey, and Diversity Lab have shown that inclusion in the workplace improves decision-making capabilities (by up to 87%), innovation (+20%), and risk awareness and management, while reducing risks by 30%.<\/p>\n
Everyone \u2013 Third Sector organizations, institutions, individual citizens, and companies \u2013 can submit new inclusion best practices through the Agenda\u2019s website.<\/p>\n
The proposals collected in the Agenda\u2019s 90 pages address the many dimensions of daily life and the different stages and transitions experienced by individuals.<\/p>\n
A key cross-cutting theme is the role of communities and relationships among people, nonprofit organizations, public services, and civil society. Within these networks, new ideas and practical solutions emerged for housing, family support, access to local opportunities, health and wellbeing, education and training, employment, and active participation in economic and social life.<\/p>\n
The proposals range from urban regeneration projects designed with all citizens in mind, including the most vulnerable. Examples include crowdfunding and fundraising campaigns to transform abandoned public spaces into community hubs, and dedicated training programmes for architecture and engineering students aimed at envisioning inclusive co-housing solutions.<\/p>\n
Other ideas rethink the built environment through the principles of Universal Design and identify actions to improve access to culture, sport, and leisure opportunities. Examples include social smart boxes for accessible tourism and accessibility facilitators such as Easy-to-Read materials for museum and exhibition visits.<\/p>\n
Particular attention is given to families through information, guidance, and support initiatives addressing both everyday needs and emergencies. Examples include local outreach services and help desks, as well as peer-support mechanisms designed to expand access to local opportunities for people with disabilities, including those facing economic hardship.<\/p>\n
Many proposals focus on education and training, including disability-awareness modules to be integrated into school curricula, training pathways for school staff, promotion of international mobility programmes such as Erasmus for students with disabilities, and initiatives aimed at combating misinformation and stereotypes about disability.<\/p>\n
The Agenda also promotes new strategies to support access to and retention in employment through guidance and mentoring for both individuals and companies, while encouraging self-employment and entrepreneurship. Examples include introducing workplace mediators and disability managers, developing partnerships with vocational training centres, mapping school-to-work opportunities, organizing speed networking events, and creating digital platforms that facilitate the exchange of information and experiences related to entrepreneurship among people with disabilities.<\/p>\n
Health and wellbeing are another key focus area. Proposed initiatives aim to support people with disabilities and their families, particularly within healthcare settings, and to ensure specialist clinics are genuinely accessible and equipped to welcome people with different types of disabilities. Suggested measures include introducing healthcare mediators and providing disability-related continuing education credits for healthcare professionals.<\/p>\n
The ultimate goal is to remove every barrier that limits access to diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention.<\/p>\n
This commitment to inclusion is intended to be recognized through a system of labels and certifications awarded to activities, services, and places that are truly designed for everyone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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