SAILING CAMP IN THE MASURIAN LAKE DISTRICT
with psychological workshops for children with developmental dysfunctions

DATES:

Jul 12, 2010 – Jul 25, 2010

PLACE:

The Masurian Lake District, start – Wilkasy.

FINANCED BY:

Częstochowa City Council, own resources.

AGE OF PARTICIPANTS:

Gymnasium (junior high school) students from the Częstochowa area with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia or dysorthography.

STAFF:

A sailing instructor and certified yacht skipper, an educator, gymnasium teachers who are also certified coastal yacht skippers, psychologists from the Jagiellonian University.

OBJECTIVES OF THE TRIP

To foster a desire to get to know Poland better in the young people taking part.

To teach the gymnasium students the basics of sailing.

To help overcome developmental dysfunctions.

To provide participants with a summer break working on a sailing boat.

To actively explore the Masurian region.

To integrate as a group and to break down barriers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TRIP

Very few young people at gymnasium age want to explore our country. This group does not hold the pursuit of qualifications in activities such as climbing, skiing, kayaking and indeed sailing, in particularly high regard. School students prefer to spend their time in front of the television or computer instead of exploring the country and gaining new skills. Among them, young people with developmental dysfunctions such as developmental dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and dysorthographia constitute a special group. These young people frequently have low self-esteem and quite often they are not accepted by their peers. Unfortunately, quite often they are not accepted by their teachers either. This state of affairs is not conducive to the formation of attitudes of openness to the world and other people.

The activities proposed aim to change this state of affairs. Sailing is the sort of activity which demands teamwork and openness to the world and in addition provides the opportunity to see many places of natural beauty and historical significance. In our program we would like to combine three major elements: exploration of the Masurian lakes and environs (such as Hitler’s former headquarters in Gierłoż, the Masurian Canal, the Boyen Fortress, and post-Teutonic Order castles); hands-on learning to sail a yacht together with group integration through teamwork; and daily workshops on creativity and coping with dysfunction. Taking part in the voyage, there will be 15 Częstochowa gymnasium pupils who have difficulties arising from dysfunctions. Enrolment will be carried out in several Częstochowa gymnasiums in agreement with educators and administrators at the schools.

The staff will be composed of experienced sailors along with teachers and psychologists. The entire group will be led by a teacher from Cracow gymnasiums and high schools who is also an employee of the Jagiellonian University with a Ph.D. The psychologists will be responsible for running the daily workshops for the children for at least two hours every day. These workshops will be carried out both “on the water” and “after landing”. The yacht skippers will be responsible for sailing the yachts, teaching and demonstrating sailing skills and techniques, teaching about the area and for the day-to-day care of the children. The participants’ safety will also be monitored by an experienced lifeguard from WOPR (a Polish volunteer lifeguard organisation). On the first day of the event, participants will be trained in first aid and the use of life-saving equipment as well as what to do in the event of the boat capsizing.

TRIP ITINERARY

On the first day the group will go to Giżycko by train, where everyone will clean and tidy the yachts together and the first psychological workshops will be conducted. The following days will be spent sailing on the lakes – weather permitting. Visits are planned to place such as Mikołajki, Giżycko, Ruciane-Nida and Pisz. Participants will sleep and take their meals on the yachts or around campfires during stopovers at timber-rafting stations. Both participants and staff will be responsible for supplying and preparing meals. This activity will increase the children’s self-reliance and sense of responsibility. Alongside these activities, psychological workshops and sailing lessons will be held regularly. Apart from sailing, several hiking and cycling trips are planned, including, among others, one to Gierłoż, one along the Masurian Canal and one to K.I. Gałczyński’s forest cottage in Pranie. Participants in the trip will be covered by accident insurance. It is expected that these young people will gain self-confidence, get to know the environment around them better and gain concrete skills to help them manage their dysfunctions and weaknesses, thanks to having learned about sailing and taking part in the psychological workshops.

KEY DATES FOR CAMP

End of June, 2010: meeting with trip participants and a presentation of the conditions of the camp.

Jul 12, 2010: departure for Giżycko by rail.

From Jul 12 to 24: sailing on the Great Masurian Lakes, excursions planned for towns: Giżycko, Mikołajki, Pisz, Ruciane-Nida, daily workshops with psychologists and teachers along with sightseeing of the region, including places such as Gierłóż, Giżycko, the Masurian Canal.

Jul 25: Clean-up of the yachts and return journey to Częstochowa.

TYPICAL DAY DURING THE CAMP

8:00 a.m. – wake-up call

9:00 a.m. – preparation of breakfast by designated individuals (those on watch)

10:00 a.m. – camp clean-up, putting the yachts in order, set sail

10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – sailing on the lakes, instruction on the basics of sailing, one-to-one psychological workshops (weather permitting)

6:00 p.m. – arrival at the campsite, putting the yachts in order, meal preparation

7:00 – 9:00 p.m. – psychological workshops

after 9:00 p.m. – preparation of campfire, sitting around campfire, singing, chatting, etc.

ACCOMMODATION

All accommodation will take place on Orion and Bez-4 yachts lent by the Sailing Section of the University Sports Association at the Jagiellonian University. These kinds of boats sleep 3 to 4 people.

FOOD

Food will be prepared by the participants and staff together. Groups of people (watches) will be designated, who will be responsible for meal preparation, taking care of the campfire, cleaning, etc. on a rotating basis. A second officer (intendent) responsible for purchasing food and handling financial matters will also be appointed.

TRANSPORT

All participants will travel to Masuria on the through train from Częstochowa to Giżycka in the care of the staff. The return trip will follow the same format. In Masuria, apart from yachting, hiking and cycling excursions are planned.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THE CAMP

The young people taking part will learn about sailing and take an interest in it.

They will learn the basics of sailing.

They will see the historical sites of the Masurian Lake District.

They will gain skills which will help them cope with dysfunctions such as dysgraphia, dysorthographia and dyscalculia.

They will have greater self-confidence.