Aldeia Inclusiva

Aldeia Inclusiva is a social solidarity association in Monção, Portugal, working to build a residence and an alternative school for atypical young people. Its land covers about 3.5 hectares at Rio Covo, in the parish of Badim. Françoise Hanoul founded the association in Monção. Her son is a young man with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and the region lacked adequate social responses for people with disabilities, so she acquired the land to develop an inclusive village. The gap she saw is documented. Social care services for people with disabilities aged 18 and over fall short in the Monção area, and waiting lists for residential and occupational support there have grown steadily. The plan puts farm work next to the residence and the school, with activities such as a pedagogical farm and organic blueberry growing. The aim is social inclusion, closer ties with the community and professional integration for the people who live there. The association's mission is to help people whose development has been affected, and who need special care and support, to set and reach their own life goals. It starts from their strengths rather than their limitations. Its vision is a familiar, rural and pedagogical setting where residents can find their own path. The approach is biopsychosocial, giving weight to each person's life story, skills, interests and capacities. In Monção, the association runs summer camps for younger participants, community walks and cultural events such as screenings at the Cineteatro João Verde. It's currently seeking recognition as a Private Institution of Social Solidarity (IPSS) with public utility status, with transparency and access to its administrative and financial information.