Trisomie 21 Vendée and La Formation Gourmande joined the Valueable Network in June 2025 — and they didn’t waste any time getting started! In October 2025 they already sent their first trainees abroad for a hands-on experience in hospitality.
Two young trainees, Melchior (20) and Flavio (21), both students at La Formation Gourmande, completed a three-week internship at the INNSiDE Milano Torre GalFa, part of the Meliá Hotels group.
Working at the INNSiDE Milano Torre GalFa
Every morning, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Melchior worked in the kitchen while Flavio joined the restaurant service team. Thanks to the caring and supportive hotel staff, both quickly found their rhythm.
“They became more independent each day,” shared the accompanying tutors. “The INNSiDE team was incredibly welcoming — they were genuinely happy to see them every morning.”
Overcoming challenges, Making big progress
Like any international experience, the trainees faced a few small obstacles — and overcame them with creativity and teamwork:
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💬 Language barrier: Flavio could understand English but found speaking difficult, so he began using Duolingodaily to improve his oral skills.
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😴 Tired mornings: Melchior sometimes struggled with fatigue after short nights. Adjusting their evening routine (earlier dinners!) made a big difference.
Their day started at 5:50 a.m., giving them time to get ready, have breakfast, and take the 40-minute metro ride to work. After lunch at 12:05, they enjoyed a well-deserved nap — and spent their afternoons discovering la bella Milano.
The key role of accompanying tutors
To ensure a smooth experience, three facilitators took turns accompanying the interns, one per week:
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Pauline and Audrey, both from La Formation Gourmande;
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Étienne, member of Trisomie 21 Vendée and father of a child with Down syndrome.
Their main role was to support communication with hotel staff and to step in when minor misunderstandings arose — mostly due to language differences.
“As the weeks went by, we were asked for help less and less by the trainees” they explained proudly. “Flavio and Melchior became confident and autonomous very quickly.”
Overall positive experience and bright future steps
The internship turned out to be an overwhelming success — for the trainees, their mentors, and the host company alike.
“They learned a lot about themselves — what they can do, and what they still want to work on,” said the facilitators. “They’re already talking about their next internship abroad!”
Trisomie 21 Vendée and La Formation Gourmande warmly thank the Valueable Network for making this first international mobility possible.
Next step? 🇫🇷 Welcoming foreign students in France!
