First group of facilitators receiving training
The first training to form ICDP facilitators in Germany started with 6 participants in Hannover, during the weekend from 7th to 9th of February, 2025.
ICDP trainer, Rita Crecelius, had received support from two organizations which enabled her to start giving training workshops – the Institute for Early Childhood Education and Development in Lower Saxony (nifbe), represented by Merle Drexhage and Gisela Röhling, and the leading Institution for Adult Education in Lower Saxony, AEWB, represented by Christel Wolf. Rita met these three women in October 2023, and introduced them to the ICDP programme. They immediately recognized that the ICDP approach was strongly needed in context of care and especially in early childhood education in Germany. Consequently, they organized several workshops giving Rita the opportunity to spread the message of ICDP in many parts of the country, in various areas and especially in the Daycares of Lower Saxony. From the many caregivers that had received training from Rita since 2019, some individuals were hoping to get a chance to become facilitators to train new groups of caregivers.
At present, there are 6 participants who are about to become the first ICDP Facilitators in Germany. We see them on the photo above, from left to right in the sitting position: Elisabeth Berg, Jasmin Batel and Ana Vàzquez-Zimmermann. Standing behind, are from left to right: Naira Kocharyan, Inge Wehking, Rita Crecelius (Trainer) and Christel Wolf (AEWB). One more participant, Jörn Blume, is not on the photo. This group of trainees spent three wonderful days in the nice rooms of AEWB in Hannover, exploring the miracle of the 8 ICDP Guidelines of Positive Interaction and getting inspired by the enormous power of the essence of human care. It is a great honour for me, Rita Crecelius, to take the ICDP flame to Germany, which was once ignited by Karsten Hundeide, Henning Rye and Nicoletta Armstrong, ICDP founders. Thank you for all your support and inspiration!
Workshop in Munich
On Saturday, the 22nd of February, about 18 people from different care backgrounds gathered in the Subud house in Munich for a workshop with Rita Crecelius. She introduced them to the ICDP programme with small exercises, video material and stories from her experience as an ICDP facilitator. In summary, most of the participants were amazed to realize what a profound contribution caregivers provide to humanity after becoming aware of their own responsibility as caregivers. In addition, the interconnection between self-care and care for others became obvious; most of the workshop participants were members of the Susila Dharma International organization, leading projects for social support in countries all over the world. Some of them were already in their eighties, but still very present and alive. Thus, it seems to be proved, that conscious caregiving is a way to stay alert and healthy in old age.