On 15 July, 19 children completed the Summer Day Camp of the Children's University of the USB Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, which was prepared for them by teachers and students of the school for a whole week.
The main theme of the camp, ‘Healthcare professionals in action’, was filled with lessons in first aid, physiotherapy, newborn care, and children also learned to communicate with a blind friend, look at the world under a microscope, and even tried elements of self-defence. On Thursday, they took a day trip to Hluboká nad Vltavou, where they went on foot and returned by boat. The day camp was based in the FHSS USB building on U Výstaviště Street and lunch was provided by the refectory of the University of South Bohemia.
The summer day camp, like other Children's University sessions during the school year, is rooted in the faculty's focus on helping professions in the health, social work and security fields. The faculty has had years of experience with Children's University, and each time the offering is met with great response and the class capacity fills up quickly. This is because they always prepare a varied programme so that the children learn knowledge and skills useful for everyday life in a fun and playful way. This is also appreciated by parents who brought their children not only from České Budějovice and its surrounding areas, e.g. from Boršov, Hluboká nad Vltavou or Hosín, but even from distant Kardašova Řečice.
One of the main topics that children enjoy very much and parents always appreciate are the basics of first aid. The day camp started with this lesson this time: on Monday, children in five groups treated ‘patients’ with suspected spinal fractures, open leg fractures, arterial bleeding on the forearm, stroke and epileptic seizure. These are situations they may encounter on the street, at home or elsewhere in everyday life – anyone who knows how to react quickly and correctly can save someone's life. Equally important is the ability to help effectively in other situations, which is why the children learned, for example, how to carry a friend up the stairs. In the afternoon, they took on the role of rescuers even further and had to cope with situations that, owing to the impressive camouflage, required a greater dose of courage and professionalism.
The visit of two blind women to the campus of the University of South Bohemia on Wednesday was a stimulating experience. Martina Izingová, who became blind as an adult after an injury, came from Plzeň representing the Návštěvami POTMĚ project. The children were very interested in her story and especially in her guide dog: a female golden retriever named Bianka. Šarlota Hambergerová from České Budějovice, the director of Spolu s vámi, z. ú., who has been completely blind since birth, also talked to the children about how to behave towards the blind but also about how a person with a visual impairment perceives the world and what aids they have to make everyday life easier. The children did not hesitate to ask them anything about their private life, they were very interested in different kinds of aids and especially the dog of course – they immediately started talking about their pets and all of them took the opportunity to pet Bianka. ‘We often visit children's groups and camps and our experience is that children carry this experience with them and then are not afraid to approach a blind person and offer help. At your camp we met very skilled children who already knew a lot about the topic – it is clear that your camp is health-oriented, so the children have a greater awareness of it and are also very empathetic. We are grateful for that, because the more we can spread this awareness, the better,’ summed up Šarlota Hambergerová from České Budějovice.
More information and photos:
Alena Binterová, M/ 702 031 926, E/
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