Out of Everyday Life - into Freedom

01.10.2006

"Are we able to make it?” asks a bearded man with climbing equipment. It sounds back to him like an echo: "Yes, we can.” It is the answer of a group of disabled pupils who are visiting the high rope course in Much, Germany, on a sunny day.

"Can you see how the weather will be tomorrow, Fabian?” a boy zells at his class mate. "Very nice, there are no clouds nearby.” And Fabian knows it well. He is sitting eight meters above the ground on a tower and has full view over the surroundings. Fabian and nine other physically disabled boys and girls from the Rhenish Special School for Physical and Motoric Development (Rheinische Förderschule für Körperliche und Motorische Entwicklung) from St. Augustin, Germany, are guests at the FIT - Freetime, Integration, Sessions - an integrative hotel with special offers for school classes and leisure groups.

The excursion's highlight is the high rope course: high walls made of wood, strings and timbers are connected with ropes. One can climb the climbing wall, in a "spider's net”, over a bridge made of ropes. Secured. Through this, children can put to a test how far they can go, become more self-confident and strengthen the group's corporate feeling because they are dependent on each other for help. Also disabled children are able to join into the activities - at the climbing wall, the lifting block and the wheelchair bridge.

The pupils aged 12 to 14 are accompanied by their teachers and two skilled high rope course coaches. Helmar Jehnert and Georg Thiel are voluntary members of the association called "Nature moves”. They want to give the children useful information: "The children will realise, that they cannot climb without the help and protection of each other. Team spirit is the main aspect”, Jehnert explains. Meaning: nothing works without friends.

That is put to a test at the lifting block. With this device the children can be lifted up high in order to have a nice view. However, this only works if the class mates clench and pull up their friends. "It is nice to see how the children help each other and what they achieve together”, teacher Lisa Wessels says.

Also Lisa, 13 years old, wants to use the lifting block. She cannot speak and walk - usually she sits in a wheelchair. However, this time she does not need it. Because the helpers lift her into a cloth and her friends pull her up cheering: "Lisa is going on a huge adventure.” In order to prevent Lisa from banging against the wall, her carer pulls on a second rope in order to balance her.

Those pupils who are not restricted by a wheelchair may reach the high rope tower via the climbing wall. Again the kids are being secured by ropes and their friends. The 12-year-old Benedict takes a red security helmet and climbs ahead. He passes one bracket after the other. The rest of the class takes care. The further he gets up the more rope he gets. After reaching the tower Benedict is happy about what he has achieved: "I got up so high, but I didn't see any aliens.”

At the end of the day the kids get to the wheelchair bridge. This construction is unique in Germany. In a special wheelchair the children are pulled up eight meters high to the tower's platform. Then they roll from the big viewing platform over a narrow bridge to the other side - a coach and a protecting rope with them all the time. Wessels is glad: "It is nice to see, that the children get to know a feeling of freedom in a completely new way.”

REHACARE.de
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