Participate in the care of people with intellectual disabilities
De Winckelsteegh is one of the locations of Pluryn, a national care institution for people with complex problems. Pluryn supports in increasing opportunities for a full and independent place in society. Their own strengths and future wishes are the starting point. De Winckelsteegh is an institution for people with severe intellectual disabilities, somtimes in combination with strong behavioral problems, and elderly people with disabilities and geriatric and somatic problems. All facilities for the clients are located on one site at De Winckelsteegh. This allows residents to move freely and safely. The right balance is sought for each person between rest and activity. While one person needs a lot of care, the other is intensively guided for behavioral problems. The Elderly Care location in Nijmegen is specifically for elderly with an intellectual disability. The priority is to make life more comfortable for every individual.
More information about the Winckelsteegh can be found here: https://www.pluryn.nl/over-pluryn/locations/de-winckelsteegh
Videos that can give an impression of the Winckelsteegh and its residents: https://youtu.be/Yhyy1GOPNTk?t=201 and https://youtu.be/Yhyy1GOPNTk?t=423
Volunteer work
As a volunteer you will help with all kinds of chores in the groups, such as helping with breakfast, lunch and dinner, setting and clearing tables, washing dishes, tidying up, etc. so that the employees can focus on the necessary care for the residents. As a volunteer you also give some extra attention to the clients. Think of simple activities, such as walking, playing a game, 'tutting' or Snoezelen, going to the animal pasture, racing around the grounds on the go-kart, swinging, etc. The site also has its own riding school, where volunteers can be deployed. be involved in activities with the residents. A disco is regularly organized for the residents on Wednesday afternoons. Volunteers can also make themselves useful in elderly care, outside the Winckelsteegh site. For example, by taking a trip to the neighborhood market, going to the exercise garden together, taking a walk and drinking a cup of coffee together. The second week of this project is the Nijmegen Four Days Marches (16 – 19 July 2024). The Winckelsteegh four-day event is organized on the Winckelsteegh that week and the efforts of volunteers are also greatly appreciated! The more volunteers there are, the more clients can participate in this four-day 'walking' tour.
All work will always take place in consultation with and under the supervision of permanent employees.
- Helping with chores in the residential units, such as helping with meals, cleaning up, sweeping the garden, etc.
- Undertaking activities with clients, such as walking, cycling, reading, 'dressing up', making music, etc.
- Organizing a larger activity for a group of clients, e.g. a cycling tour, picnic, baking pancakes, organizing the Wednesday afternoon disco
- Paying attention to the elderly in the elderly care project, for example by drinking coffee together, going to the market, helping in the day activity center, exercising in the exercise garden, etc.
- Walk along with clients in the 'Winckelsteeghse Four Days Marches'.
Accommodation
You will stay with the group of volunteers on the Winckelsteegh grounds, probably in the gym. The groceries and meals are arranged by the volunteers themselves. Budget for this will be provided. There is a professional kitchen on site that volunteers can use. Volunteers must bring their own: sleeping mat/air mattress and sleeping bag, sportswear, musical instrument and/or your favorite music, things to 'dress up' the clients (if you feel like it of course), such as (hand)cream, nail polish, rouge, lipstick, hairbrush, etc.
Particularities:
- It is mandatory to bring your Certificate of Good Conduct to this project! You can arrange this for free thorugh our organisation.
Leisure
Nijmegen is the oldest city in the Netherlands and a vibrant student city. Fun to discover! In the second week of this project, the Nijmegen Four Days Marches will take place in and around the city, framed by the Summer Festivities, a 'festival' that covers the entire city center for a week. The surroundings of the city are also worth seeing, with forests, polders, the Waal river, floodplains and moraines. Other Dutch cities are also easily accessible. You can be in Utrecht in an hour, in Rotterdam in 45 minutes and in Amsterdam in 1 ½ hours. Particularities It is mandatory to bring your Certificate of Good Conduct to this project! You can arrange this for free through us.
Travel
You travel to the project location in Nijmegen yourself. You are expected on Sunday, July 7 from 6:00 PM. If you travel by public transport, you can take bus 8 from Nijmegen Station towards Hatert and get off at the stop: Jonkerbos Cemetery.
You arrange the travel to your project yourself. IBO asks all volunteers to travel in the most sustainable way possible, so preferably by train or bus. What you at least can do, is compensate your CO2 emissions. You can find more information about this on the website of Milieu Centraal. You can also compensate your emissions via IBO, by donating to our partner’s tree planting project in Uganda. You can read more about that here.
Preparation
IBO offers a good preparation for your volunteering work abroad.You will receive a digital information package and an invitation to a preparation meeting. Read more about the proces from departure until return.
Costs
For this project you pay €35 registration fee. If you become an IBO-supporter, there are no registration fees. For this project there are no extra fees.
This includes accommodation and meals, local transport, an information pack and (online) preparation meeting. Excluding travel, insurance and any outings.
Register
Go to register to enroll in this project.