Experiential and individual pedagogy

Since 2023, SOS Kannerduerf Lëtzebuerg has extended its range of pedagogical support measures to include experiential education and individual pedagogy.

Experiential education is a scientifically recognised approach that can be applied in many areas of childcare. It has proved particularly effective in the care of young people with complex behavioural problems. Individual pedagogy is proving to be an increasingly important intervention tool for crisis intervention and for dealing with young people with attachment disorders.

Furthermore, the need for authentic and direct experiences with their environment is increasing in a population of children and young people who are becoming more and more distant from their natural roots and are falling into a growing sense of isolation in the face of global digitalisation.

By encouraging children and young people to discover their limits and then overcome them by leaving their comfort zone, experiential education strengthens self-confidence and a sense of self-efficacy. Activities in pairs or small groups promote team spirit and cooperation and create an important basis for building trust.

When climbing, hiking, canoeing or doing playful tasks in nature, children and young people can take responsibility for themselves and others, develop conflict resolution skills and strengthen their own personality.

In experiential education, specific spaces for experience are set up in groups or individually. The resources and competences activated through this can then be transferred to coping with everyday challenges, e.g. to overcome fears / anxieties or to improve stress management and self-regulation. In addition, working in a group promotes a sense of belonging, team spirit and empathy.

Being close to nature in its "untamed" state can also raise awareness of respect for the environment and sensitise people to sustainable development.

Overall, experiential education has a positive influence on the balanced personality development of children and young people and helps them to cope with difficult situations with composure and self-confidence.

The project includes a range of outdoor activities, all aimed at developing specific competences, of which the following are the most important:

Physical competences: strength, coordination, mobility, endurance, balance, fine motor skills.

Personal competences: self-confidence, knowing and overcoming personal limits, accepting challenges, realistic assessment of one's own abilities and limits, concentration, self-control.

Social skills: Cooperation, communication, team spirit, sense of responsibility and empathy, problem-solving skills.

Safety skills: High sense of responsibility, special attention to one's own safety and the safety of others.