Association seeks helpers

Vacation fun that makes children strong despite their handicap

Games, fun and new friendships make you forget any handicap

(Bild: Verein Ferien ohne Handicap)

Association in the Waldviertel region offers camps for disabled children to build their self-confidence. However, we are still urgently looking for supervisors for July and August this year. 

For a long time, there was a huge gap in the care available for children and young people with severe and multiple disabilities in Austria. Until Birgit Stoifl from the Waldviertel region decided to found the "Ferien ohne Handicap" association with a small group of volunteers almost ten years ago, when she had already been working as an independent relief therapist for some time. "At the time, there were no vacation activities for children and young people with disabilities. We offer 24-hour care for the entire duration of our camps," says the chairwoman, explaining the unique offer.

20 supervisors travel to the vacation camp with 14 children and young people. They all have special and new experiences.

Vereinsobfrau Birgit Stoifl

Bild: Verein Ferien ohne Handicap

Parents can also recharge their batteries 
It is not only the severely disabled children who, thanks to the efforts of the association, often go on vacation without their parents for the first time and thus gain a good portion of new experiences and fresh self-confidence. The parents, who have often been there for their children for years and decades, can also really switch off during this vacation week and recharge their batteries. Applications have even been received from parents in Germany and Holland, but the association is first trying to close the gap in the program in Austria.

20 supervisors are needed for 14 children

(Bild: Verein Ferien ohne Handicap)

Helpers gain completely new experiences
For the first time, the volunteers are now also struggling with a handicap themselves: "For our camps from July 6 to 14 and from July 27 to August 4 in Raabs an der Thaya, we are still eight counselors short," Stoifl turns to the large "Krone" family with a call for help. This is because 20 carers are needed to travel with the 14 children and young people with severe and multiple disabilities. "The volunteers, who also receive financial recognition, will be well prepared by us. It would be good if they already had experience in this area, but that's not necessary either," says the chairwoman, emphasizing that no training is mandatory. Rather, the camps are also a special kind of personal development: "What you can learn during this week and from us in advance is tremendous," says Stoifl confidently about these very special and warm experiences, which Heller can hardly have anywhere else in this form. Supervisors are asked to inform themselves and apply quickly via the club website.

 www.ferienohnehandicap.at