Castberggaard

Castberggaard folk high school work with deaf, hard of hearing and recently deafened people in terms of educating and empowering them. The folk high school has a holistic pedagogical philosophy that takes also the social, linguistic and cultural aspects into the account when planning, coordinating and executing the pedagogical work. We strive to create a safe, informal learning environment where we encourage our students and participants to engage inothers’ learning process by sharing experiences, capitalising one another’s resources and skills and being accountable to each other. We offer a various number of short - and long termed courses both in the national and international level. The staff is fluent in danish and international sign language and the staff is consisted of deaf, hard of hearing and hearing workers. Our aim is to create the educational and social environment where everyone feel being included instead of excluded, and the primary aim of our education and pedagogy work is to equip our students with specific tools to take advance of in the future education and work life. The above mentioned specific tools has its starting point in strengthening the resilience of the students and short course participants. We strengthen their resilience by providing a practical and theoretical knowledge in the following subjects: sign language, deaf community, deaf culture, history, sign linguistics and mentor them when they discover their personal strengths and strategies to utilize when navigating in the society that is not designed for visual people. Recently deafened participants are also introduced to different technical aids that support their daily life and communication, and we co-operate with the employment agency (Castberggård job - og udviklingscenter) that operate in the same institution as the folk high school. 'Navigator', the education and job training program that belongs under the employment agency is a national program for deaf and hard of hearing young people aged 18-26. The folk high school and the employment agency cooperate when running this education program. The aim of this program is to ensure the young who attend the program on the length of 1-3 years will find a direction for their future; what they desire to become and what kind of skills and capabilities they need to improve for achieving the future direction. The students have also opportunity for job training for finding out what kind of job they match best, and besides the education they also try living independently on the campus of Castberggaard. The overall aim is to increase the individual sense of being independent and improving the educational, social and personal tools of the students so they will be better capable to build their own future. Besides the daily teaching hours we also provide social activities like sports, culture, communication and creativity workshops in the evening hours. There is no another place like Castberggaard in the national and international level, we provide also an unique international education program called 'Frontrunners' (www.frontrunners.dk), the program has existed since 2005 and over 172 young deaf people has been through this project management and leadership education program on the length of 1 school year. The ambition of the Frontrunners is to equip international students with theoretical and practical knowledge combined with their individual abilities, skilles and desires so they in time will be able to act as catalysts for a social change and work for a more inclusive society. The Frontrunners education program co-operate with European Union of The Deaf Youth and we have had two succesful Erasmus + project for strengthing the network and cooperation work of the deaf youth organisations in EU, and we also co-operate with the Danish association of the Deaf, the danish association of the Deaf-blind. Not to forget to mention the Danish Youth Association of the Deaf (DDU) who is our partner when carrying o