Mut tut gut - Bravery helps! (2023-2024)

Activity description

Bregtalschule Furtwangen is an educational centre for children and young adults with mental (and sometimes accompanying physical) disabilities. The school is educating people of 6 up to 20 years old. Each class consists of a small group of five to ten pupils and aims to prepare its students for future independent life. Children, teachers and educators do not only have regular lessons, such as the German language and mathematics, but also cook and clean together, go shopping and perform other important household and real life tasks. Additionally to that, there are singing, art, woodworking and sports lessons, including horse-riding, swimming, riding a bicycle and playing football. Volunteers are a part of the pedagogic force of the class, assisting teachers and educators in their work. The tasks vary, depending on the necessities of the children and individual abilities and interests of the volunteer. The core of the daily routine consists of the time at school (8:15- 15:00 o'clock).

Accommodation, food and transport arrangements

Accommodation: Foreign volunteers will live together in an apartment, sharing a modern kitchen and a bathroom; each will have a private room. The flat is situated in the middle of the town, just a two-minute walk away from the local university, a supermarket and the bus station. It takes about half an hour on foot to get from the apartment to school. Food: The kitchen is fully equipped for cooking. Transport: Regional transport ticket is provided, covering about 1/4 of Baden-Württemberg (area close to Offenburg, Basel, Freiburg, Konstanz) after school end and on weekends and holidays.

Training during the activity

Through work with our children the volunteer will have a chance to learn about various forms of disabilities. It is also possible to ask the class teacher about reasons and goals of an activity. After classes there are regular (normally weekly) meetings dedicated to the children of the class. 2 seminars as part of EVS program. Weekly meetings with mentors, experience exchange with other volunteers. Additional courses, such as First-Aid course, internal seminars dedicated to autism, epilepsy are possible.

Participant profile

Basic or fluent German skills are very helpful, helping the integration happen quicker. A volunteer will perform a roll similar to the teachers'/educators' work at school. He or she will always receive help if a difficult situation occurs and will be a part of an educational team. An interest and/or experience in pedagogic and social work is of a big advantage. An interest in and open mind for disabilities, as well as desire to help people by improving their lives, is expected. Physical contact while assisting children at their tasks or hygiene-related routine can be necessary.

Activity dates

A total of 48 week(s) during the period 01/03/2024 to 28/02/2025

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Activity location

Dilgerhofweg 13, 78120 Furtwangen im Schwarzwald Germany

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 Individual volunteering

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Looking for participants from

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Finland, France, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Moldova (Republic of), Ukraine

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Activity topics

Social challenges

Education and training

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Deadline for applications

No application deadline

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