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Championing Accessibility at INOUT Hostel – Hostelworld Journey Weblog

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Accessibility in journey has come a good distance, with transport and lodging suppliers realising that they should cater to travellers with extra physical, neurological and mental health needs. However many journey suppliers are nonetheless studying, together with hostels. To listen to from a hostel that’s getting accessibility proper, we’re headed to Barcelona, to fulfill INOUT hostel.

Reaching their 20th anniversary, it’s no shock they had been an Extraordinary Inclusive HOSCARs finalist in 2021. With 90% of the hostel’s workforce made up of individuals with disabilities, this hostel is a shining gentle for not solely different hostels, however enterprise homeowners all over the world. For this installment of Hostelworld’s Sustainability Tales, we spoke to INOUT’s Director, Izaskun Quilez Arsuaga, to be taught extra about how they accommodate travellers with entry wants and to seek out out how one can get entangled.

 

Meet INOUT Hostel

While you consider a visit to Barcelona you may assume busy metropolis break filled with structure, historical past, and a seaside. What extra might you want? Nicely, there’s really greater than meets the attention. Take a brief journey exterior of the full of life metropolis and also you’ll discover the huge inexperienced panorama of Collserola Park (or Parc Pure de Collserola). Referred to as Barcelona’s nice inexperienced lung, the park is filled with mountaineering trails, nature, and even a 14th century fort. At greater than 8,000 hectares it’s the biggest metropolitan park on the earth and is 22 instances taller than Central Park in New York Metropolis. The park additionally boasts one thing Central Park doesn’t, a hostel!

And never simply any hostel at that. INOUT hostel is the primary of its sort, constructed from a non-profit social initiative to advertise the range and inclusion of individuals with disabilities. Surrounded by the peace of the park, INOUT is a refreshing respite, with an equally refreshing outlook on the capabilities of these with further wants.

 

Providing employment to these with disabilities

A part of non-profit organisation, Icaria Social Initiatives, INOUT’s mission is to advertise the social {and professional} inclusion of individuals with disabilities. Out of their 60 employees members, 55 have a incapacity. These crew members work in roles throughout the hostel and restaurant, to make sure the graceful operating of day by day actions and to assist travellers take pleasure in their keep.

Izaskun says that usually when corporations make use of disabled folks they’re pigeon-holed into industrial roles, however INOUT exhibits that not solely can they excel in social work environments, however that usually clients don’t even realise, with many finishing their keep with out understanding the employees they met had a incapacity. That’s what inclusivity is all about! 👏

 

Making their hostel accessible

INOUT doesn’t simply present an inclusive office, they’ve created an inclusive and accessible area for travellers too. The hostel is tailor-made to fulfill the bodily, visible and auditory wants of anybody who enters the constructing.

To assist these with bodily disabilities, and permit all friends to entry their amenities, they’ve put in ramps, elevators and tailored parking. They’ve 100 accessible beds and tailored loos to make sure all friends take pleasure in a snug keep.

For travellers with visible wants, there’s color distinction between the ceiling, flooring and doorways, accessible lighting all through and even a magnifying glass at reception. Within the elevators and entrances, you’ll discover braille indicators and podotactile flooring. And for these with listening to difficulties, they’ve different emergency lighting for friends who won’t hear emergency alarms.

 

Constructing an inclusive group

With inclusivity on the minds of many travellers, it’s no shock to listen to that many select to remain at INOUT due to the social ingredient behind it. The hostel has turn out to be a gathering place for many who need to help an organisation making a constructive impression and expertise a implausible keep whereas they’re at it. And the roaring opinions communicate for themselves!

This place is wonderful, an unbelievable initiative that we want extra on the earth. In order for you a great time in nature, really snug (mattress and amenities), low-cost meals, good employees and travellers, it’s good to go there.”

“Most likely the perfect hostel that I’ve ever stayed in…the purpose and the objective of hostel is wonderful! It’s positioned in nature and has a swimming pool, basketball court docket and ping pong. Workers had been wonderful! Will go to once more earlier than leaving Barcelona!”

Click here to read more reviews 

INOUT are extraordinarily happy with their crew, shouting about it from the rooftops every time they get probability. Of their area people, the hostel has performed what it got down to; change misconceptions about what disabled folks can and can’t do and generate respect for these with further wants. In flip, worldwide guests launch their very own unconscious bias, making a trickle impact and opening minds all over the world.

 

How travellers can get entangled

We all know our travellers care about supporting inclusive hostels. From a Hostelword buyer survey, 50% stated discovering inclusive lodging influences the place they select to remain, and 83% assume hostels are extraordinarily or very inclusive. So how will you help INOUT?

 

Keep there or e-book a gathering room

As a part of the Icaria Social Initiatives non-profit, the cash made out of the hostel goes again into social initiatives to help these with disabilities. Simply by staying there you’re supporting constructive change! Did we point out they’ve a swimming pool? Seize my goggles!

Are you a neighborhood or simply passing by way of for work? It’s also possible to e-book a gathering room or coworking area for the day.

 

Dine on the restaurant or café

With an onsite restaurant and café, swap metropolis eating for a peaceable meal in nature after a day exploring the park. The restaurant is open to each the general public and hostel goers.

 

Purchase some INOUT merch

Hold a memento of your journey and contribute to a great trigger, with merch like reusable bottles, cups and calendars.

 

INOUT need to encourage all hostels to take steps to turn out to be extra inclusive, by placing measures in place to draw crew members from numerous backgrounds and experiences, operating coaching periods to advertise consciousness round variety and inclusion, and hiring employees with disabilities. As Izaskun places it, their purpose is for these with disabilities to be handled as equal. With an above common score in comparison with their friends and opinions from travellers that rave in regards to the crew’s hospitality, they’re properly and really smashing that objective!

 

🏡 To e-book your keep at INOUT, click here.

 

 

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