CONTEXT 1% of European citizens are now living with ID (prevalence of people with DS is 1/2000). Average life expectancy of this group of individuals has increased. People with ID face a much higher unemployment rate than the rate applied to the general population. The vast majority have never experienced any form of vocational training . Their working experiences or internships are much more difficult to organise at least because of three cultural and financial factors: 1) VET providers are supposed to place one tutor to look after the trainee all the time at temployer’s premises. 2) Hotel tutors are not prepared to relate to people with ID 3) Employers and managers fear to deal with them . These difficulties are faced both by associations and mainstream VET schools in the hotel sector , which are often selected by people with ID and their families as a viable and feasible training . OBJECTIVES Priority” Developing partnerships between education and employment”. Overall objective Facilitate the access of European people with ID to VET in the hotel sector, through long- lastingcollaborative partnership between VET agencies (mainstream schools and disability associations) and employers (hotels) Purpose To improve the offer of hotel jobs VET for people with Ds, through: • increased number of available (and certified) on- the- job training partners (hotels, through a CSR network) •innovative educational tools (videos on ways to improve tutor - trainee with id relationship) • innovative learning materials (pocket interactive resource for the trainee) for trainee's greater autonomy NUMBER AND PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS 9 partners from 4 countries: ASSOCIATIONS (3) EDSA: it is the European Down syndrome Association. It has got 35 member associations , from 27 countries. It is continuously updated on the European situation. AIPD, since 2001 has promoted and managed approximately 30 European transnational projects. One of them, dealing with internships of people with DS abroad has been selected to be illustrated at the national launching event of Erasmus + It has been providing vocational training since 1992 (among first internship providers: Quirinale, the presidency of the Italian Republic) and job placement (among first employers: Mc Donald’s), in agreement with Public authorities (Municipalities and Employment Services). HOTELS (2) Hotel Melià (Rome): member of a international chain, it has already hosted internships of people with DS. In 2014,after a TV broadcasting on this experience, seen by almost 1.000.000 people, 34 companies contacted AIPD in order to hire its VET learners. Hoteis Axeis: national Portuguese chain of 6 hotels. They have already hosted internships of people with ID. HR foundations (2) Since 1999, the Fundacion Adecco has promoted the integration of 250.000 people with less accessibility into the labour market. Fondazione Adecco per le pari opportunità: since 2001 about 1865 people with disabilities have been included in the labour market. The foundations will bring their experience in job inclusion (from the employers’ point of view) and their huge network of contacts. UNIVERSITIES (2) Roma TRE: Department of Management Studies. It provides, among others, courses on: Strategic Management, Marketing and Communication, CSR, HR Management. UniBO: Department of Education Studies . Over 30 years of integration, teacher training, research and counseling experience. ACTIVITIES * Design, test and free/open dissemination of two educational materials, one for VET trainees with ID and one for hotel tutors. One interactive resource to be used by people with ID, with customised information, check list, images and reminders always available in their pocket on a minitablet. Video addressed to hotel tutors aiming at establishing a proper relationship with ID workers *Design , test and dissemination of one quality kit (handbook, code of conduct and quality label) to set up a European CSR network of friendly hotels which engage themselves in hosting internships of people with ID in transition between education and employment Such network should ensure follow up and sustainability to the outcomes of the project. METHODOLOGY The three outputs are developed according to the same process: background analysis, design, development, pilot testing, production with the agreement of the partnership, validation of the scientific committee and extended testing. RESULTS AND IMPACT 2 educational resources produced and made available on the web. 1 CSR network set up and strengthened of friendly hotels using the educational resources 1 quality kit which will be adopted by subscribing hotels . IMPACT At the end of the project: 35/70 hotels in the network. LONG TERM BENEFITS VET of people with ID moreeffective because of: Greater number of friendly hotels Tutors more able to handle with people with ID People with ID more performing and autonomous