An accident, a stroke, a tumor, many things can deprive someone of the ability to cope with everyday life on their own. 12,500 people with so-called acquired brain damage live in Carinthia. The “Brain Injured” network helps with a wide variety of activities to cope with everyday life. Now even with training as a disc jockey.
“As a mother, you suddenly have a small child at home and don’t know what to do with so many questions,” says Gabi Maurer, whose daughter had a car accident two years ago. The “Brain Injured” network, which Ricarda Motschilnig set up after her brother, a top-fit endurance athlete, became in need of care after falling down a staircase, is trying to provide answers should go to a retirement home,” says the full-time adult educator, who is now trying to help with all sorts of problems. “A lot of help is needed, which is not always available, especially leisure activities, which are also very important for enjoying life, are hardly offered.” A network of 300 professionals such as therapists or social workers was established, those affected are brought together regularly to exchange ideas, workshops and leisure activities are organized. After hikes, bowling rounds or drumming circles, now for the first time disc jockey courses. The specialists were brought in from Vienna for this purpose. The Fireflyclub even offers disabled people professional DJ training and then places them at festivals and company events. The premiere in Carinthia was initially a one-day course in which those interested learned how to use devices such as the mixer, mixing techniques and transitions. In the evening in the Klagenfurt café “Wohnzimmer” there was an open DJ party under the motto “Music knows no exclusion, music connects”. Sebastian, who has been a DJ for a long time despite his impairment, can confirm that it works. “It’s good therapy, I forget my disability and I’m in a different world and the people who come to the festivals are much more open-minded afterwards.”
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