What do we expect from the visits to these places? The children should associate themselves with the person or the phenomenon we show them, both positively and negatively. They should feel involved. Then we will have achieved a positive effect, even by visiting a prison, for example. A person wanted to steal something or to break some law, and this is what happened to him as a result.
– Let’s say that children went to a hospital and saw some negative phenomenon. How is this information processed and how are the conclusions drawn?
– Normally, we hold discussions. We come back from the hospital, where we videotaped everything. And we record everything on the same day, so the entire day is devoted to this topic. Also, before the trip we hold a briefing, where we show and tell the children what they will be experiencing. At the hospital, a doctor or a special tour guide explains to us where we are, and what happened to whom. He takes us to see the hospitalized children and tells us how they are being treated and what is happening to them. The children themselves also talk about what happened to them. We record all of this on video and every child takes his own small notes. We even prepare white robes for them, and generally, all of this is done in an attractive, intriguing way.
When we come back, we start discussing this entire process, but from a broader perspective: Why does the hospital exist, how does it work, what do the different doctors specialize in, how do the children get there, and so on.
But most importantly, they also see the benefit of the entire hospital staff, the doctors, nurses, and attendants, as well as the medical drugs, and so on. We show them how humanity depends on various professions and forms of activity, and how all of this comes down to helping people. But on the other hand, they see that a person has to take care of himself so he won’t end up in a hospital and become a burden for other people who now have to take care of him.
We have to think about what we can do so we don’t become a burden on other people. This is already a correct conclusion: When you want to climb somewhere dangerous, first think about the fact that not only will you break a leg, but other people will have to take care of you. And this is a serious “weight” to carry. This is a good conclusion to make.