Navarre and Pyrénées-Atlantiques join forces in INCLUS-IA to promote inclusive employment in the digital sector
The Chartered Community of Navarre and the French region of Pyrénées-Atlantiques have taken the first step today in developing the European project INCLUS-IA, a cross-border initiative aimed at promoting inclusive employment for people with disabilities in the digital field through training and the launch of a pilot program. The project held its kick-off meeting this Friday at the public social innovation center VidAAs, located in Sarriguren, with the participation of partner and associated entities that form part of the cross-border consortium.
The session opened with institutional remarks by Javier Remírez, First Vice President of the Government of Navarre and Minister of the Presidency and Equality, whose department leads this Interreg Poctefa project through the Directorate General for Planning, Coordination, Innovation and Evaluation of Public Policies.
During his speech, Javier Remírez emphasized that “INCLUS-IA represents a strategic commitment to a more inclusive Europe, in which digital transformation and artificial intelligence must serve all people.” He also highlighted that “this project will create real employment opportunities for people with disabilities, strengthening their autonomy and full participation in society.”
The Vice President also underscored the value of cross-border cooperation, noting that “collaboration between territories and organizations is key to addressing common challenges such as employment inclusion, particularly in emerging areas like digitalization and artificial intelligence.”
During the meeting, the project’s objectives, planning, and initial actions were presented. The initiative aims to improve the employability of people with disabilities in the fields of digital transformation and artificial intelligence through an innovative training offering and employment inclusion measures.
The event was also streamed online, reinforcing the project’s cross-border nature.
A project to promote employment inclusion through AI
INCLUS-IA, with a total budget of more than 1.7 million euros, has been co-financed at 65% by the European Union through the Interreg VI-A Spain-France-Andorra Program (POCTEFA 2021–2027). The objective of POCTEFA is to strengthen the economic and social integration of the Spain–France–Andorra border area.
The project, which foresees the direct participation of people with disabilities from Navarre and Pyrénées-Atlantiques, includes the development of a pilot training and support program aimed at facilitating the labor market integration of people with disabilities in sectors related to digitalization and artificial intelligence, as well as the launch of a cross-border awareness-raising strategy.
During the session, the structure of the project was outlined, organized into five main areas of work: management, communication, pilot design, implementation, and cross-border strategy. The next steps were also defined, including the distribution of tasks among participating entities and the initial project milestones that will guide the first phases of implementation.
The INCLUS-IA project is led by the Government of Navarre and includes a cross-border consortium made up of the following partners, in addition to the Government of Navarre: Fundación Ciganda Ferrer–Colegio El Molino, Fundación TeReSa, TASUBINSA, and the French organization STEP. As associated entities, ADAPEI, Les PEP, the public company NASERTIC, ERIC, CAP Emploi, IA Pau, and La French Tech will work together.
This collaborative ecosystem brings together public entities and organizations specializing in inclusion, employment, and training, committed to social innovation and equal opportunities.
The project also strengthens Navarre’s commitment to technology as a tool for moving toward a more inclusive society, creating new employment opportunities in emerging sectors.
Source: navarra.es
