Josefsheim Bigge
Special Service Mobility, Rehabilitation Sports and Health

People with disabilities at the sheltered workshops
18-35 years 

Climbing – this is a sport where you think of well-trained young people who are not afraid of a challenge. The Josefsheim has proven that climbing and disability are not contradictions either. Together with the Berufsgenossenschaft für Gesundheitsdienst und Wohlfahrtspflege (BGW) and the Forschungsinstitut für Inklusion durch Bewegung und Sport (FIBS) of the Sporthochschule Köln, a study was conducted over a period of ten months.

The primary objective was to determine the benefits of climbing for the employability of employees with cognitive impairments in the workshop for disabled people. In addition, the positive effects of climbing should be recorded at the individual level with a view to subjective assessment of self-efficacy and self-perception. This was supplemented by an external assessment of work performance.

In addition to people with a cognitive impairment, participants in the project included a sensory impaired person and a wheelchair user who secured other climbers and climbed very impressively herself.

For the project, a climbing group and a control group with alternative sports and exercise offers were formed, which took place twice a week over a period of ten months. Another control group did not take advantage of any additionally organised specific sports and exercise offers. The persons from the control groups also had the opportunity to go climbing after ten months. Questionnaires were developed for the surveys, which were carried out with the participating persons at different times.

With this project, we would like to make a fundamental contribution through climbing to enabling people with cognitive impairments to participate in or maintain their working lives. This was achieved, for example, by the feeling of being able to create things oneself, to have confidence in oneself, to make decisions, to take responsibility, to gain trust in others and to have the courage to try out new ways. In addition, further participation and development goals were achieved through climbing: cognitive, social, motor and perceptual skills were addressed that are also necessary in everyday professional life.

Even after the end of the project, climbing and climbing courses are part of the leisure activities at the Josefsheim.

Forschungsinstitut für Inklusion durch Bewegung und Sport (FIBS) of the Sporthochschule Köln

(Institute for Inclusion through Movement and Sport (FiBS) of the Sporthochschule Köln)

Berufsgenossenschaft für Gesundheitsdienst und Wohlfahrtspflege (BGW)

(Employers' Liability Insurance Association for Medical Services and Welfare Work (BGW))

Seven different sheltered workshops in Germany

Climbing institute  Brilon / Climbing hall Sauerland, Schmallenberg

01.01.2018 bis zum 31.10.2018

Costs  for the group of 8 participants with disabilities:

o   transport of participants to the climbing hall ca. 600 €  per month

o   Trainer costs (1 Trainer/1 Assistent) ca. 800 € per month

o   Entrance fees climbing hall ca. 960 € per month

o   Materials (1  Pair of climbing shoes , 1  climbing harness ) ca. 120 € per person

o   certificate/ climbing licence/ examination ca. 30 € per person

Name: Martin Künemund, Project Manager, Josefsheim Bigge

Email address : m.kuenemund@josefsheim-bigge.de

Other details: Project Manager in this project is Jürgen Mies, Mobility trainer at the Josefsheim Bigge