Vacation for Growth

by Serena Cimini

Youth and adults, together for an unforgettable summer vacation.


During the summer of 2012, the Institute for the Blind Francesco Cavazza organized a short stay for youth living with vision loss, and added a twist of novelty this year. Even through our vacation, we experienced the emergency of the earthquake. In fact, when everything was finally organized, we were informed that the facilities for guests at Sette Fonti, where we stayed last year and had planned to go back to, had been made available to Public Safety in order to offer some relief and a sense of normalcy to children from the areas affected by the earthquake. This situation meant we had to rapidly find new facilities that could accommodate us. We had to change our dates and be ready almost a week in advance. Consequently, some young participants could not be there but understood the situation. The 17 young people who participated and the 5 educators stayed during 10 days on the farm holidays Il Prato degli Angeli on the hills of Monterenzio. These 10 days were intense, filled with leisure and sports activities (judo, baseball, swimming, Nordic walking, showdown, day and night excursions), and labs. Clearly, we had to modify and adapt the program to this new environment without however changing the purpose and modality of the project. The summer camp was aimed at teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18. This is a period in life where doing things apart from one's own family to meet other people the same age to share experiences means so much and is so important, as much as eating or sleeping. The group of peers is crossing the bridge from childhood to adulthood. And being with friends during the teenage years can be a driving force for big changes.

Orientation and mobility with Marco Fossati
To explore a new place is the necessary condition to learn about the environment in which we live, to get around freely and independently. The rehabilitative interventions relating to personal autonomy have, among others, the objectives of developing and improving these skills which enable someone to enjoy the pleasure of being independent and integrating with others.

Judo with Marco Fossati and Katia
Judo, a self-defence technique, increases the knowledge and control one has of their own body and energy. One internalises the movements, actions and reactions that need to be controlled. Knowing how to defend oneself in some situations means to be able to firmly control the psychological and relational aspects that condition our being in the world.

A day in the baseball field
Baseball is a complete exercise: hitting, running and defending. Timing, coordination, orientation and a good listening capacity are essential. The requirements to be a good baseball player are characteristics that also help in having a more dynamic approach to life. Baseball, being a team sport, fosters relationships and stimulates competition.

Nordic walking excursions in the hills
Nordic walking is a sport that is simple and effective in regards to integration and psychophysiological rehabilitation.
The use of the walking sticks characterized by the alternate motion of the arms contributes to the development of basic movement coordination, appropriate posture and natural walk, muscle use and toning.

Kitchen lab
To kneed bread dough, to peel fruits, to prepare a desert: these are simple tasks which, when repeated, strengthen manual skills that are useful in everyday life. Playing, swimming, diving, dancing, running, playing sports: activities in which, in this context, kids get involved independently; if strengthened, they will be able to perform them independently in any other open context.   
What would a vacation be without a pool?
During their vacation, kids discovered and rediscovered scooby doo: a pastime without time which reinforces deftness and bimanual coordination. And then together, we can learn better…
During our free time, we can play cards… or showdown!
The Feast of the Celts in Monterenzio, a distinct and entertaining evening.

The musical lab led by Diego Occhiali and Cristian Grassilli
The title of the song the young people wrote and played this year is
La vacanza del Mona.
It is possible to listen to it on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=4vujQfs5nTc. Here is the full text of the song:
"Noi siamo giunti qui e
non era lunedì, ma chi è quel
mona lì di Rimini?

In the summer holiday,
we played baseball just one
day and showdown every day

and the winner is… Spain
Buuuuuuuuuu
Camminando coi bastoni
ci siam rotti un po’ i mattoni,
ma scendendo coi gommoni

che spasso!
È stato molto divertente
conoscere altra gente
e rivedere i vecchi amici del Mona.

Che bella atmosfera
che c’è questa sera, la noia non bussa,
la Scala 40, la Robbie
che canta e Vito che russa!

Gavettoni ne abbiam fatti,
son scappati tutti i gatti,
è arrivato anche il Mona,
è scappata la padrona.

E poi c’è Mamma Cavazza
che a volte ci ramazza, quando facciamo casin nel lettin.

Che bella atmosfera
che c’è questa sera, la noia non bussa,

la Scala 40, la Robbie che canta e Vito che russa!
Il Mona che scappa, lo segue Augusto sulla mietitrebbia."

The experience was definitely a success according to the educators who observed the kids' reactions when it was time to say goodbye. Everyone was expressing the hope to see each other not only next year, but to do their best to create opportunities to meet during the school year. Sad faces and tears conveyed everyone's mood. One of our main goals was to foster exchanges among young people of the same age through sharing educational and leisure activities, and to create opportunities for relationship building among kids who have to deal with similar challenging issues. These are positive incentives for growth and the development of one's own identity. We are aware that if only an institution like the Istituto Cavazza, with its wealth of experience and its national leadership role, answers these young people's needs, it will be possible to satisfy adequately the wishes of their families, reassuring them and accompanying them throughout the educational and character-building journey for their children, in order to continue to grow together.

Picture - Judo lesson

Picture - Poster with words of welcome

Picture - Reading map in Braille for orientation purposes

Picture - Group excursion

Picture - During baseball training

Picture - Kitchen lab

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