New member

This is just a short note to introduce myself, as a new member of the group.
I joined the meeting on Friday but only listened in; I hope I can be more
active as I get to know what's going on and who you all are.

My name is Alan Chuter and I am setting up the Accessibility Group in
Fundosa Teleservicios, in Madrid, Spain. I would like to give you a brief
impression of our rather unusual organization. The information is a
simplification, as the ONCE is a complex organization, and does not
necessarily represent the views of the ONCE. Figures are approximate.

The Spanish National Organization for the Blind, ONCE (Organizacion Nacional
de Ciegos de Espana) is the leading organization for the disabled in Spain.
It is a not-for-profit organization. It dominates largely because of its
economic strength, which historically has resulted from its dominance in
selling lottery tickets. To reduce it's dependence on the lottery and
provide alternative employment for its members (it employs 23000 members
selling lottery tickets), the ONCE diversified into a range of business
sectors, including a national TV network, radio, publishing, building
construction, tourism, and real-estate and cleaning and maintenance
services. These were reorganized in 1993 into a corporation of 16 companies,
with 17000 workers (1600 disabled), and a turnover in 2000 of 683 M euros.
http://www.once.es/cd/og/ocdog01cose.htm

Fundosa (ONCE Foundation for Cooperation and Social Integration of People
with Disabilities) was formed in 1988, it is a group of companies owned by
the ONCE. Its objective is the social integration of all people with
disabilities (ie, not only the blind) through training and employment. From
1998 to 2000 Fundosa Grupo employed nearly 12000 people (8000 disabled).

My company, Fundosa Teleservicios works in the field of web development,
hosting and consultancy. We also run Discapnet, the leading Spanish-language
online disability resource (www.discapnet.es). The objective of the new
accessibility group is to provide a consultancy service, employing disabled
people (although I'm not disabled myself, we have a minimum quota of about
60% disabled persons). There is a growing interest in accessibility here in
Spain in government and business.

I look forward to working with you all and contributing to the EOWG.


Alan Chuter
Fundosa Teleservicios
c/Rufino Gonzalez,40-2o planta
28037 Madrid
achuter@teleservicios.com

Received on Monday, 10 June 2002 05:58:19 UTC