Irene, 23 years old and Down syndrome: “Thanks to my new job I will go to live with my boyfriend”

Now she has a good job, which will allow her to gain her independence, demonstrate her skills and build new social relationships. Irene Galli is 23 years old: through the platform The Hiring Chain, born to promote the labor inclusion of people with Down syndrome, has found and seized its opportunity. She started working in the offices of the Your Place in Florence Srl of Florence, which manages various structures, including Palazzo San Niccolòintended for the luxury reception of travelers and medium-term stays.

Irene’s task is to supervise and arrange the common spaces of the lounge and garden. Not only that: it is also office clerk for the management of reservations. The Hiring Chain is the global campaign launched by the CoorDown association on the occasion of World Down Syndrome Day, March 21, 2021. The hiring of Irene is a new piece, which adds to the long list of job placements and internships for boys and girls with Down syndrome, resulting from the meeting between employers and local associations on the online platform.

«I had already worked in the family restaurant, now I’m very happy with this new job, because it is an experience of my own, outside the family»Explains Irene. She thinks she loves her new job and has already managed to grow professionally. «I feel very comfortable, at first I did some small tasks, then I moved on to managing reservations and welcoming up to helping guests at check-in. Colleagues have welcomed me well and they told me I’m good“.

Like all girls of her age, the salary is needed to be able to take control of one’s life and “to make my dreams come true: be with my fiancé and start a family with him“.

“With the inclusion of Irene we have crowned a project that we have had in our objectives for a long time and we are so happy that finally the time has been ripe to be able to realize this dream”, says Federico Bonechi, director of Your Place in Florence Srl. “We hope that, with the arrival of Irene in our facility, The Hiring Chain may have a further spread: showing Irene’s skills at work will stimulate other employersso that other young people can have the opportunity to start their career and growth path ».

Only in Italy, so far, there are already more than thirty companies who collaborate with The Hiring Chain. The first placement was in Salvatore Ferragamo’s headquarters in Florence, then in the consulting firm Rödl & Partner, in the Levi’s flagship in the center of Milan. Furthermore, the memoranda of understanding signed with large companies that have offices in various Italian cities such as Esselunga, Share, Authos, Aeroviaggi, Pits’A, Mercato Centrale, will be able to offer other job opportunities throughout the territory.

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“I’m Francesco, I have Down syndrome and I work in a starred restaurant”

Source: Vanity Fair

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