The STONOšKA Club is one of many clubs under the Association of Parents and Friends of Children with Disabilities in the Czech Republic. The club focuses on effectively utilizing the free time of its members, who are children and young adults with any type of disability, without age restrictions. Our goal is to develop social skills and thereby increase our members' ability to integrate into society. We also focus on educational activities, craftsmanship, socio-emotional learning, and practical skills. Another aspect of our club is organizing residential events for both the children and their parents. These events aim to provide relief to parents from the daily care of their children. The most important goal for us is to give all members a sense of belonging and to meet their needs.
The history of our club dates back to 2004 when our current chairwoman took over the leadership of an already established club in Kroměříž. At this time, the club's headquarters moved to Bystřice pod Hostýnem, where it remains today. At the first meeting in November 2004, held at the Sokolovna hall, the children chose the name STONOšKA. The letter "š" in the middle of the word is a deliberate error representing the developmental differences of the children the club supports. Since that year, the club's activities have been in full swing.
The club has achieved many successes over the years. Many children and parents have been part of the club during this time. Currently, the club brings together families not only from the Bystřice pod Hostýnem region but also from Ostrava and Olomouc. The club's activities have expanded to include a day center, and the club's activities, which were initially held one day a week, have increased to two days a week. Residential events are now organized not only for children with their parents but also for the children alone. We also organize various educational trips. Thanks to the cooperation with high school and university students, as well as siblings of children with disabilities, we have built a strong base of assistants who support our club and are also great friends to our children. We see great success in the professional development of the leaders of individual groups, who continuously educate themselves.
Currently, the club is housed in commercial premises owned by TON a.s. Located in a picturesque square, the facilities include a playroom, a workshop, a kitchenette, and an office. Children and leaders have access to a large number of didactic games and special aids for their work. However, as our activities expand, these spaces are becoming progressively smaller and less adequate for our needs.
