THE protagonists of queststo adventure are children and adults with disability, mental or social discomfort. Tender Foundation (since 2007) invites them on board a troublesailing boat flying the flag of the Navy which is called Nave Italia. “For five days their lives will be turned upside down. Will be sea life: an experience so emotionally strong that it can change their lives even once they return to land», explains Angela Maria Campo, a psychologist at the Foundation.
Solidarity projects on board Nave Italia 2023
The Nave Italia 2023 solidarity campaign will set sail on April 4 from the port of La Spezia to touch, throughout the spring and summer period, various Italian ports. On board, in the company of the Navy crew and the scientific staff of the Foundation, they will go up 23 non-profit associations and organizations of the third sector.
Cancer patients, with disabilities or social discomfort
Any examples? Among the realities that will inhabit the space of the brigantine, Sleeping Gems, association that deals with preserve fertility in cancer patients. But patients suffering from will also be on board multiple sclerosis (Espresso’s journey promoted by the University of Verona – Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement). Young people with disabilities that prevent them from expressing themselves verbally (The Ship of Signs). And patients between 12 and 19 years of the Oncohematology Department of the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital in Rome (Full speed ahead against cancer).
Still, students from poor and marginalized communities of South Africa (Academy to Italy!, promoted by The Royal Cape Yacht Club Sailing Academy of Cape Town). A group of elderly and dementia sufferers (Travel and Wellness in the frail elderly, promoted by the University of Bergamo and the Together with You Association). And some guys blind or visually impaired with mild intellectual disability de The House of Lights (Navigate to Vista)
How the projects of the Tender Foundation work
You get on board with a group of composed professionals from a corordinator of project from the Foundation and by educators, psychologists, pedagogists of the participating institution. But also with the sailors of the Navy, which will involve everyone in life on board. «Whoever sets foot on the brig becomes a full member of the crew: each with a role, becomes part of the group, of a team», explains the psychologist. The memory of the hospital, of the discomfort, of the prejudice with which one is normally treated if one lives with a disability or comes from a problematic family, remain on the ground. A boy in a boat is just a boy with a rope in his hand that he has to pull it well for the sail to move in the right way. No one remembers, and reminds him, of his daily toil and his problems.
Adventure therapy
“Approaches to basis of the success of these projects are theOutdoor Training and Adventure Therapy (Tda)», explains Campo. «Nave Italia represents a natural, adventurous, exciting, fun, inclusive that allows a rapid recovery of autonomy and self-esteem, calls for emergence of resources unexpected and demolishes prejudices. The radical change of places, relationships, rules and habits stimulates behavioral changessuch positive and lasting”. Not only, the results are then transferred, back on land, to everyday life of home life e society, improving the quality of life. And engraving su training, habilitation, rehabilitation processes.
‘Since the development processes, to produce significant effects on the person must have a certain temporal continuity, the methodology is declined through 3 phases», explains the psychola: there are the activities of preparation to Earth (pre-shipment), the 5 days of navigation (boarding) e processing and dissemination of the experiwithout returning home (post-embarkation).
The history of Nave Italia
Nave Italia is one of complementary activities that the Armed Forces carry out in favor of the community. From 2007 to today she has embarked approx 7,000 people between special passengers, operators and volunteers dedicated. 336 projects supported projects. Only in 2022 they enjoyed the “Nave Italia method” 239 beneficiaries and 91 operators: children, adolescents, adults, even the elderly with dementia who experience disability and hardship.
«Discipline and sharing are healing tools»
«Going on board, facing the sea has become metaphor of an unstable lifelike the waves of the sea” explains Paolo Cornaglia Ferraris, Scientific Director of the Tender to Nave Italia Foundation. «But then everyone discovers that proximity, discipline and sharing are healing tools. Those who were convinced that they could not succeed, discover new resources, surprise themselves and others and conquer new energies. The love for the sea and nature become the conquest of a different life. Everyone forgets their limits, enriching the other with originality.
A method that is good for the weak but also for their caregivers
«Upon returning», continues Cornaglia Ferraris, «the emotions become indelible memories of an improbable change, yet achievedwhich turns everyone into a special sailor. Who hugs them when they return he says: “I didn’t think he would succeed”. And he will be forced to rethink his own way of seeing fragility and care pathways. The “Nave Italia method” is good for the weak, but also for their caregivers».
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