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12/02/10 | Hazel Oak School, Ski 2 Freedom Foundation in the ski resort of Montgenevre
Hazel Oak School, Ski 2 Freedom Foundation and the ski resort of Montgenèvre all meet for the first time in France to give a group of pupils with learning difficulties and autism their first ski holiday.
Ski 2 Freedom Foundation and The Ski 2 Freedom Mountain Guide for Disabled and Adaptive Skiing and Winter Sports provide information on ski instruction to help a group of teenagers from Hazel Oak School, Soihull to learn a new skill, gain enormous self-confidence but more importantly have fun and experience a whole new and exciting challenge.
In learning any new skill it is very important that a young person is given the right level of instruction and care. When such a group have a variety of learning difficulties, autism, Aspbergers and face other similar challenges this factor is even more important to achieve the outcome that everyone aspires to.
Kate O’Hara from Hazel Oak School first contacted Catherine Cosby, the Director of Ski 2 Freedom, in June 2009 to discuss ski instruction for one pupil with Cerebral Palsy. The school wished to organise its first ski trip for a group of pupils aged 15 – 17. The school would be using the specialist services of Equity Ski (a company based in the UK and well established at organising comprehensive school trips). The inclusive holiday would not only comprise travel, accommodation but also one ski instructor for the group.
However, Mrs O’Hara felt that this might not be sufficient as one of the pupils who wished to go had cerebral palsy and she wanted advice from Ski 2 Freedom as to whether an additional ski instructor would be required. Having discussed the situation with Ski 2 Freedom the school decided to raise the funds to book a second instructor.
This scenario would not be ideal but at least it would give everyone a better opportunity to learn to ski. It was in December 2009 that, with great pleasure, Catherine Cosby was able to telephone the school just before the Christmas holiday to say that if it would help, the Foundation would be able to provide a third instructor for 3 days.
Mrs O’Hara was just so delighted and they both agreed that Tommy, the boy with CP would then be assured of the best start in his ski life! She told Catherine that in fact two other young pupils would probably benefit from this small class and therefore she accepted on behalf of Hazel Oak School the funds provided.
A school ski trip offers access to a new language, culture, food and experiences
The week of the 23 – 30 January 2010 saw pupils of Hazel Oak School, near Solihull in the UK enjoying the snowy mountains in the beautiful resort of Montgenèvre.
This gem of a village is located 1850m high up in the Haute Alpes of France on the border with Italy. This charming village, where all the major amenities are within a stone’s throw of each other, makes it a perfect location for young people with special needs to gain confidence, face new challenges and enjoy the magic of the mountains. Its reputation as a ski resort for disabled, adaptive and special needs people is well earned. As the village is on the Col both sides offer extensive skiing for all levels. On one side of the street is the village on the other side is situated a most impressive snow-garden with three magic carpets and an extensive area for beginners and debutant skiers and snowboarders.
There are chair-lifts and a tele-cabine which take one to the upper slopes. Montgenèvre really is ideal for disabled skiers whether skiing on skis or using a sit-ski or kartski – having mastered the snow-plough it is possible as a beginner to be transported up to the high snowy pistes and at the top take a beautifully groomed green run all the way back to the village. For the more advanced skiers there is a choice of blue and red runs with black ones for the more adventurous skier.
Ski 2 Freedom meets Hazel Oak School
The Director of Ski 2 Freedom, arrived in the French ski resort of Montgenèvre on 25 January 2010 as a guest of the Montgenèvre Tourist Office and to join up with the staff and pupils of Hazel Oak School. The invitation generously extended to Ski 2 Freedom by the tourist office was to enable the Foundation to see how the resort lends itself so perfectly for disabled skiers, their families and friends.
On Tuesday 26 January Ski 2 Freedom met up with the group from Hazel Oak School at their hotel Les Rois Mages – “it was wonderful to finally meet up with Kate O’Hara and to meet the students”. The Director wished to see what progress was being made by the group of three who were having the ski instructor provided by Ski 2 Freedom and so spent a happy afternoon in the snow-garden. “What an experience it was! It was incredible to see the three pupils who had never skied before confidentally using the magic carpet, snow ploughing and just laughing and enjoying the whole mountain experience! It was an emotional moment and one I will not forget”.
The Headteacher of Hazel Oak, Amanda Jones, and Kate O'Hara later told Catherine that they were so thrilled by the reaction of all the pupils to this first ever school ski trip. The self-confidence and enthusiasm being shown by all the teenagers some of whom have autism or aspbergers and whose general confidence in strange locations, or with crowds of people can be somewhat tricky, was to these two amazing women just unbelievable.
Wednesday saw Ski 2 Freedom skiing once again with the pupils of Hazel Oak School. This was an exciting time and the progress being made was amazing – the group of three mastered the art of taking the Poma and this gave them the opportunity of trying steeper slopes. Even a little slalom technique was shown. The following day Marielle from ESF Montgenèvre felt that Tommy, Louise and Taylor were confident enough to go up in the chair-lift and take the long green run from the top back to the village.
How a single week in the mountains can make a difference
Thursday morning gave Ski 2 Freedom the chance for one last meeting with the pupils before they set off for their skiing. All the pupils thanked the Foundation for helping with organising the ski instruction. The comments as to how each one as an individual felt about their experiences so far were incredibly illuminating. "I think I want to work in a ski resort; we have learnt about new food; learning a new language; meeting new people”........ All of the group said they want to return next year............ they all felt that it had changed their lives and one could see the difference this trip had made.
There is a feeling of magnitude and spirituralism about the mountains of Montgenèvre – one feels the force of nature and all its healing powers. It is an ancient area of geographical importance and the extraordinary Alpine Ocean which can be found high up in this area of French/Italian mountains must also add something to the magic of the place.
The Director of Ski 2 Freedom has always maintained that the mountains have a healing quality – well it certainly seems justified when one sees the results of what happens when a group of teenagers with learning difficulties and daily challenging disorders arrive in the mountains for the first time and leave confident and aware that this experience will have given them life-changing opportunities!
It was a life changing experience not only for the pupils but also for the teaching staff and for the Director of Ski 2 Freedom. This trip certainly proves that Ski 2 Freedom is meeting its aims and objectives and giving public benefit. This new group of young Ambassadors in using skiing and the mountains to gain self-confidence and new life-changing skills will, we hope, ensure that their experiences will encourage others to do the same. It was an exceptional few days and Ski 2 Freedom is looking forward to a long and happy friendship with the staff and pupils of Hazel Oak School.
Hazel Oak School helping young people to a better future - Catherine Cosby, Director of Ski 2 Freedom “It was such a pleasure to meet the staff and pupils of Hazel Oak School. It is a school led by a head teacher whose own vision for the future of young people with special needs inspires not only her staff but, the pupils themselves. To take a group of students on a ski trip is no easy undertaking at the best of times but for this first trip by pupils who need extra assistance it was a different challenge. However, everything I saw about the way these students reacted to the skiing, the location, their overall behaviour was truly astounding – I do believe that many teaching staff from other schools would have been envious of how this group so easily became involved in every aspect of the holiday. Favourable comments from both the ski instructors and the hotel staff endorsed my own thought that these students were a credit to the school.
I was humbled by the way this group of teenagers showed such courage and determination to learn a new, and not easy, sport. I have worked with many young people teaching them to ski and told the group of three that I had never come across any who showed such achievement so early on in their holiday. It was the greatest of fun to ski with Tommy, Louisa and Taylor and I hope that I will see them again next year! – thank you Hazel Oak School for your determination, ability to laugh and have fun and for being a group of exceptional young people. You have gained skills and experiences on your holiday which will last a life-time and give you the opportunity to do something special with your future.”
Jan 2010
