Essen.
Whether it’s a trip or shopping – residents of the Franz-Sales-Haus Essen often can’t do it alone. Volunteers are now being sought to accompany them.
It’s about little extras in everyday life, sports, games and sometimes real moments of happiness: The Franz-Sales-Haus in Essen is looking for volunteers who visit and accompany people with disabilities and open doors for them. There are residents, for example, who cannot use the bus or train without help or who do not dare to go to a concert or a museum on their own. Others have no relatives and wish very much that they, too, would have a nice visit.
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“A nice spring walk, a trip to the museum together or an exciting visit to the cinema… It can be very easy to put a smile on the face of a person with disabilities,” says the message with which the facility in Huttrop is now addressing potential volunteers turns. Not everyone can just go out on their own after work, meet friends or participate in normal leisure activities. Some people need someone who encourages them, who is by their side.
Volunteers accompany Essen residents with disabilities
This is the case for Heike, for example, “a likeable lady from Heidhausen who would like to go to a museum, to a concert or to a café”. The only thing missing is an accompaniment. She is interested in many things, would also like to sing in the choir, but does not dare to go to the church alone.
The situation is similar for Benedict, who is very independent and friendly. Nevertheless, the young man is lonely because he doesn’t dare to do anything alone in his free time: “A nice walk or a little excursion with company would be a dream.” The enterprising Bianca, on the other hand, would like to spend time with a younger woman from time to time explore, stroll through the city or discover something new.
“The employees also do many things with the residents, but they only have a limited amount of time for this,” explains volunteer coordinator Claudia Rösner. The volunteers help to expand the radius of residents.
The activities are as diverse as the locations. After all, the Franz Sales House and the Engelbert home have many different locations and fields of action. For example, the volunteers could be active in the areas of creativity, sport, education or technology. Together with the volunteers, she explores which location is most suitable, and who forms a good team with whom.
Sometimes friendships are formed
Of course, the coordinator also goes into what the individual is capable of and how much time they can invest: whether they have an hour’s time every week, once a month or “every now and then”. Sometimes it’s about a little help, sometimes a motivation boost and sometimes volunteers come to visit for years and get along so well with a resident – “that’s where friendships develop”.
Anyone interested in volunteering at the Franz-Sales-Haus should contact the coordinator Claudia Rösner by telephone on 0201-27 69 254 or by e-mail: [email protected]
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