Social Innovation at the San Cristóbal Market School
On Friday, March 6, the San Cristóbal Market School hosted a new session of the ISOT Project – Social Innovation in Traditional Trades. This collective workspace aims to strengthen vocational training and streamline access to employment in essential trades.
The ISOT project stems from a shared commitment among various stakeholders to continue generating real opportunities for workforce integration, particularly in the fields of hospitality and catering. Through this process, Agirre Lehendakaria Center facilitates a collective learning dynamic aimed at better understanding industry challenges and improving placement strategies.
Over the last few months, an initial phase of mapping and active listening was conducted with key stakeholders—public administrations, students, trainers, industry businesses, and social entities. This has allowed for a deeper insight into the inner workings of the socio-labor integration program and the challenges faced by both the sector and those currently in training. The narratives collected reflect how the different actors involved experience and perceive the process. Among these, the value of the Market School stood out as a training space connected to industry reality, where the market’s own activity allows students to prepare for real-world employment.
Furthermore, the importance of close, personalized mentorship was highlighted as one of the factors that contributes most to successful integration processes. The narratives also brought several challenges to the table, such as the need for more trained professionals in hospitality and market trades, and the significant effort required for social accompaniment—often invisible but fundamental for supporting individuals in complex situations.
The session focused on the collective interpretation of the initial results. Students and trainers from CESAL, partner companies (Jamonalia) and restaurants (VAIT), and social entities (La Merced, La Cantueña Intake Center, CAED Carabanchel, El Lavadero) analyzed the data collected, shared experiences, and developed improvement proposals through a horizontal and collaborative approach. The University of Granada also participated and will utilize these inputs to develop a methodological guide on vocational training and traditional trades for vulnerable populations, linked to the evolutionary evaluation process.
The meeting was highly valued by participants, who highlighted the importance of having stable spaces for gathering and joint work. These types of dynamics allow for more than just identifying challenges; they enable the building of solutions based on the direct experience of those who are part of the training and integration process.
In this sense, the San Cristóbal Market School is establishing itself as a social innovation lab where training and socio-labor integration are built through collaboration between institutions, businesses, and the community. Because when different stakeholders sit down to think together, workforce integration stops being an individual responsibility and becomes a collective construction.
Coordinated by ALC, the workshop included the participation of the University of Granada through its Department of Research Methods and Diagnostics in Education. The project is being developed with the support of the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy and the European Social Fund Plus.