The power of after-dinner conversations should not be overestimated; they can lead to much, even revolutionary ideas. It was precisely during a chat after dessert that the seed of a pioneering global project conceived in Barcelona emerged: Dinder Club, the first mobile dating and plans application designed with and for people with intellectual disabilities.
A comment from a friend of the project's current general director, Max Roures, was the origin of an initiative that has been developed over three years. Roures, who was already developing apps with his brother at the time, explains that a mutual friend with a disability had trouble socializing on social applications. "You should make a Tinder for me," he suggested. The informal comment set in motion the gears of the machinery that has led to this initiative, which goes beyond the app itself.
Roures did not let the comment slip away. He investigated similar projects worldwide with his brother and confirmed that no similar initiatives existed. They then set out to develop an app aimed at people with disabilities to foster their romantic and friendly relationships. Initially, they planned to promote it purely as a dating app, but, finally, they opted to also include social plans, at the suggestion of the group itself. Roures explained this after the presentation of Dinder Club, in an event with the Minister of Social Rights of the Generalitat, Carles Campuzano, hosted by Mònica Terribas. The journalist's participation was not coincidental: her son was the author of the comment that triggered the process that culminated in the launch of the application.
The app guarantees security through restricted access: no one can register on their own, but must be channeled through social entities
The collaboration of people with disabilities and entities has been key in the development process, which has lasted about two years. The result? An application for both dates and social plans, offered in a safe environment for its users. "We are in a very protected environment," explains one of its users, Héctor Roura. Although the app was recently launched, Roura has collaborated in the development of the application and has been using it for a year. Similarly, fellow user Montse Lamarca has contributed to the design and functionality of the app. Both agree that joint plans are their favorite option on Dinder Club, and they value that it is a safe environment.
This security is guaranteed through limited access to the application. No one can register on their own; instead, those who wish to do so must channel it through social entities. Thus, anyone who wants to join must go to their reference entity and request to be part of the Dinder Club community. And the process doesn't end there: the entity conducts a profile questionnaire and, subsequently, a test on sex-affectivity. The reason? To prevent the app from connecting people with little knowledge in this area with others who do have it, to ensure balanced relationships.
In the event of not having basic knowledge about sex-affectivity, Dinder Club is not ruled out; instead, it offers training courses to potential users. Since its launch three weeks ago, it has registered 120, and there are people waiting for their entities to complete all the procedures to be able to join the community. In total, 45 entities are currently participating, allowing new members to join the club.
And the application "is not just for finding a partner, but for participating in plans and activities," Roures emphasizes. They added this objective to the project after it was requested by people with disabilities with whom they developed Dinder Club, and several plans are proposed for weekends. Each of them has a facilitator, and they are designed to foster friendly relationships among users: "You get to know other people better playing bowling than around a table."
The project also promotes a "first social club for people with disabilities," a new physical cultural center that will open at the end of 2024
The application, with a very intuitive interface, will not be the only element of Dinder Club. The project goes further, and will be complemented by a physical space where these social interactions can take place and where training and activities will also be offered such as yoga and football. The space will be located in the Mercat de Les Corts, and will have 1,000 square meters that will include a restaurant. "It will be the first social club for people with disabilities," a new cultural center that will open at the end of 2024.
The app is free, and will have a premium version as users grow, especially to cope with the increase in facilitators that the team will presumably require. "The more users, the more structure," Roures summarizes. The general director confesses to being deeply optimistic: he predicts that they will reach 2,000 users next year. The figures, however, are secondary in this case: it is a necessary initiative awaited by the collective, as reflected by the message with which Dinder Club has launched itself to the market: "It was about time."