ONCE FOUNDATION

The Supported Entrepreneurship Project (EmcA) is a pilot project addressed to people with disabilities with high support needs with an entrepreneur profile or interest, who in general find it really difficult to find a job, and even more to start their own business.

Its goal is to promote entrepreneurship by persons with disabilities eligible for supported employment services under the Spanish Law, by providing them and their coaches or supporting staff from their disability organizations with specific training, and supporting and guiding them through the whole process.

The final results of the project included some materials that will allow the systematization of the model and will help disability organizations to replicate it with a higher guarantee of sustainability.


-       Identification of previous successful entrepreneurship experiences by persons in the target group 

-       Catalogue of business activities and sectors that can be suitable for entrepreneurship by persons with significant disabilities

-       Identification of those business models that are more convenient for the target group.

-      Methodological Guide (tested and validated by the beneficiaries in the Program and their support staff/organizations), defining aspects such as participant profiles, specific needs, training design adapted to the target group, the role of the coach and families, etc.

Training design

The goal is for these materials to become a reference for future entrepreneurship actions by the target group, as a guide for the start of business activities, thus opening new paths and options for persons with disabilities with high support needs, historically excluded from this job option.

The initiative also resulted in the start-up of 6 businesses, out of the 15 projects supported in the program, with 6 more to be potentially started in the next few months.

The program has involved the main umbrella disability organizations working with the target group, as experts in the different disabilities and their needs. Their staff also received specific training and support (in order to promote the future development of this option in their organizations).

Through this program, the participating individuals with disabilities discovered a new option for their labour inclusion, were able to develop their business ideas identifying the supports they need to implement it successfully, and worked on their ideas for the

definition, concreteness and implementation of their business projects. 

Further outcomes of the Program: 

1.     The development of this pilot has confirmed our theory that, with the necessary support, entrepreneurship is possible for persons with significant disabilities and high support needs. 

2.    The program has made clear the importance of the context of the person with a disability (family, support staff, disability organization) as regards to the positive or negative impact on their decision making process in an entrepreneurship experience.

3.     The lessons learnt will allow us to improve and tailor our employment services to potential entrepreneurs with disabilities, according to their specific disability, context and supports. It will also help us to improve our Annual Grant Calls for Entrepreneurs with disabilities.

4.     This project has had a great impact on the conception and expectations of disability organizations working with severe disabilities regarding entrepreneurship, thus fostering the launch of more initiatives in this field (multiplying effect).

CITI Foundation and Main Umbrella Disability Organizations

Sabina Lobato: slobato@fundaciononce.es