Enriching work at the Wildau print shop

Andrej Grünberg stands almost motionless in front of a printing machine. What at first glance looks like inactivity is actually highly focussed work: he listens to the clattering machine to make sure it is working perfectly. Andrej Grünberg turns round, raises a thumb and smiles: everything is in perfect order. The 59-year-old works in Wildau near Berlin at the "Druckstift" day care centre for people with mental illnesses. The centre is run by the Hoffnungstaler Stiftung Lobetal.

Andrej Grünberg is a very experienced printer. He quickly realises when something goes differently than planned. And usually with his ears. "I know every sound the machine makes, and if something doesn't fit, I can hear it," he says. His hearing and his knowledge are of great importance to BTS. Not only because it enables the small print shop to produce and distribute the products customers want. But also because Andrej Grünberg is able to fulfil another task at the same time: As an employment assistant, he instructs people with mental disabilities on possible activities during ongoing printing operations.

David Gründler, for example. The 34-year-old is working with the stapling machine just a few steps away. It feeds A4-sized sheets of paper from various stacks and staples them together in a predetermined order. Andrej Grünberg now joins him at the machine, looks and listens to see if he can manage. David Gründler nods - let's get on with it.

BTS Wildau is a social participation programme for up to 20 clients who are not yet or no longer able to attend a workshop for people with disabilities due to their illness. They have the opportunity to work in the print shop and help with cutting, sorting and franking mail items, for example. In the creative area, they can do ceramics and pottery work, handicrafts and sewing or upcycling old clothes, as well as helping out in the kitchen preparing meals and familiarising themselves with household processes.

Andrej Grünberg enjoys working with the employees. He remembers a former employee who began training as a printer after her time at BTS. "She came by later, thanked me and told me that she got straight A's at vocational school because she had already learnt everything from me. That was of course an incredibly nice moment," says Andrej Grünberg. At the same time, it gave him a new perspective to learn about the worries and hardships of people with disabilities. For example, he always looks at political decisions from the perspective of the impact they have on people with disabilities. "I find that enriching," says Andrej Grünberg. And takes his leave. He now has to go back to listening to the printing press.

Text: Philipp Kreutzer | Photos: Frederic Schweizer