Insight and sensibility towards daily life of people with special needs, acquisition of knowledge about different kinds of disabilities and their causes, consequences, possible treatments. Insights into the familiar surroundings of people with handicaps (family, home)
Discovery of the small and great successes within the disabled people's learning process, learning and understanding why they act in certain ways. The volunteer will be given the opportunity to evolve freely, to apply own thoughts and realize own ideas within the range of our possibilities.
Realization of own projects within the group. Independent setting of objectives, autonomous experience and documentation. The trained staff will be available to give professional advice. Within the group, the volunteer will have the opportunity to use their own creativity and to do athletic and artistic work.

The team will assist the volunteer with any question or problems. The possibility of a language course and other further education is guaranteed generous support by the European voluntary service programme. In order to benefit from this, the volunteer will have sufficient opportunity and receive adequate support.

The field of activity will allow the volunteer to find their own area within the range of their abilities of helping and assisting people with severe mental handicaps. In our sheltered workshop this would be the support group. In this group, people with disabilities who cannot or not yet work in the workshop are taken care of. Everyday life is structured by support units; even a common meal forms such a unit. Assistance in the bathroom, guidance during smaller tasks, aid in the cognitive realm, therapeutic offers, movement etc. Existent sills and abilities of the individual are thus supported, maintained and strengthened. A crucial aspect is the integration within the community. A caregiver for people with special needs and a special education teacher are employed in the group, including the employee who would assume the function of the tutor.
The existence of the group allows the concerning families to hold down a job or just to arrange their every day life in a self determined way while having their children at a caring facility.
The adults with special needs learn how integrate with a group, how to structure their day, to live up to their abilities in a group, and to test their own skills. A Labrador called Biene is part of the group as well and stays with them during the day.
Once a week, the group goes horseback riding and swimming. Other activities, such as visits to the zoo, concerts and meeting with other groups of this kind, walks in the forest, are offerings to the participants that can and should be expanded.
Other events that take place on a regular basis include meetings with parents and the celebration of churchly holidays and birthdays.

1. Daily Schedule
7.15-7.30 am Arrival at the workshop
then smaller tasks, like watering plants, preparation of special tasks, going to the washroom
8.00 am Preparation of breakfast
- setting of tables
- buying bread etc.
8:30 am Breakfast
- self-dependent distribution of tea and coffee
- selection of food
- Training of social skills, e.g. pouring others some tea
On Mondays breakfast starts at 10 am, after swimming
Afterwards clearing of tables (dirty dishes are brought into the kitchen), wiping of tables, using the washrooms
9.30 am Morning Gathering
- each group member is greeted by their name
- naming of date, season, weather
- discussion of plans and special highlights for the day
- singing, accompanied by guitar
- Conversation about different subjects, such as temperature (cold, warm, hot), parties etc.
Afterwards activities according to daily schedule (see weekly plan)
12.30 am lunch in the cafeteria of the sheltered workshop
- setting tables (counting of cutlery and cups)
- self-dependent consumption of lunch
- Clearing and cleaning of tables
then fetching the clean dishes for breakfast from the kitchen, using of washrooms, free time (listening to music, doing puzzles, painting)
2.30 pm Snack, looking back on the day
3 pm finishing time
All times are to be regarded as rough standards that can and must be adjusted daily according to the respective situation.
2. Weekly Schedule
Monday Swimming (ca. 8 am - 10 am), afterwards breakfast
During Morning Gathering, planning the shopping of groceries for the week, writing a shopping list.
shopping (autonomous finding of groceries etc.)
Tuesday Therapeutic horseback riding (about 10 am - noon)
Wednesday House Work
- baking cakes
- preparation of salad, marmalade, pudding
- conversation about recipes, shopping for needed ingredients
- cooking and "trying" of foods
Thursday Physiotherapy
individual therapies (30 min each)
Friday Music (singing and playing music with orffschenn instrumenten)
Long walk
Monday - Friday According to time and arrangement, time for language course
, free time for multicultural meetings at the VILLA etc.