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by Michael Bernardy, Germany
As part of the Partnership project within IOYR, members of the Youth
Section within Deutsche Rheuma Liga (BAK/DRL) accepted the invitation of
the Swiss League against Rheumatism (SRL) last summer to meet with young
people with rheumatism in Zurich and surroundings.
Ute Kohl (speaker of
youth with rheumatism in DRL) and me (Michael Bernardy, Vice Speaker) had
been curious about the situation of young people with rheumatism in
Switzerland. One year before, the Swiss IOYR contact, Jacqueline Mäder
had already participated in a German weekend, so she already knew about
the “German way” to run youth work.
A large variety of different help remedies and brochures made the office
of the Swiss organisation look a bit like a mail-order house. We learned
that SRL is an umbrella organisation which serves the three regions of
Switzerland: publications have to be published in three (!) different
languages (French, German and Italian) – indeed a unique situation.
With regard to public relations, SRL has started some interesting
initiatives: there is a spot on TV which shows the problems of people with
arthritis; for a programme about aching backs called “Backademy” they
found a sponsor, who produces waterbeds.
During a meeting with a group of young people we introduced our work in
BAK in Germany:
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Three
years ago we established the so-called “Rheumafoon” – a
telephone helpline run by young people with rheumatism for young
people with rheumatism. The six contact persons in the different
regions in Germany had been educated in special seminars to answer
questions that are connected to the illness.
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Another
successful project is the planning of the national youth weekend,
which takes place every second year. It was last held in summer 1999,
with participation from Switzerland and Denmark.
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Publication
of our own magazine “Rheum-Na und?”
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Co-operation
with our national office and the parents of children with rheumatism
within a working committee.
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International
engagement within IOYR for five years.
The
exchange of information between countries like Switzerland within the
Partnership Project in IOYR in the meantime has become an important part
of our international work in BAK. It’s very useful for every country to
participate in the Partnership Project, because all members gain ideas for
their national work.
Published in Newsletter no. 4, August/September
2000 |
