April 2022 - annual meeting Potsdam-Babelsberg
Today you will receive a few summarized impressions of the annual meeting 2022 in Potsdam Babelsberg.
First seeWe are grateful that the personal meeting could finally take place!
The first families arrived at the youth hostel on Wednesday and the joy of seeing each other again was great. New families were also there for the first time. Unfortunately, there were a few discrepancies to be clarified with the accommodation and it quickly became apparent that youth hostels would not be a suitable type of accommodation for our meeting in the future.
Nevertheless, the location was great and you could combine a visit to the Filmpark Babelsberg with a short walk.
Since some planned programs (lectures, theater group) were cancelled, the program was shortened and adjusted.
On Thursday more families arrived and in the afternoon there was an exchange at a joint round of introductions. The children used the afternoon to play and romp with the childcare Brian. He is available to the children throughout the meeting. In addition to handicrafts, painting and board games, there was the opportunity to balance, conjure up soap bubbles, table tennis, basketball, skateboarding, juggling and unicycling (big thanks to the Malende family!).
On Friday morning, Francisca Malende gave a lecture on the subject: "Transition from school to work" (Integration Office/Inclusion Office). You will receive the presentation and information about the contacts in your area in a separate email.
Immediately after lunch we started a trip to Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam. The small but very special castle could also be visited from the inside. After a leisurely stroll in the castle park, we stopped off at the “Zur Historische Mühle” café. In addition to delicious delicacies, there were also very warm conversations.
In the evening we exchanged snacks and neon lights ;-), among other things, about personal experiences and the latest hearing aid technologies. The subject of "disadvantaging the severely disabled when choosing insurance (private/statutory)" also came up. However, there are almost no reports on this that we could have shared with each other and with you. Feel free to get in touch if you can contribute!
Saturday morning started with the general meeting. For the first time this took place in hybrid (live & online at the same time). Thanks to the support of our media officer Martin Nicol and the functioning technology, everything went smoothly.
After lunch we went to the Filmpark Babelsberg. The weather was wonderful and in addition to the action-packed stunt show, there was still a lot to discover for the children...
Saturday evening ended with a big round of table tennis and another cozy get-together.
On Sunday morning after breakfast we used the final round for a short feedback and to thank the Malende family for organizing the meeting. Apart from the disagreements with the youth hostel, the planning/organization of the meeting also presented a major challenge due to COVID. This was successfully mastered by the Malende family with a lot of patience and confidence. We also thanked Uli Malende personally with a few flowers for his great work over the past 8 years as 1st CEO. We as an association are grateful to have Uli and his family (still) by our side! Now it's time for him to devote himself fully to his family.
It was a special feeling to see each other again in such a setting after 2 years of pandemic. The personal exchange and the specially created framework through space and time is always very valuable. Parents and those affected trust each other, children open their hearts and the result is incredibly powerful and intensive conversations that we can draw on for a long time.
Unfortunately, it is still not clear where and if the meeting for 2023 will take place...
If you want to get involved and support us in organizing the meeting, please contact:vorstand@franceschetti.de
Because only together can we realize the next meeting for you!
A little insider on the side: This year there was no need to search for a lost hearing aid ;-)
Best regards
Marietta Lenz
