A unique project that helps to enable young wheel-chair users to lead as independent a life as possible. For three weeks, they work intensively at the goals they have set in order to take another step towards their independence.

Life-long care and support for people in a wheelchair is essential for many reasons. In addition to medical and therapeutic care, it is important to achieve goals such as independence, self-determination, sports-related integration, and social integration. The earlier this starts, the better the prospects of equal opportunities and a better quality of life for the young people who are preoccupied with similar topics to those that concern able-bodied young people: relationships, clothes, appearance, and, of course, everything that is currently trendy. They want to be independent and to rely on as little help as possible from others. 

The young people come to Nottwil for three weeks. The goals they want to achieve during these weeks are de-fined individually for each young person. People in wheelchairs have various obstacles that they need to overcome. You can find out more about these in the series of images and the text printed below them. 

• Using the pavement: There are ledges and small ramps all over the place to get onto the pavement or to leave it again. Able-bodied people are often unaware of these, but they present a great challenge to wheelchair users.
• Wheelchair handling training: How do you get back into your wheelchair after a fall without needing help from another person?
• Kitchen training: Arm and hand move-ments are often also limited. Which aids are available to make cooking easier for the young people, e.g. operating a whisk? How do you have to plan your preparations so that a meal is on the table at midday?
• Catheterisation: Bladder and bowel func-tion is often restricted in people with a spi-nal cord injury. If young people can insert their own catheters, this makes them much more independent and autonomous (as they do not need to request Spitex nursing and care services). If they do not require help from another person, they can meet friends independently, spend a night away from home, and do not need Spitex nursing and care services at school or at work.

Support young adults on their journey towards an independent life

Feel free to contact us at any time if you have any questions. We will be delighted to provide you with further information about this fantastic and extremely important project. 

Our bank details

Swiss Paraplegic Foundation
6207 Nottwil

IBAN 
CH14 0900 0000 6014 7293 5 

BIC
POFICHBEXXX ​​

Tax number: 1195279
(NGO tax identification number)