Agenżija Support, within the Ministry for Inclusion, Volunteering and Consumer Rights, has signed a social agreement with the voluntary organisation known as Embrace Diversity, with an investment of €624,100.

The agreement is set for the next three years, with effect from July 1 2022 to June 30 2025.

The ministry said that, through this agreement, Embrace will provide two-day programs delivered by trained and competent workers in the field.

Children and young people with disabilities who will benefit from these programs will be given training on communication and how to live a more independent life.

The program can accommodate up to 50 people with disabilities per week from birth to the age of 25 years. With the help of this agreement, a wider range of children and young people with disabilities will have the opportunity to be included in society, the ministry said.

This agreement is the 18th of its kind with voluntary organsations that were signed in a period of 12 months, between July 2021 and July 2022. Overall, through these agreements, around €18 million will be invested over a period of three years.

The signing of the agreement was chaired by the Minister for Inclusion, Volunteering and Consumer Rights Julia Farrugia Portelli.

Minister Farrugia Portelli described the government’s commitment to social agreements in the disability sector as a strong one shaped by the concept of inclusion, and that every person has the right to live a dignified and independent life.

"These kinds of agreements also confirm the trust that the government has in voluntary organisations. We are once again confirming how much volunteering is one of the socio-economic pillars of our country and through which we can continue to build a more inclusive society, "said Farrugia Portelli.

Meanwhile, Oliver Scicluna, Chief Executive of Aġenzija Sapport, referred to the agreement as another link in the chain of accessible services for children and young people with disabilities.

“This collaboration offers a space and a specialised service for these customers who are not reached by other services. This further increases the importance of this joint work and the Agency is committed to working hand in hand with the management of Embrace to deliver a quality and professional service according to the different needs and abilities of these people,” Scicluna said.

The founder of the Embrace voluntary organisation Claudette Curmi said how today, after four years of hard work, “we finally see another dream coming true.

“Through this agreement we will be happy to bear some of the financial burden on the families of our students, who have been loyal to our organszation over the years,” Curmi added.

Present for the signing was Permanent Secretary Nancy Caruana.