The event brought together professionals, social organisations and people with disabilities to share experiences and proposals on mentoring, accessibility and social participation.
The Provincial Federation of Associations of People with Physical and Organic Disabilities of Seville (COCEMFE Sevilla) and CEU Fernando III University held an event on Tuesday entitled ‘Mentoring, Participation and Opportunities for Inclusive Volunteering for People with Disabilities’. The event was organised as part of the European Digit2Me and TEAM IV projects, co-funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme.
The event brought together representatives of social organisations, professionals and people involved in volunteering to share experiences, present the results of both projects and propose measures to promote the equal participation of people with disabilities.
Pablo Moreno, Deputy Director of CEU FP Sevilla, emphasised that “throughout the CEU San Pablo Foundation, we firmly believe that every person has intrinsic value simply by being human. This conviction drives us to defend the right to diversity and to ensure that everyone can participate in social, educational, economic and cultural life.”
During the session, participants discussed the importance of removing barriers to participation and recognising people with disabilities not only as recipients of support, but also as volunteers, mentors and key figures in driving social change.
“People with disabilities aspire to be part of society just like everyone else. However, there is still a long way to go. At the Federation, we advocate for inclusion because we believe that we are not only active members of society, but that we can contribute just as much as, or even more than, anyone else,” said Nieves Márquez, President of COCEMFE Sevilla.
Marta Castilla, President of CERMI Andalucía, stated that “we must recognise that people with disabilities themselves can become mentors and lead volunteering initiatives. We cannot build truly inclusive volunteering if disability is only addressed from a social services perspective.”
A discussion on mentoring and volunteering experiences was also held, featuring Santiago López, Head of University Life at CEU Fernando III; Rubén Montoya, a mentor with a disability; David Iglesias, a volunteer with a disability; Emilio Tortosa, a volunteering expert; and Álvaro Walls, a trainer involved in both projects.
Montoya explained: “I never imagined that I could volunteer to support someone with a disability. The opportunity COCEMFE Sevilla gave me has helped me grow as a person and discover aspects of myself I never knew existed.”
Meanwhile, Iglesias pointed out that people with disabilities are often taught that they need to be cared for, even though they also strive to help others who may be unable to carry out certain activities, for example, due to mobility difficulties. “If you have the opportunity to help a person with a disability, always do so with good intentions and from the heart,” he added.
Encarnación Barrera, Coordinator of the European Projects Department at COCEMFE Sevilla, presented the results of Digit2Me and TEAM IV. Afterwards, participants worked in three thematic discussion groups to identify barriers, share solutions and develop proposals for the future.
The discussions led to several key conclusions: the mentoring process should be based on building a relationship of trust, setting realistic objectives and conducting a final evaluation; an ideal mentor should be a highly supportive person with strong values and a willingness to engage proactively in training; and social media can be an effective tool for recruiting volunteers and raising public awareness.
The event concluded with speeches by Armando Rotea, President of the Andalusian Volunteering Platform, and Carlos Reina, a member of the Board of COCEMFE Sevilla.
The Digit2Me and TEAM IV projects, co-funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme, contribute to developing knowledge, methodologies and resources to promote more accessible, participatory and inclusive volunteering.
