To see the Person. Summary

To see the Person. Summary

The foundation Nikolauspflege Nikolauspflege is a church foundation with legal powers under German civil law. The foundation is a member of Diakonisches Werk and therefore belongs to the German Protestant Church. It provides the blind and partially sighted people with a wide range of support. It promotes their education both in school and vocational training. It also helps them to integrate into the world of work and society in general. Nikolauspflege provides a variety of ambulatory and residential services geared to the requirements of the blind and partially sighted and to people of all ages with various debilitating conditions. The facilities are located in several areas such as Stuttgart, Heidenheim, Mannheim, Weinheim, and Welzheim.

Mission: Fostering skills, respecting limits To see the Person means for us to nurture skills by respecting the personal boundaries of our clients. We accept their uniqueness: their individual disabilities as well as their potentials. Our focus is on understanding the needs of the blind and partially sighted and to maximize their educational, vocational, personal, and social development. In this way Nikolauspflege strives to provide disabled people with equal opportunities in life. An important part of our rehabilitation and help is to form a co-operative relationship with blind and partially sighted people. The work of Nikolauspflege starts in their early years in partnership with them, the schools, carers and families; but this work continues into further education and into promoting work and employment. Our mission is to support people of all ages who have a sight-loss and to enable them to gain an independent lifestyle.

Schools: Options for individuals For very young children, Nikolauspflege provides an early intervention programme. From kindergarten age onward there are various options. The child can visit a kindergarten and later on a school in the child s home town with one of our teachers giving individual instruction and counselling. Or the child can visit the Nikolauspflege primary school, the secondary school (here: Haupt- und Realschule) or the school for children with special needs in Stuttgart. Also children and adolescents with multiple disabilities have the opportunity to attend one of our school kindergartens, schools and residential homes in Stuttgart and Heidenheim. At the commercial vocational school (Kaufmänn. Berufsfachschule) in Stuttgart it is possible to achieve secondary school leaving qualification. After the vocational college (Berufskolleg) the pupils can obtain an advanced technical college entrance qualification entitling them to further studies at an advanced technical college (Fachhochschule).

Vocational training: Training and integration for independence The training programme of the vocational training centre in Stuttgart includes over a dozen vocations in the commercial and administrative sector, metal technology, nutrition, horticulture and crafts. Alternatively it is possible to learn a profession in a company with support from the foundation. This also applies to a large number of other vocations. The support of Nikolauspflege does not end with school or vocational training. The vocational training centre in Stuttgart supports job-seekers in their integration into the world of work. Furthermore, there is a wide range of opportunities for non-vocational and life-skills training for the blind and the partially sighted, such as Braille reading and O&M training (orientation and mobility).

Supporting adults: Improving their quality of life Until recently there were no specialist facilities for blind and partially sighted with multiple disabilities in Baden- Württemberg. Many adults were sent to any standard residential care facilities in their local area. But eventually it became clear that visually impaired or blind adults had special needs which were not being catered for, so Nikolauspflege developed a service which initially concentrated on the needs of partially sighted, but then went on to open up its facilities to blind and partially sighted people with further disabilities. The establishments Limeshof in Welzheim, Paul-und- Charlotte-Kniese-Haus in Weinheim and Franz-Mersi- Haus in Mannheim support those multiple disabled adults. They can live and work there, but what is even more important: they have a daily routine which is based on the principles of the two life worlds, the separation of living and working life.

Sheltered workshops: Promoting work in a protected environment The Nikolauspflege Institute provides employment opportunities for blind and visually impaired people and people with multiple disabilities. In, what we call, sheltered workshops located in Mannheim, Weinheim and Welzheim the level and type of work, materials and personnel resources as well as equipment is all tailored to the particular needs of the blind and partially sighted employees. It is a protected environment where those disadvantaged people can untertake paid meaningful employment. Working in outsourced workplaces as well as being employed on the second labour market are other possibilities offered in those establishments.

Social firms: Market orientation and social mission combined The Haus des Blindenhandwerks gemeinnützige GmbH in Esslingen near Stuttgart is a social enterprise that trades in the market and takes on degrees of business risks. The enterprise receives a subsidy in compensation for the reduced productivity of its disabled workers in order to allow it to compete on a level playing field with conventional firms. Social firms are market-led businesses that are set up specifically to create good quality jobs for people disadvantaged in the labour market. The commercial and production activities are undertaken in the context of a social mission, with profits going back into the company to further its goals. All workers are paid a market-rate wage or salary that is appropriate to the work. Further social firms under the umbrella of Nikolauspflege are OKIN GmbH in Stuttgart and Sächsisches Förderzentrum Chemnitz gemeinnützige GmbH (SFZ) which Nikolauspflege runs with Internationaler Bund.

Housing: Finding the right environment Although they vary greatly all of our residential care facilities have one thing in common: they offer a clear living structure and a social environment but at the same time protect the rights of the individual. People with multiple disabilities who are dependent on care have a place within the Nikolauspflege just as much as the blind and partially sighted who are able to live a largely independent life with nursing care. The residential carers within the Nikolauspflege provide either a 24 hour full-time support, a five-day support or short-time care. In addition external supported care can range from supported housing to community & outreach services.

Resources: Independence - with the right support. With the right kind of resources, the blind and the partially sighted are able to master many challenges at school and at work as well as at home. The NIKOSehzentrum of Nikolauspflege contains a counselling and training centre and a shop for aids and devices. The shop is located in the centre of Stuttgart and provides manufacturer-independent aids and devices. It also helps customers in handling their special aids. Visits to private customers and companies can also be arranged. Call 0049 (0)711 6564-860 for an appointment or send an e-mail to niko.sehzentrum@nikolauspflege.de.

How you can help To see the Person. With your support we are able to contribute to the right of the blind and partially sighted to full participation in society by providing practical skills and helping them rebuild their confidence. Your donations will help us transform the reality of our clients lives into something positive and hopeful. Donations can be given to: Landesbank Baden-Württemberg account number 1 000 999 bank code number 600 501 01 For transfers from abroad: IBAN Nr. DE97 6005 0101 0001 0009 99 BIC/S.W.I.F.T.-Cod: SOLA DE ST

Edited by Nikolauspflege Foundation for the blind and partially sighted Fritz Elsas-Straße 38 70174 Stuttgart www.nikolauspflege.de Responsible for the content: Dieter Feser, Chairman Translation: Rebecca Manoras, Jeanette Rasner Design and Composition: Jeanette Rasner Picture Editor: Sabine Lebherz Pictures: Darius Ramazani und Reiner Pfisterer Printed on environment-friendly paper