InOut Hostel: the first hotel in Europe with 90% of staff whom have physical and mental disabilities

Founded in 2004, InOut Hostel was founded as a special employment centre by the non-profit organisation Icària Iniciatives Socials. The establishment provides 250 private and shared dormitories for tourists.

Context

The InOut Hostel is the first hotel in Europe to offer services with a team of 56 people, 90% of whom have physical and mental disabilities. The founding NGO had previously provided jobs for people with mental disabilities in other sectors and sought to expand these initiatives to a tourism facility.

 

Implementation

Icària Iniciatives Socials conducted market research to develop a tourism project centred around a hostel in Barcelona. The NGO then created a marketing plan, including the design of a logo, catalogue, and organisational structure to promote InOut. Employees with disabilities were provided with professional training tailored to their respective departments, including reception, housekeeping, restaurant, and maintenance. The hostel has been welcoming guests for 20 years and serves as an example of how people with disabilities can successfully compete on equal terms within the tourism industry.

 

Enabling Factors

The main facilitator is the defining values of InOut: teamwork and responsibility. By making the entire staff shareholders of the company, the sense of belonging is strengthened. Additionally, the initiative has been successful due to the sense of responsibility that comes from having people with disabilities on the team, as everyone looks out for one another.

 

Barriers

A limiting factor is the workplace adaptations needed for different disabilities. For example, employees with visual impairments require tools like magnifying glasses to perform their tasks. Additionally, InOut has reached its recruitment capacity and is exploring solutions to continue hiring.

 

Impact on the Organisation

The success of this best practice is reflected in the ratings and feedback from InOut customers. They highlight that the hostel’s social mission ensures customer service of the same quality as in any other establishment. Employees have also shared their fulfilment and satisfaction with their roles across various departments.

 

Quotes

‘Equality, diversity and inclusion practices ensure that all people are welcomed and cared for appropriately.’

‘The limiting factors in implementing EDI policies are the factors that companies place on themselves.’
‘It is important that people with disabilities are made visible, that they have the opportunity to work in public, because they exist.’

 

Lessons Learned

Welcoming and training employees with disabilities can help address issues such as staff shortages in the sector. Companies in other sectors already provide employment for people with disabilities, and potential partnerships could be formed to assist tourism institutions in tackling this challenge.

 

Future Plans

InOut has secured a license for an additional 100 beds in an annex, with plans to invest in it once capital becomes available. This expansion will increase opportunities for more people with disabilities and continue their best practices.

 

Links with UN Sustainable Development Goals