It is a Match! in Marseille
Study Visit in Marseille
The next milestone of the EU-Project "It is a Match" is behind us! After Berlin, Bratislava and Budapest we were hosted by our french partner TCAP21 in Niolon and Marseille.
From 8 to 12 October 2026, 26 participants came to France - from the other 5 partner organisations from Berlin (inclution gUG and BIS e.V.), Budapest and NIeredhasza (Mantorallas Foundation), Bratislava (ZPMP Slovakia) and Down Syndrom Association Malta. In our group were 15 trainees with intellectual disabilities.
TCAP21 introduced us two of its inclusive restaurants: Train-Inc-Café in Niolon and Petit S.M.U.C. in Marseille. Young adults with intellectual disabilities are being trained in both locations. During the study visit all the trainees from Marseille and from the other partners spoke up about their vocational stories and presented each other their inclusive training and employment.
In this report, we introduce the different stops and activities of the study visit. Our host TCAP21 has put together an incredible programme, driven by the spirit of inclusion through action.
Welcoming at the Train-Inc-Cafe in Niolon
At the first evening of the October 8, the crew of TCAP 21 with Katia Bergameli, the president of TCAP21 and Youssef Bouganemi welcomed the teams from Malta, Slovakia, Germany and Hungary at Niolon. Imagine, the Train-Inc-Cafe is placed insight of a small train station building right in front of the tracks, overlooking the harbour of the small coustal village. And that’s not all: TCAP21 has turned the building into an inclusive catering venue with a few cosy hotel rooms. Nowadays, visitors can relax here during the day, enjoy a delicious little snack and a good cup of coffee. Five or six trainees – and now also permanent staff members with intellectual disabilities – work alongside the senior staff to ensure everything runs smoothly, putting their heart and soul into it.
My vocational story - Trainees presentations at Petit S.M.U.C.
The core part of the Study Visit were the presentations of 22 trainees intellectual disabilities from all partner organisations who spoke up about their vocational stories and presented each other their inclusive vocational training and employment.
To achieve good learning outcomes and to have good tool to document and reflect on all events of the visit - we have prepared easy-to-read agenda with integrated worksbook in all partner languages.
All the trainees prepered their presentation on the basis of these questions:
Where do you work?
What is your (future) profession?
What can you do very well?
What worktool do you use a lot?
What are you proud about?
The team from Slovakia spoke about their work at the social enterprise BIVIO run by the slovak partner ZPMP in Bratislava in a loundry (Mirka), and in a restaurant (Maria and Marek).
The Maltese team introduced short videos of Carl and Katrina as clark assistants in a basic school. Essien showed us what his tasks are as a janitor assistant at the football stadion.
Gyorgy from Hungary works as an janitor in the facilities of Csodavar, an open inclusive house for families. Ester and Christian are in the mentoring programme of Mentorallas Foundation, on the transition to the free labor market.
Germany was represented by two teams - from BIS e.V., a support organisation that has got a lot similarities with the Mentorallas Foundation in Budapest. BIS e.V. provides support for people with disabilities who do not want to work in sheltered workshops. As Louis. Louis works as a janitor assistant in a kindergarden in Berlin. He explained his tasks - like washing towels or working in the kitchen. Also Clara works in a kindergarden. She supports kids with small things - like helping them to brush their teeth. Or she just comforts them, when they are not doing well.
Oskar and Jannic were presenting their jobs as trainer assistants and artists in ZBK e.V. (Center for Moving Arts). inclution gUG as the project coordinator has launched a network for families in Berlin "stattWERKstatt". Oskar and Jannics families are part of this supportive community for parents to foster inclusive transit from school to vocational education for their adult children.
Presentations of the trainees of Train-Inc-Cafe and Petit S.M.U.C
8 trainees from the french partner TCAP21 presented their vocational journey as trainees of the social busnisses Train-Inc-Cafe in Niolon and at Petit S.M.U.C. in Marseille.
Some of the trainees comute between these two places. All are getting educated in the kitchen and in service. TCAP21 apllies tools to develope new skills and keep the level of supported employment person-centred.
The support the trainees receive does not stop at the door of the workplace. TCAP21 is offering the trainees a lot of regular activities, especially sports.
That is why our study visit went to also other places connected with our french partner.
Guided Tour through Stad Vélodrome
One of the highlights was the guided tour in one of the most beautiful stadions in France - Stad Vélodrom. For us the question was -what kind of jobs can we identify and relate to during this tour? For Essien from Malta this tour was a home match. He works as an janitor assistant in one football station in Malta. All the trainees were impressed by walking into a press conference room. Team by team they simulated the Q&A - experiencing how it feels to talk publicly about the professional sports.
Inclusive Sailing Regatta
Our inclusive international teams were meeting with the yachting club YCPR Marseille to join their Sailing Regatta on October 11.
In several small groups we joined the experienced sailors on their boats. All of our trainees with intellectual disabilities had the opportunity to take over some tasks - an inclusive team building at its finest! For most it was the very first time sailing at all!
Thanks to the members of YCPR Marseille for such a wonderful experience! What a Match it was!
To prepare for the regatta, the trainees identified universal values from the WP3 Activities of our "It is a Match" training materials. They decided what they would need to apply as a good sailing team together.
Algernon Course Marseille
All the teams were part of the anual Algernon Course Marseille on Sunday October 11. An inclusive event for everybody - walking, jogging, wheelchairing, dancing alongside the famous coastal road Corniche. Every second Sunday in October the City of Marseille closes the busy coastal road to car traffic. The 5-kilometer route was opened exclusively to pedestrians and joggers. Cheered on by many volunteers and bands, our teams walked alongside nearly 8,000 participants. Equipped with banners, our T-shirts, and a good running spirit, we took part in this celebration of inclusion.
It was an uplifting event that brought our teams even closer together. Afterward, we celebrated at the CNM Center. Youssef Boughanemi and Katia Bergameli presented medals to all the trainees.
Reflection and Evaluation at CNM
To wrap up the study visit, the trainees worked through their workbooks once more and evaluated the entire 4-days-event. They documented what they had learned, the challenges they faced, and the best moments. They then presented the key findings to the entire group. The detailed evaluation was digitilized. You can read the evaluation report here.
