- The 15 participants have successfully completed their internships at hospitals and companies in the Community of Madrid.
- ’Cocinando Futuro’ (Cooking Future) is a solidarity initiative by the NGO Plan International in Spain with Sodexo and the European School of Coaching (EEC), co-financed by Obra Social La Caixa.
The first edition of the Cocinando Futuro project, a solidarity initiative for young people by the NGO Plan International with the companies Sodexo, a world leader in quality of life services, and the European School of Coaching (EEC), co-financed by Obra Social La Caixa, has concluded with thediploma awards to the 15 young participants to complete their training.
After theoretical training and paid kitchen internships, participants in the project have thanked the organising bodies for the opportunity to take part in the initiative, which has also achieved “a high success rate”, in the words of Pablo Farias, head of social policies at the NGO Plan International, the driving force behind this first edition of the project.
At the ceremony for the presentation of the certificates certifying the completion of 150 hours of work experience, the boys and girls thanked the “welcome” at the work centres, the opportunities to “learn and work” that the chefs have given them and the enthusiasm “to work in the kitchen” that they have been given. Sodexo's external training manager, María Jesús Pérez Vázquez, assured that "It is the end of the course and the start of a new stage.”, in which you want “the course to help them find work".
A job that some of the participants have already found. Even before the project was completed, the work experience of two of the participants led to fixed-term employment contracts. "Specifically," explained Pablo Farias, "two of the students were hired by Sodexo to work in the catering service at the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament." In addition, “another two young people have already been hired in the kitchens where they completed their work experience, while two more are awaiting finalisation of their employment contracts," concluded the Plan International representative.
The training of these 15 young people began over three months ago with a Sodexo head chef and continued with coaching training, communication techniques training and teamwork, a task coordinated by Rosa Barriuso, coach and trainer at the EEC, whom the young people thanked for having “opened my eyes on a personal and professional level"For his part, Barriuso also had words for the young people, to whom he said: "I want to encourage you to put into practice what you have learned, to surround yourselves with people who love you, and to trust in your own resources to move forward". The future of these 15 young people at risk of exclusion is now in their hands.
In the project, which was carried out by the NGO Plan International in Spain, Sodexo and EEC (European School of Coaching), with the backing of Obra Social La Caixa, 15 young people from vulnerable sectors of the population participated with the aim of improve your employability and facilitate your social integration.
ABOUT PLAN INTERNATIONAL
Plan International is an international organisation for the protection and defence of children's rights, both in the field of development cooperation and humanitarian aid. With no political or religious affiliation, it was founded in Santander, Spain, in 1937 by an English journalist to help children affected by the Civil War. Today, it is present in 70 countries through development projects that directly benefit 81.5 million children. In the last year, it has responded to 36 emergencies. Plan International is a consultative member of the United Nations ECOSOC and its accounts are audited by PwC and Fundación Lealtad. In Spain, it develops social policies for children in areas such as education, training for employment, prevention of social risks and the violation of rights.
ABOUT SODEXO
Founded in 1966 by Pierre Bellon Sodexo is the world leader in services that improve Quality of Life, an essential factor in the daily performance of organisations and individuals. Present in 80 countries, Sodexo serves 75 million consumers every day through its unique combination of On-site services, Benefits and Incentive services and In-Person and In-Home services. Through its more than 100 services, Sodexo offers clients an integrated offering based on more than 45 years of experience: from reception, cleaning and maintenance, to catering and facility management services; from employee benefits such as meal vouchers, gift vouchers, and transportation cards, to in-home assistance and concierge services. Sodexo's success and performance is based on its independence, its sustainable business model and its ability to develop and reinforce the commitment of its 420,000 employees worldwide.
About EEC (European School of Coaching)
EEC is a company dedicated to consultancy and training in coaching and management skills for organisations looking to boost their development and for individuals wishing to work as coaches. Since its inception in Madrid in 2003, EEC has expanded throughout Spain, Italy, Portugal, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and Chile. A rich and expert team of coaches enables EEC to collaborate with companies worldwide.
