Success stories

Doing good feels good.

• Volunteer work on the highest mountain farm in the Bernese Oberland

  

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  Environment

  As part of its Bergeinsatz project, Caritas Switzerland places volunteers with mountain farming families in need. Recently, Jürg Grossenbacher helped out on a farm in the Bernese Oberland.

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• Livestock protection program

  

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  Environment

  Chiara and Emma report on their unique volunteering experience with the livestock protection program run by the Oppal organization on the Pontimia alp. Continuous monitoring of sheep flocks keeps predators like wolves away. The aim is to achieve a more sustainable coexistence between pasture farmers and natural predators. Meeting shepherds helps volunteers understand the realities in the field and Switzerland’s wolf problem.

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• Tree hollow habitat

  

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  Environment

  The non-profit organization FREETHEBEES carves out tree hollows in forests to provide nesting sites for wild honeybees and a range of other endangered insects that dwell in the cavities of trees. The organization’s dedicated volunteers have learned how to carve out tree hollows (called a Zeidlerhöhle in German) into living trees. These cavities serve as a shelter for many different species in need of protection, such as wild honeybees, as well as a place for these species to feed and reproduce.

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• Experience running with other senses

  

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  Social issues

  The Association «Blind-Jogging» trains volunteers to be guides for the blind and help them to do sports in the fresh air. After completing a one-day training, they accompany visually impaired and blind people on a run once or twice a week.

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• Switzerland's first Snoezelen bus is a success

  

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  Social issues

  Volunteers spent a day converting an old van into a mobile Snoezelen station for children with autism. Everyone involved put their heart and soul into this project, and did so with plenty of love, kindness and good spirits. Thanks to the hard work of the entire team, what was once an old yellow bus is now a special place full of lights, sounds, scents and shapes. It is designed to help children and young people with autism to relax, dream and experience all of their senses. “We are so happy that we can now start using the bus,” says General Manager Sandra Kalbassi with a smile. “We are expanding our school over the summer and so we plan on providing a Snoezelen room for all the children we admit,” she explains.

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Other projects already implemented

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  Saving fruit and vegetables

  UBS Helpetica has been supporting projects from Tischlein deck dich for several years, where food is saved from going to waste and distributed to people affected by poverty.

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  Hedgerow management day Lantsch/Lenz

  On Saturday, 28 October 2023, National Hedge Day, in cooperation with the Heckentag Schweiz association, took place in Zurtail near Lantsch/Lenz: 13 volunteers aged from 8 to 70, two Parc Ela employees and two farmers with tractors tended around 300 meters of wild hedge, which is part of a hedge landscape of regional importance.

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  Preserving nature and plants

  The Neeracherried provides a habitat for countless animals and plants, including populations of national importance. Without protective measures, however, problem plants such as neophytes can threaten this diversity. To counteract this, the BirdLife association organizes regular nature missions, such as the one that took place on 26 June 2023.

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  Talking is the first step

  The aim of the telephone service malreden is to alleviate the loneliness experienced by elderly people, at least for a moment. The volunteers staffing the lines listen without judging, taking the caller seriously and treating them with respect. Talking about loneliness and other difficulties really helps.

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  Sustainable use of resources

  The mission of the Repair Café Canton Zug is to avoid waste and conserve resources by restoring everyday objects that would otherwise be discarded before their time, though they could still be repaired. In this way, the association is contributing to preserving the environment and resources.

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  See the world through different eyes

  Beads of sweat and tears of joy flow at the Wiitblick event organized by the Blind Jogging association. The relay race across Switzerland enables blind and visually impaired people to go beyond their limits.

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  Volunteers lend an ear!

  Our volunteers are at the heart of our project and central to what we do.

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  Caritas Aargau project “Wohnstart”

  “Wohnstart” is focused on people fleeing harm, who are moving into their own home for the first time and need practical support. Volunteers visit the families or individuals and together they check the instructions for household appliances, ensure rooms are ventilated properly, explain how to clean carpets and floors and find out which areas the building’s caretaker is responsible for.

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  Aladdin vacation weeks

  Aladdin vacation weeks allow families with children with disabilities or illnesses, as well as their brothers and sisters, to take a week-long break from their challenging home life. Parents and children can take part in activities together without worrying about organizational issues.

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  Promoting integration

  Language is essential to coping with everyday situations, establishing a social life and achieving professional success. But what if you can't speak German? The consequences are often social isolation and major hurdles when looking for a job. The problem mainly affects migrants who often do not speak German on arrival. A volunteer project by Caritas Lucerne in collaboration with UBS Helpetica shows how integration can still succeed.