Home News and current The Walnut Sponsorship Contact Install Flash Player to view this image fragment De Okkernoot from Vollezele is a home that offers housing, occupation and short-term care to people with autism or autism spectrum disorders. De Okkernoot was founded by a committed group of volunteers in 1991 and was recognized by the Flemish government as an official institution for the reception and accommodation of persons with disabilities in 1998. Several expansions followed. An important expansion in 2006 brought the number of “beds” to 54. The capacity thus realized is still far from sufficient to meet the need for reception and accommodation places. De Okkernoot continuously receives urgent and permanent applications for admission of people with autism or with a disorder belonging to the spectrum of autism, the waiting list currently consists of about eighty people. Here we find that especially for (peripheral) normally gifted persons or mildly mentally handicapped persons with autismat the moment there is virtually no supply in terms of facilities. Indeed, people in this group are often left out, because traditional institutions do not offer appropriate guidance to these often better functioning people. However, many attempts to get these people to function in normal working and living conditions fail. De Okkernoot accepts the challenge of offering a solution to this target group. To this end, it was urgent to look for a suitable new location. De Okkernoot came into contact with the Sacramentine Sisters, who were looking for a solution for the empty old monastery building in the Cypriaan Verhavertstraat in Halle. After fruitful discussions, it has now come to a long lease for a term of 35 years. The spacious monastery garden is part of the leasehold and offers added value to the stay of our clients. In 2006 De Okkernoot was expanded by ten places. Since April 2007, De Okkernoot started with two living groups in its new location The challenge for De Okkernoot is twofold: the target group of persons to be accommodated is new and the method of approach and integration must be apparent from experience; the need for housing is so great that in April 2007 the first group of residents was housed in the monastery. The renovation work on the inhabited areas was done entirely in-house. In the future, the wings yet to be renovated will also be fully funded by De Okkernoot. That is why De Okkernoot, as it did in Vollezele, appeals to the logistical and financial support of the neighborhood and the community of the Halle region. Contribute your financial contribution! Donations to De Okkernoot are tax-deductible: pay into account 068-2255276-53 and state “donation”. For bon vivants, De Okkernoot offers very solid wine for saleevery year. Request the leaflet at de.okkernoot@skynet.be or by telephone on 054 56 74 53. Navigation Home News and current Short stay Home not working Other forms of assistance in De Okkernoot Daytime activities Autism Vision Organization chart History and future User advice Volunteers Partners in care Sponsorship Our sponsors February 8, 2015 Pancake tray [ JPG ] Vacancies (update 25/11/2014) For our location in Vollezele we are looking for an enthusiastic member Huismother / father [ PDF ] Copyright © 2014 De Okkernoot vzw. contact us