Institutional forms of help are significant in societies where more and more people need support. But what happens if there is a group of enthusiasts eager to cooperate? Perhaps a house with various forms of respite care might come into being. So what is the point of the campfire here?

It all started at the evening campfire during the children's camping trip, and - as it often is at the fire - conversations about life and plans, what to do next - what about the children when they finish school. As they are children with disabilities, after they finish school, it is difficult to find care for them. Indeed, there are some workshops and nursing homes, but not only do you have to wait a long time, but there is always something to be improved in the offer of existing facilities. Exactly... So instead of changing, why not build from scratch? These were the beginnings of the BONITUM - an association created by parents of children with disabilities and their friends. Thank's to its genesis story, the association can adapt to the needs of its charges - it was from these needs that the BONITUM – the Environmental Self-Care House (pol. Środowiskowy Dom Samopomocy - ŚDS) was born. It was 2018.

How to start?

The beginnings were not really optimistic. The building, which was rented from MOPS (Polish Social Welfare Centre), required a thorough renovation. Hard work, an endowment from the European Union and friends made it possible. And now you can see it. It is located in Wrocław on Komuny Paryskiej Street. You can drop by, for example, when you come to Wrocław for a conference. Yet the building is only the starting point. More important than that are people, relationships, and projects…. At the moment, it is a great team of therapists, staff, and volunteers, as well as 30 charges: adults with various, sometimes multiple, disabilities. And the projects? There are quite a few. Here are some of them:

„Our Mountains”

This is the title of a film about tourism for people with disabilities and what it means to them. The film tells the story of the Pieniaki family and their joint expeditions. It is an interesting, moving, and uplifting story. Today, it has already won several awards at film festivals. For BONITUM, the film has also become an inspiration for regular trips to the mountains and being together in the bosom of nature. Easy routes, efficient organization, and a lot of optimism allowed participation also for people with physical disabilities. This movie is worth seeing. Here it is:

Special Olympics

Tourism is not everything. There is also swimming, badminton, and athletics. Sport is great for achieving success, building plans and accomplishing them. It is a passion that can be also shared among people with disabilities. This is what happens in the Environmental Self-Care House. The charges regularly exercise in a specially equipped gym, participate in classes at the swimming pool, and take part in competitions. Sports activities improve physical functioning, condition and immunity. They also give a sense of agency - it is worth going out, training, and participating in competitions. Thanks to the Special Olympics Poland, international competition is also possible. Everything in the fight to improve well-being and respite from limitations is invaluable.

Assistant Services

Assistant services are becoming more and more popular. People after appropriate training become assistants and, in fact, friends of families. The role of the Environmental Self-Care House is to coordinate projects, as well as to train and recruit participants and keep project documentation. Depending on the medical condition of the person with disabilities, the assistant supports everyday functioning or provides care. Going to the store together, riding public transport, or visiting libraries are also highly important. Thanks to this, social skills training is carried out.

Work Coach

Many people with disabilities can perform simple activities demanded in the job market. What's more, the current law rewards employers who hire people with disabilities. The challenge, however, is getting ready to start work, which comes with certain responsibilities. To enter this market efficiently, work coaches help people with disabilities. The Environmental Self-Care House is the coordinator of these types of projects and the place where related activities are carried out.

Important Days

Every day is important - thanks to the described activities, a lot is happening in the Environmental Self-Care House. Nevertheless, we also remember about days important for those under our care. Birthdays and holidays are celebrated together. Being together on special days and joint activities make the idea of the Environmental Self-Care House, i.e. inspiring and creating mutual support in the environment in which we live, come true. For many people, it is a very important place that gives respite.

 

 

 

The Activity Center – BAZA*, run by Foundation Imago, is an institution that supports people with disabilities and their carers through contact with nature and outdoor activities. The center is located in Wrocław, yet it is often empty, as the people engaged in the institution spend more time outside the building.

BAZA is base-camp

The name of the center refers directly to the word “base camp” which means a safe camping place in the high mountains from which the climbers begin their journey to create succeeding – higher-based camps and to which they return to take a rest before another summit push.  

From the outset, we try to make our institution a safe space for development for our participants. The place from which everyone could begin climbing on their own Everest, as is the case of mountain climbing, not alone but in a team, experiencing strength got from being in a group. That is why BAZA is also, or maybe primarily, a community. It is constituted of young people with disabilities, their parents and carers, and also assistants and volunteers. Currently, from the offer of  BAZA Center benefit around 80 people with disabilities from the age of 15 to 40. They are people with physical disabilities, as well as sensory, intellectual, and youth with developmental disorders. 

Nature that cures

Activities organized by BAZA Center are based on the methods derived from the current of therapy based on contact with nature, Adventure & Wilderness Therapy. Its essential assumption is that contact with nature strengthens healing processes and emotional development. What is important, these changes are made simultaneously on two levels: physical and emotional. Because of spending time in the wilderness (Wilderness Therapy) and undertaking viable challenges (Adventure Therapy), the participants learn more about themselves, gain new abilities, overcome their fears and practice their social competencies. They often are unaware that these activities are also a form of physical rehabilitation: they strengthen respective parts of muscles, stabilization of the whole body, or sense of equilibrium.

Mission availability

The mission that motivates the actions of BAZA Center is to gradually increase the availability of outdoor activities for people with disabilities. To make it happen, it is necessary to diagnose the psychophysical abilities of the participants, including their level of functioning, potential, difficulties experienced by them, and psycho-developmental needs. The more accurate the diagnosis is, of course, the easier it is to plan later activities in nature, which on the one hand, are ambitious - they are a real challenge for the participants, and on the other hand, through the adaptation of the necessary elements and the support of assistants, possible to do. Importantly, the activities to which we invite participants are always planned together with them, and the level of difficulty of the challenges they face increases only when they are ready for it.  

And so, we started with several-hour trips to the nearby forest, located within the borders of Wrocław, field games and cooking on a fire, and one-day trips on kayaks and rafts. The next stage was summer expeditions to ever-higher mountain peaks. Finally, we moved on to winter expeditions to the mountains, learning how to survive in winter conditions, climbing rocks, and sleeping in tents.

The peak of the impossible...

Therapy through adventure is a process in which contact with nature and experiencing real challenges allow you to overcome your own limitations, gain new competencies and get to know yourself better in social situations. 

It was like that in the case of Maja, whose participation in Adventure Therapy programs helped her regain faith in her abilities: 

“Since I can remember, I often have been physically active - I swam, played table tennis, and competed in competitions. Unfortunately, when I left for college, it turned out that I suffered from systemic lupus erythematosus, which was slowly destroying my body. As time flew, I felt it more and more. First, epilepsy appeared, and in 2016 I sat in a wheelchair due to paresis of the lower limbs and left hand. All the time, I was training intensively at home, and a friend even persuaded me to go to the gym. Nevertheless, after another operation, the long-lasting healing time, the worsening of the disease, and the lockdown, I withdrew from activities outside the home. I could not find myself; I thought it was impossible. 

Then I discovered the Adventure Therapy method and classes organized by the Foundation Imago. After discussing my difficulties, I was invited to participate in... kayaking! Suddenly, what might have seemed like a complete abstraction was at your fingertips. It worked, my love for water also returned, and kayaking became my new way to relax. When it seemed that the peak of the impossible had already been reached, there appeared an opportunity to participate in classes on the climbing wall. It is impossible, I thought. And yet! During the meetings, I not only met new fantastic people, gained self-confidence, but also significantly improved my functioning and acquired skills useful in everyday life - stabilization, body awareness, strength.”

…and even higher

In addition to trips to nature, Center BAZA also offers weekly therapeutic climbing classes. Even though the classes are mostly held on an artificial wall, the participants meet the conditions of Adventure Therapy. Climbing is a challenge and stimulates both at the physical, mental and emotional levels. It is a partnership activity; it requires building a relationship based on trust. It teaches perseverance in pursuing a goal, overcoming difficulties, and enjoying the success achieved. It allows you to train social skills in safe "laboratory" conditions. 
However, the greatest advantage of therapeutic climbing is that instead of the tedious repetition of exercises, the participant has a great time, not feeling that he is taking part in therapy. 
 
It is what Szymon's mother, a 16-year-old participant, says about therapeutic climbing classes: 
 
“We have been looking for a suitable sports activity for Szymon for a long time. There was a ball, running, kayaking, and swimming, but something still did not feel right; either it was too difficult, or health did not allow for the chosen activity. The climb turned out to be a stroke of genius. At first, a little timidly, but with small steps, Szymon began to reach the top. Great trust in the teachers led to the moment when the initial fun turned into a great sports activity. Besides, this is the best rehabilitation for Szymon. All muscles were involved in the work, and his motor coordination improved. Competition between friends is also important, which is why I believe that group classes are an additional mobilization. Moreover, new extracurricular acquaintances are also very valuable for people with disabilities, whose circle of friends is limited. Sports activity gives people with disabilities the feeling that they can do more than just sit at home, constantly absorbing their parents, who also play the role of their friends.” 
 
Mikołaj's father also shares similar thoughts: 
 
“Mikołaj and climbing? When I heard about this offer, I thought it was a waste of time. Even after the initial classes, I did not fully believe that Miki would ever climb even on the first level. Seeing what height Mikołaj climbed on during the last classes, I am glad I was so wrong. I saw Mikołaj's joy on Thursday evenings when we go to the climbing wall. I think that it (the wall) builds Mikołaj's self-confidence and allows him to integrate with friends who experience similar difficulties.”

Respite in nature

Although the activities of the BAZA Center are created for people with disabilities, they also have another goal, equally important - providing a respite break for their carers. 
 
While their charges participate in the Adventure therapy program, parents of people with disabilities gain time that they miss on a daily basis. You can take care of postponed matters or just do something for yourself. The mother of autistic teenage Marcel, while her son was spending time in the mountains, had time to go to the theatre for the first time in a long time; Mikołaj's dad, when his son climbs the next meters of the wall, reads and relaxes after a whole day of work. 
 
And although sometimes parents also take part in trips into nature, thanks to the support of committed assistants who take care of their children at that time, it is a time of respite for them. 
 
This is what the mother of severely disabled Paweł says about it: 
“For me and my son, Adventure Therapy trips were a fantastic experience. Spending the whole day in the bosom of nature was a good time to break away from the hustle and bustle of the city and catch your breath.” 
 
Adventure therapy, active recreation, and social tourism will be one of the topics of workshops and plenary sessions during the ISBA Conference 2023.  

*The project "Adventure Base - Center for Activity and Integration" is financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway from the EEA Funds under the Active Citizens - Regional Fund Program 

In every country, Christmas is celebrated differently. Depending on the tradition or religion, time, place and customs are different. In this article, we will shortly tell you how we celebrate Christmas in Poland. 

Poles are seen as a religious nation but the way we look at religion and religious customs these days has slightly changed. For some people Christmas and what precedes it – Advent and Christmas Eve – is the time of prayer, awaiting Christ, joy and cultivating the customs. For others it’s time for family meetings, long talks, giving gifts and wrapping up the year. 

CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS 

Before Christmas, we celebrate Advent which lasts four Sundays and ends on December 24. During all this time, in catholic and evangelical churches there’s plenty of joy and symbols that remind us that someone important is coming. Among children, Advent calendars are very popular, which are boxes filled with sweets and other small gifts hidden behind 24 doors, each for one day before Christmas. 

Christmas Eve is the day before Christmas. According to tradition, the celebration should begin when the first star appears in the sky. This is why some people call Christmas "Gwiazdka," which means "little star." In some houses, depending on the tradition, people decorate the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, in others – it’s been there since the beginning of Advent. We’ve borrowed the custom from Germany. The Christmas tree is decorated with all types of colorful Christmas baubles, chains, lights and other homemade ornaments. 

On the Christmas Eve table, we put a white tablecloth. Under the tablecloth, there’s a little bit of hay which is a symbol of the poverty in which Christ was born. For the host, the hay is supposed to bring happiness and wealth in the upcoming year. On the table, there are 12 dishes, each symbolizing one of the apostles. These dishes vary depending on the region of Poland but here are some examples: red borscht with dumplings, mushroom soup, pierogi with cabbage and mushrooms, kutia (wheatberries, poppy seeds, honey, nuts and raisins), dried fruit compote, Greek-style fish (fish in vegetable sauce) and carp which along borscht opens the feast. The supper begins with mutual wishes and sharing a special Christmas wafer, "opłatek", which symbolizes forgiveness. Additionally, Poles prepare an extra seat in case of a visit of an unexpected guest – a lost wanderer on a journey to welcome the newborn Jesus. 

The supper is often accompanied by Christmas carols and songs, both Polish and of foreign origin. The tradition says that one has to taste all the dishes to be happy and successful in the upcoming year. After the supper, the time for unwrapping the gifts finally comes. In some houses, it begins with the oldest family member, and in others – with the youngest one. But who brings the gifts? It all depends on the region, culture and beliefs. Some people believe it’s the Santa Clause and others say that it’s the Baby Jesus, an Angel, or a Star-man. Some even think that it’s Grandfather Frost. 

At midnight people go to the church for Pasterka, a special Christmas midnight mass in the name of the Christ being born, in a joyful atmosphere with singing Christmas carols. 

On the 25th and 25th of December, the actual Christmas begins. People spend time together with their families, on winter walks or visiting the graves of their closest ones. 

OLD CUSTOMS 

Years ago there were other traditions that were supposed to bring peace to the household, fertility in orchards and on fields, harmony within the family and to keep bad spirits and misfortune away. Some of them are still celebrated in some of our houses. For example, in the corner of a house people would keep decorated hay bales. Others would decorate the room with Christmas tree branches with ornaments, which was supposed to bring happiness and scare evil souls and demons off. People would shake fruit trees in orchards to foretell a good harvest and share a special pink wafer with animals which hid the souls of the dead ones that deserved respect. People also believe that at midnight animals talk with human voices and when two people meet under a mistletoe branch, they have to kiss. 

CHRISTMAS MARKET IN WROCŁAW 

In Wrocław, the capital of the Dolnośląskie Voivodeship, as in many other cities, the Christmas market is organized. The tradition began back in the 16th century and now for more than 10 years it’s annually celebrated again. The market is similar to the ones in Germany and this is where many of those wooden cabins come from. The wooden constructions which can be found both in the center of the market, as well as on Plac Solny, are modeled after traditional Bavarian houses. 

Vendors offer here products from various regions of Poland and the world, such as food, alcohol, sweets, toys, clothes, leather and fur goods and Christmas ornaments. You can also stop for a warm dish and mulled wine, and if you are looking for adventures, you can’t miss the mini-amusement park and fairytale garden. 

www.facebook.com/JarmarkBozonarodzeniowy

CHRISTMAS WISHES 

On the occasion of Christmas, the Organizers of the ISBA International Conference would like to wish you: 

Peace of mind, rest from all responsibilities, a break from work and everyday struggles, a respite from worries and stress, family warmth and time spend with the closest ones. 

We wish you many enjoyable meetings, good health and strength for your future actions, and after the rest – success and endurance in achieving your goals. 

And for the New Year, we wish to meet at the conference in a wide circle so that we can create even better and even more universal respite services. 

From: 

Fundacja Imago 

Stowarzyszenie Bonitum 

Fundacja Potrafię Pomóc 

They connect two banks of the river, the islands with the land, but also – metaphorically – make a bond between people. Bridges, the main characters of this article, are the distinguishing marks of Wrocław, which, for this reason, is often called ‘Venice of the North.’

Wroclaw has more bridges than any other city in Poland – as many as 101! And above that, it has 33 little footbridges which connect banks of numerous canals. The walking trail through Wrocław’s bridges is a great pleasure for the guests of our ISBA Conference 2033 – it is one of many options for leisure time during the afternoon. Therefore, we would like to serve a few suggestions as to what places you should focus on during the stroll.

Wrocław is the city of bridges... because it started from the bridge! Ostrów Tumski - the oldest and one of the most beautiful parts of Wrocław – today is a complex of historic tenement houses, sacral buildings, gardens, and quaint cafes. Until the XIX century, Ostrów Tumski was an island. It is the place of the origins of Wrocław: people who wanted to get to the island or leave it had to cross the river by swimming or… building a bridge. That was ages ago…  today Ostrów Tumski and the nearest islands are fringed by many colourful bridges. 

The bridges connect not only places but also people…. For a long time, on the Tumski Bridge, the so-called love bridge, citizens of Wroclaw being in love have been hanging locks on the bridge as a symbol of their affection. Unfortunately, because of their weight during the renovation of the bridge, the locks were removed and hanging them again became forbidden. However, love is stronger than any prohibitions… The tradition of hanging locks has moved then to the railing of the nearest boulevard.

The oldest bridge in Wrocław is the historic Sand Bridge (Most Piaskowy), built in the XVI century. The title of the most beautiful, however, could be given either to Zwierzyniecki Bridge, located near the Zoo, or Grunwaldzki Bridge, located near Grunwaldzki Square.

Walking around Ostrów Tumski, especially crossing the Sand Bridge, you should strain your eyes looking for another symbol of Wrocław – the dwarf Oder Washer (Pracz Odrzański). Made of bronze, a little figure round about above the surface of water is “washing” its clothes. But we have already talked about dwarves, so let’s go back to the bridges.

Some bridges connect the banks of rivers, but in Wrocław, we also have a bridge in the air. The Penitent Bridge is a construction built 45 meters aboveground. The footbridge connects two towers of Mary Magdalene Cathedral, located near the market square. It is one of the most favoured viewpoints visited by tourists, from where they can admire the panorama of Wrocław. There is also a legend related to the footbridge.

It tells about a reckless young woman who rather than working and marriage, preferred games and plays. Because of that, her own father cast a curse upon her. As penance, the girl must sweep the floor on the top of the tower all days and nights for ages. The story goes that some people have heard her moaning and the sounds of sweeping…

But that is only the legend. What about bridges nowadays? Today Wrocław also has its reasons to be proud. In the capital of Lower Silesia is located the longest reinforced concrete underslung bridge in Poland. It is Rędziński Bridge, which is 612 meters long, and if we measure it with elevated highways, it reaches 1742 meters. It is the highest construction of that type in Poland, and - last but by no means least – the Rędziński Bridge is very photogenic…

Therefore nobody should have any doubts that Wrocław is the city of bridges… Nevertheless, as it was mentioned at the beginning, the bridge is not only physical construction. “Wrocław – the meeting place” is the official slogan of Lower Silesia; it tells how the city and its habitants are perceived in Poland and abroad. The citizens of Wroclaw are characterised by open-mindedness, leading up to the meeting and creating common ground – the metaphorical bridge. ISBA Conference 2023 perfectly fits in this context, connecting people open to cooperation and sharing their experiences – people worth meeting to create bridges connecting ideas from different countries and continents.

See you in Wrocław!

More information about Wrocław’s bridges you can find on this website: www.visitwroclaw.eu/en/places/bridges

This room saved my life – not only Agnieszka’s”- confessed Katarzyna Koszelnik in the conversation, which you can listen to by playing our audio. Agnieszka was born with Prader-Willi syndrome – a rare genetic disorder evoking, among others, perpetual hunger and behavioural disorders. Katarzyna has taken custody of her older sister after the death of their parents.

Katarzyna and Agnieszka are one of the families that regularly profit from the facilities offered by Wrocław’s Respite Care Flat. Providing the carers/ families of people with disabilities a break from daily care for a relative by taking temporary custody in a specially adapted room/flat is one form of short break services.

Foundation „Potrafię Pomóc” renovated and equipped its respite care flat on the cusp of 2018 and 2019; in the middle of 2019, the first guest crossed the doorstep of the flat. It was Mr Sebastian, the bedbound person. His sister told us about her experiences:

Sebastian was provided with specialist and comprehensive care. Thanks to it, I could, for the first time, go with my mother and daughters on vacations. For us, it was a time of happiness and peace, and it was not broken by any troubles connected with taking care of Sebastian. All staff was wonderful and lovable. My brother was on a "walk" for the first time in decades. The ladies from the respite care could spend time with him outside as they have at their disposal the appropriate equipment for that (wheelchair). We are sincerely grateful for this help and heart from all the ladies.

This is what distinguishes this institute from others in Poland, Europe and even the world. Wrocław’s Respite Care Flat guarantees a week or two weeks stay and specialist care for people with disabilities, including bedbound people, severely disabled, demanding enteral feeding or assisted breathing. Our institution offers help for, among others, families of people whose disability is so severe that no other forms of respite care may be available for them. That is why the relatives/carers need so much break for respite: relaxation but also doctor appointments. Often, these people are extremely exhausted and burned out.

The Respite Care Flat of Foundation „Potrafię Pomóc” is equipped with advanced technology for the transportation of disabled people (Polly system), a specialist bed, and a nurse call system. The bathroom is adjusted to the needs of a person with a disability, including a shower bed inside. We also have an accessible lift that helps people with mobility impairment to get to the entry doors of the respite care flat.

The project „Respite Care in Wrocław Commune,” co-funded by Wroclaw Commune, involves the citizens of Wrocław and is free of charge for them. Short break services are directed to the members of families or carers who are in the custody of a disabled person with a certificate of disability or a person who needs support in daily functioning because of difficulties with handling basic daily activities due to their health state. As a part of the project, we offer, as well, psychological support in the form of support groups for families/carers. Every year around 50 people and their families use the services provided by Respite Care Flat of Foundation „Potrafię Pomóc.”

We will tell you more about this form of Respite Care during the conference in 2023 hosted in Wrocław.

When you walk around Wrocław, little bronze figures of dwarves are sure to catch your attention. Even though they are only 30 centimetres tall, you cannot pass them up, as there are almost 400 of them. They’ve certainly made themselves feel at home in the city. You might find them near various monuments, galleries, universities and even in front of hotels and restaurants.

Where did Wrocław’s dwarves come from? This fact remains unknown even for many citizens of the city….

There are many legends about the origins of the dwarves. One of them says that the dwarves were summoned by the authorities to help the habitants of Wrocław get read off an annoying goblin who had been making their lives miserable. Another version of the legend says that the dwarves have been helping the citizens of Wrocłw for ages in return for food and a place to live.

However, the historical truth is entirely different. It dates back only to the 1980s’ - the times when the underground organisation, Orange Alternative, was standing up to the censorship and absurdity of the communist era with the humour and happenings focused on political events and celebrations of anniversaries and state holidays. One of the most famous actions of the organisation was painting orange dwarves with a flower in hand in the places where the militia had previously covered anti-communist slogans. In this way, Wrocław's dwarves contributed to overthrowing communism.

Today, the dwarves remain the symbol of Wrocław and even have their own holiday. Currently, there are around 380 figures of friendly dwarves in the city. Each one is different, and they still grow in number. Taking part in ISBA Conference 2023, you will definitely meet many of them, such as Kind-One, Democrat, Helpik, as well as, Wrcoław’s disabled dwarves: Deaf One, Blind One and W-Skers (Wrocław Without Barriers). Possibly you will also have an opportunity to participate in their holiday – Wrocław Dwarves Festival organised in September.

Read more: The official travel guide in Wrocław. Places, events, monuments, restaurants.

1. Let us talk about respite services as such. What is especially notable in this kind of support?

I believe respite services are a unique and much-needed form of support because they draw attention to a group of people who are often forgotten. The closest family members, those who provide care for people with disabilities on a regular basis, who often devote all their time to that care. Like anybody else, carers also need a break. And respite services provide them with such a break, preventing burnout. It is often mistakenly assumed that the main beneficiary of respite support projects is the person living with disability, in need of care, or the elderly. However, the prime focus here is their family, people from their immediate environment. Of course, people with disabilities also benefit from respite projects.

2. The next International Short Break Association (ISBA) conference will be held in September 2023. Why should people attend?

Attending this conference is, among other things, an opportunity to see how respite programmes work in other countries. It will be a space in which we will share our experience and discuss possibilities of adopting particular ideas in our countries, where we will brainstorm to open up to new solutions and perhaps even improve them. The conference will also facilitate networking between organisations from different countries - this is always a very important aspect. An inspiring meeting among specialists is priceless.

3. The conference location, Wrocław and Lower Silesia - are they also assets of this year's edition?

Of course! On the one hand, the conference is a meeting of experts, specialists and professionals who can jointly develop innovative solutions, and on the other hand, it is an opportunity for participants to have a nice time in an interesting place - it is part of the conference programme. Lower Silesia and its capital, the city of Wrocław, have plenty to offer. Wrocław is one of the most beautiful, most visited Polish cities with a remarkable history and many modern attractions. You can read about some of them on our conference website. Lower Silesia also offers a wealth of different kinds of experience. Visiting tourists are usually delighted. I suggest that as you plan your visit for the conference, you might also consider spending a few extra days here to delve deeper into the city and the region.

4. Please, tell us about your Association/Foundation.

Our "Potrafię Pomóc" (I Can Help) Foundation was set up in Wrocław almost fifteen years ago. It emerged out of collaboration started between parents of children living with disabilities and rare diseases. We decided to work togeher to find solutions and help our children, to support other families who found themselves in a similar situation. This is how our story began, and today, the Foundation is a well-established organisation that supports around 10,000 people every year. We run the first respite care flat in Wrocław, which is also intended for people who are bedridden or require respiratory support or enteral feeding. We run assisted living projects and summer activities for children and young people with disabilities. Our initiatives in Wrocław include: Rehabilitation and Education Centre for Exceptional Children and Therapeutic Pre-school Facility for Exceptional Children. We have established the Bartłomiej Skrzyński Diagnostic and Therapeutic Centre for Rare Diseases, which is quite unique in the country, and we run the Accessibility Institute. We are happy to share ideas and keen to observe good practices, collaborate with other organisations, the local government and representatives of state institutions - we know very well that "More is Possible Together"!

1. Let us talk about respite services as such.  What is especially notable in this kind of support?

The key objective is to support families and those caring for older people or people with disabilities, to enable them to regenerate, both mentally and physically, to mitigate stress involved in performing everyday tasks, so that they can function better as they fulfil various roles in life. At the same time, it is equally important to offer e.g., people with disabilities an opportunity to take part in activities that foster their development, in line with their needs. Without these, the service will not succeed.

2. The next International Short Break Association (ISBA) conference will be held in September 2023. Why should people attend?

The ISBA conference is a unique opportunity to learn about international solutions in the area of respite and family support services. In addition, it creates an opportunity to forge connections with people from other countries, who are committed to their work and who also value the power of relationship building. For the first time the conference will take place in Poland, and since previous conferences have been organised in the US, UK, Iceland or Australia, participants from our part of Europe will now have much easier access to the event. In my view, due to the extraordinary openness of the ISBA community, it has always been more than a conference - it is an experience!

3. The conference location, Wrocław and Lower Silesia - are they also assets of this year's edition?

The event fits in with the city's long-standing policy of promoting Wrocław as open-minded, “Wroclaw - The meeting place”, or “Wrocław Without Barriers”. The city has traditionally hosted large international events such as EXPO, EURO and World Games. The overall ambience is conducive to meeting new people, given a rich cultural and tourist offer, which is true of both Wroclaw and the entire region.

4. Please, tell us about your Association/Foundation.

For more than 10 years, Imago Foundation has been a national pioneer in the development of personal assistant and respite services, accessibility, vocational counselling and adventure therapy. Our programmes currently benefit approximately 450 people per year in six different cities and regions in Poland. Networking with public administration institutions and other foundations or associations is our daily bread, a way to achieve our goals. Cooperation with our foreign partners has always been an inexhaustible source of inspiration which we like to share - in recent years we have organized more than 40 study visits for over 400 participants.

1. Let us talk about about respite services as such. What is especially notable in this kind of support?

People who care for a dependent family member on a daily basis tend to arrange their entire life around that care. As they commit themselves wholeheartedly and strive to provide the best possible care, they often forget about themselves and their own needs. Caring for a dependent person on a continuous basis can be very exhausting physically and mentally. That is why it is so important to give carers the opportunity for respite, a break from their demanding duties, a moment just for themselves, which is how I imagine respite services need to be implemented.

2. The next International Short Break Association (ISBA) conference will be held in September 2023. Why should people attend?

As a non-governmental organisation, we keep an open attitude and look for new solutions. We implement many ideas intuitively at first and then come up with proven solutions. However, we are aware that there are many such solutions and proposals, and many of them are already fully operational, including their legal aspects. That is why it is worthwhile to attend the conference - it will be an opportunity to participate in an international 'brainstorming', an 'idea factory', where we can both examine data presented by others and generate our own ideas. Join us!

3. The conference location, Wrocław and Lower Silesia - are they also assets of this year's edition?

Yes, definitely! Wrocław is a "meeting place" full of open-minded people. In the streets you can also come across little dwarf statues, among them those with disabilities. The city is the capital of truly magical Lower Silesia - you may want to see and experience its ambience for yourself.

4. Please, tell us about your Association/Foundation.

BONITUM - Wrocław-based Association for People with Intellectual Disabilities was established in 2014 by parents of adult children with intellectual disabilities. One of the Association's successes has been creating the BONITUM Community Self-Help Centre, set up in 2018. The Association organises numerous workshops, trainings, lectures both for people with intellectual disabilities and their families and friends, provides personal assistant and respite services, organizes integrative tourist trips, competes in numerous Special Olympics disciplines, cooperates in the Work Coach project. Members of the association also attend scientific conferences, co-produce award-winning THEM-movie series episodes and participate in international projects.