Camphill Lebensgemeinschaft Rheinland Pfalz gGmbH

The Camphill Residential Community Königsmühle is a small social therapeutic institution for adults with disabilities, located in the town of Neustadt an der Weinstraße in southwestern Germany. The Camphill is made up of 5 teams: 3 residential groups, 1 workshop team and 1 administration team. Life in this community is centred on the special support, care, and assistance for the special needs resindets in their daily life and at their work. These residents work in one of the 4 workshops: housekeeping, woodworking, the house garden, or the creative workshop. The work atmosphere and contact among residents and staff is based on mutual trust. Adult people with disabilities are not to be educated, but above all have a right to self-determination and participation. Consequently, social therapy is not directed at the Individuals but shapes the social environment (infrastructure of work, life and culture). This should be physically accessible on the outside, but also give everyone the opportunity to understand the connections on the inside. People of unequal abilities should be able to participate. By shaping the environment prevent deviations that lead to abuse and violence. The basic attitude in social therapy is always open, unconditional and interested towards people in need. This includes a firm belief in the counterpart's ability to develop and the conviction that many learning steps are possible which are not yet apparent in the present. Here it quickly becomes clear that community building can not only remain an offer of housing, but must also include the areas of work and culture.