Daycare tots and seniors: A heart for inclusion in Haßleben!

Daycare tots and seniors: A heart for inclusion in Haßleben!

There was recently a very special event in the beautiful town of Haßleben: the children from the local daycare center enriched the 100th foundation festival of the Stephanus Foundation with an entertaining performance. Together with residents of the “Im Sonnenwinkel” residential facility, the children gave their best on stage. Daycare teacher Christina Sabusch-Blume led the group “The Adventurers” through the program, which combined classic fun with a special focus on inclusion. Nordkurier reports that this inclusion project was initiated in April of the previous year on the initiative of Doreen Weidner-Timmler.

The original project was developed in close cooperation with the parents of the daycare children. There were some fears of contact in the first few weeks, but these quickly disappeared. Visiting residents to daycare is now an integral part of their weekly routine. Two to three residents come by once a week and enrich the little ones' everyday lives. During their time together, the children and residents create marble pictures together and enjoy carriage rides. A musical offering was also particularly well received by the children.

Insights into inclusion

What does the term inclusion actually mean? The aim of working in an integrative daycare center is to enable all children, regardless of their abilities, to play and learn together. How on Early chances is explained, this is intended to strengthen self-confidence and create an atmosphere of acceptance. The general conditions must be adjusted so that all children feel comfortable.

An ideal example of these adjustments are the regular visits of daycare children to the residential group, which take place in the easily accessible facility “Im Sonnenwinkel”. In addition to the creative exchange and spending time together, other activities are also being planned to be implemented in the fall, such as doing crafts and singing together.

Community and support

The Stephanus Foundation, which runs the facility, not only provides loving care for its clients, but also offers a wide range of work opportunities in the Stephanus workshops in Templin. This support enables even those clients who cannot work in the workshops to not only be employed meaningfully, but also to maintain social contacts. Here, family and relatives always find a contact person, a caregiver they can turn to, which greatly promotes connection and contact with others. Stéphanos reports, how important this interactive and supportive community is for the well-being of everyone involved.

Haßleben shows in a remarkable way how integration and inclusion can be practiced in early education. Thanks to the commitment of the daycare center and the residential facility, an environment is created here that not only contributes to promoting individual well-being, but also strengthens cooperation. And that’s exactly what counts in our society!