Page in simple language
Assistenz Organisation - AO
Persönliche Assistenz ermöglicht Menschen mit Behinderung
a self-determined life
Who is personal assistance for?
Personal assistance is for adults with a disability.
These people need help in everyday life.
It doesn't matter how severe the disability is.
How much help is available?
Some people only need help for a few hours a day.
Other people need help around the clock.
Everyone gets the help they need.
What are the benefits of personal assistance?
People with disabilities can live independently.
They can live in their own home.
They can determine their own lives.
You don't need a home.
They do not have to be cared for by the family.
What is special about it?
You decide how much help you want.
You choose your assistant yourself.
You tell the assistant what to do.
You decide how the tasks are done.
What does the assistant do?
The assistant performs all tasks.
For example:
- Care
- Household
- other aids
Everything comes from one person.
The tasks are not divided up.
The video shows how important the ZSL is to a long-standing member.
The person speaks from personal experience.
Important topics are:
Co-determination
Personal assistance
Self-determined living
This means:
Everyone can shape their own life.
What customers and employees say about us
Team Rudi Flaig:
„We are a team at one of ZSL's long-standing customers. Several of us have been working for ZSL for many years. Some of us also work here as a second job. Our day-to-day work is varied, with tasks such as care, housework, accompanying people to therapy and leisure activities. We experience great appreciation and a lot of trust from the customer. It is important that the interpersonal relationship is right, as we often spend many hours together. We work in a good team with competent team leaders.
We particularly appreciate the working time models offered by ZSL, as these fit in well with our personal life plans.“
Manfred Schumann - Assistant to Rudi Flaig:
„For me, supporting my customers in organizing their everyday lives is an extremely meaningful activity. I've been with ZSL since 2012 because it represents self-determination as its overriding principle. In my job as a geriatric nurse, I experienced paternalism towards people in need of help more than enough, so I am glad that this is not the case here.“
Rudi Flaig - Customer:
„I'm Rudi Flaig, I've been with ZSL since 1998 and I have spasticity. I used to live in a care home. I didn't like it at all in the home and that's why a friend told me about ZSL. That's why I ended up at ZSL and the assistants make me feel very comfortable. Every assistant accepts me for who I am.“
Marie Sieger - customer and employee
„I'm Marie, 25 years old. I moved to Erlangen for my studies and have been living with assistance organized by the ZSL ever since. I have now completed my degree and am working on my doctoral thesis. The fact that this path was and is possible for me is largely thanks to organizations like the ZSL and the many dedicated and motivated assistants.
Assistance enables me to live and work independently and to organize my everyday life according to my needs. I don't take it for granted, but it is a key prerequisite for a self-determined life.
I am at ZSL because the focus here is on self-determination and at the same time a lot of organizational work is taken off my hands. The ZSL was set up and is run by people with disabilities for people with disabilities - you can feel that in everyday life. I particularly appreciate the wide range of assistance organization, advice, events and political work.
In addition to my role as a customer, I run training courses on topics such as the relationship between assistants and customers, self-determination and closeness and distance. I am also a member of the association council and contribute to the strategic development of ZSL.“
Ella Armstrong (assistant):
„Ella, 63 years young - I started working as an assistant for physically disabled people about 3 years ago, coming from a skilled trade (cook).
The move to ZSL was a heartfelt wish.
For me, my work is a give & take with heart & mind, as in any good relationship.“
Mohammad Salah Karim (Hama) (assistant):
„I've been working at ZSL e.V. for over 11 years and no two days have ever been the same. And that's exactly what I love about my job: that every customer and every day is different and I never know what to expect that day. In addition to my care work, I've also been able to accompany customers to university or to Franconian Switzerland, walk dogs, help around the house, ... - in short, everything that comes up, in a very varied, spontaneous and individual way. As I look after customers at home, it feels very familiar. As an assistant, I love helping where my customers need it and making them happy. I have also been able to learn a lot from my customers, e.g. I was allowed to cook my first Franconian dishes for my customers. But of course I haven't missed the opportunity to prepare a Kurdish dish for them either and so far everyone has been happy with it. The working hours fit well into my life with two small children. I hope that another 11 years or more at ZSL e.V. will follow.“
Become a personal assistant - a job with purpose
Would you like to help a person with a disability in their everyday life?
Then you can become a personal assistant.
As an assistant, you help a permanent person.
For example:
in the household
on the road
for appointments
for care tasks
You need:
Reliability, openness and enjoyment of contact with people.
The work is important and meaningful.
You get direct feedback and learn a lot.
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