L’Arche Benediktus

L’Arche Benediktus is a community of people with and without intellectual disabilities (ID). We are a member of L’Arche, since 2018. However, as an organization, we exist since 2000. L’Arche Benediktus was since its founding a community project inspired by the “community model” of L’Arche. We believe in every person’s ability to contribute to society, regardless of any intellectual or physical limitation a person might have. We strive to create a place of life and work where every person can grow, through 1. developing healthy, interdependent relationships based on mutual respect, 2. the continual social and work formation for people with ID and 3. the creation of a stable home environment. Within the Czech legislative framework, we work accordingly to the law of Czech Republic. As such we’re a professional NGO that provides care for people with ID and for people requiring sheltered workplace environments. L'Arche Benediktus has a professional team of employees in both social services and administration, as the basis of the successful long-term realization of the community and social services projects. L’Arche Benediktus owns a house in Chotebor and an area in the village of Modletin. In Chotebor there are administrative offices, meanwhile in Modletin, there are sheltered housing, workshops and other facilities, such as fruit orchard, vegetable gardens, timber kiln, sewing room, maintenance workroom and accommodations. Modletin is located within the protected landscape area of Zelezne hory. Objects administered by L’Arche Benediktus in the Modletin area are of a historical importance to the locality: old vicarage (sheltered housing, workshops currently), spa (now workshops and accommodations), and church building. The objects serve as housing and as a place for work opportunities; others are used for religious, cultural and leisure activities. PROJECTS: 1. SHELTERED HOUSING, with a capacity for 6 persons with ID (clients). Our aim is to create a home environment for our clients and employees (assistants) who accompany our clients in their daily chores, such as cooking, house cleaning, personal hygiene, leisure activities, etc. There’s also a great emphasis to simply live life, to celebrate together, pray and play together, to go out, to share all the little things that make our lives easier to tackle with. 2. SHELTERED WORKSHOPS, for 13 clients, developed in 2 programs: a. SOCIALLY THERAPEUTIC WORKSHOP (STW), where clients develop progressive working ethics and healthy social habits, through activities such as gardening, property maintenance, weaving, cooking, pottery making, computer and literacy skills training, cultural and social activities attendance, artistic processes fomentation. Among the activities are: - Fruit drying. Clients work in the process of elaboration and packaging of dried fruits. The method used is tray drying by heated air; fruits are apples, pears, peaches, and tomatoes. Fruits are grown preferably through organic farming and an incentive is put on the capability for own means of production. - Gardening and maintenance workshop. Clients realize work activities within the area owned and administered by L’Arche Benediktus. Activities include landscaping, wood processing, repair and construction work, property maintenance. These activities include made-to-order working business where clients and assistants also do maintenance and gardening work, for third-party customers. - Woodworking workshop. Clients elaborate on objects, such as children's toys, from wood. - Music therapy. L’Arche Benediktus has a musical band – BeneBend – which plays its own music and tours regularly (15 concerts as for 2019; tours in France and Poland). Membership consists of people with and w/out ID, and all participate in the creative process. Recently, in 11-2019, the band published its second album. - Pottery workshop. Clients work in elaboration of decoration, utensils and other objects made from ceramics. b. DAY SERVICE CENTRUM