There has been a children's home in Reichersbeuern for six years.
In the "Villa Südwind" boys and girls find a new home - at least temporarily.
Reichersbeuern - The pink house with the large balcony on Bahnhofstrasse in Reichersbeuern looks friendly.
That the house is a children's home would not come out immediately.
And when you enter, the many shoes and jackets in different sizes in the entrance area tend to suggest a large family.
The results after six years are consistently positive
Like a big family. The nine children live together in the "Villa Südwind". The house has been in Reichersbeuern since 2015. Until they are of legal age, children from all social strata and age groups can find a home in the remedial education group and are looked after by educators and social workers. Now, after six years, Camilla von Berg, the director of the children's home, takes stock for the Tölzer Kurier. And that is consistently positive overall.
For example, children and young people come to the “Villa Südwind” when their parents cannot look after them due to their own problems.
"It is very important that we do not judge the families of origin," explains Camilla von Berg.
“The parents will always be the parents,” she explains.
“The children also see their parents on a regular basis, and regression into the family is the top priority.” Nevertheless, von Berg is pleased that the children call the “villa” their home.
"We don't want to replace the parents and know that we are not like parents."
Six years ago, von Berg decided to open the children's home.
Before that, she was a foster mother for years and took children to homes.
“But the homes were often not ideal,” she says.
And even in foster families you often get to feel the "rivalry of birth parents".
“We don't want that here,” says von Berg.
"We don't want to replace the parents and know that we are not like parents."
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She is satisfied: Camilla von Berg in the kitchen of the “Villa Südwind
© Pröhl
In contrast, the “Villa Südwind” relies on a family-like concept.
Every child has their own room that they can furnish according to their taste.
In addition, the young residents should be offered a lot.
For example, you can take music or horse riding lessons.
It is practical that the villa has its own horse.
“This is primarily a therapy horse, but you can also take riding lessons with it,” explains von Berg.
"We try to enable experiential education with animals."
The “Villa Südwind” relies on donations for many things
Such activities cost money.
The home is financed by daily rates from the youth welfare office.
However, since these are scarce, the “Villa Südwind” relies above all on donations.
"We put this into therapy, further training and homework supervision," says the head of the "Villa".
“At school, we provide extreme support.
The children all go to high schools, ”says von Berg.
"We also attach great importance to exercise and nature and try to make everything possible for the children." But that doesn't always work.
“The ski club would be ideal for two children, but it's too expensive.
And you can donate something for that, ”says the director of the children's home.
New employees are being sought
Soon there will be personnel changes in the "Villa Südwind", reports von Berg.
Because because of pregnancy or retirement, some employees leave the "villa".
“We therefore need new employees,” explains the manager.
“Otherwise, everyone is there from the start,” she says.
"That speaks for the house as a workplace."
But there is also a change among the residents of the facility: a girl leaves the house at the turn of the year.
“She is now 18 and is going back to her family,” explains the director.
But she emphasizes that the children can always return to the “villa”.
Contact & donations
Anyone interested in working in the "Villa Südwind" can contact Camilla von Berg on 0177/7 77 98 98 or via email to villa-suedwind@web.de.
Donations for Villa Südwind can be made to this account: Villa Südwind charitable UG, IBAN: DE87 4306 0967 8217 9832 00
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