Educational centers in the Pyrenees will now be equipped with Joëlette chairs, featuring electric assistance, to enable students with motor disabilities or reduced mobility to join activities in natural environments. This initiative aims to foster inclusion and enjoyment of the region.
The Diputació de Lleida has finalized the free, temporary loan of two of these specialized chairs. The handover ceremony, led by the President of the Diputació, Joan Talarn, took place in Lleida. Talarn emphasized the significance of these tools in ensuring that "all children have opportunities not only in the classroom but also when they leave it, when they go to enjoy themselves, in recreational settings, or when they go to discover nature."
The Joëlette eMotion chairs are engineered to overcome the access challenges posed by conventional wheelchairs in natural terrains. Their exclusive purpose will be for educational and inclusive activities, particularly for excursions and outings beyond standard accessible routes.
To ensure safe and appropriate usage, the Territorial Services of the Department of Education and Professional Training in Alt Pirineu i Aran, headed by Carlota Valls, have implemented a specific protocol. All educational institutions in the area will receive training, with at least one teacher from each center required to complete a course on operating these chairs.
When a center requests a chair for an activity, the presence of a properly trained individual will be mandatory. This person will be responsible for sharing their acquired knowledge with other participants, including teachers, educators, and families.
