Here4U

WHERE

Rudbeckianska gymnasium

Västerås city

Sweden

WHAT

Here4U started in 2002 at a school in Västerås. A group of teenage students wanted to make the school a safer place for all. They knew what was going on in the corridors and around school. , One of the staff members was appointed to support the group, and together they started here4U. The group got bigger, and after a while other schools heard about them and also started their own groups with young people.
Today - about 50 schools have active here4U-groups. About 600 children and teenagers are members at their school. The young ones (9-12 years old) are called here4U Junior, and the older ones (13-19 years) are here4U.
The groups do a lot of things - the young ones do things like "Play of the week", lunch discos, making here4U-days at school and so on. The older ones focus more on working together to make the school a safer place, working against bullying, racism, violence and for friendship. Each and every young person in school and beyond is important. Some groups collect money and clothes for the homeless, do activities for refugees - one group even went to Greece to help.
All groups have one or two adults/tutors, working at the school each semester to help them forward. The adults in the network meet three times each semester, to learn more and discuss important topics. The students also have meetings regularly, based on respect, equality and inclusion.
Here4U is also a non-profit association, including counseling for boys (13-25 years old). Anyone can be a member of the here4U association. The association also provides activities for young people in volunteer groups called Brotherhood and Sisterhood. Members of Brotherhood and Sisterhood can additionally work in a Bigbrother/Bigsister-program, where they can act as a role model and support for a younger boy or girl who needs, and wants, a big brother or sister.

PURPOSE

Working together to make the school a safer place, working against bullying, racism, violence, empowerment and for friendship. Here4u group of Rudbeckianska gymnasium, have together prepared the following values:
Here4u on has one goal: to do our best for you at the Rudbeckian gymnasium to be as good as possible. To make you feel safe, fellowship and joy.
Everyone at school can contact Here4U. This applies both if you think somebody is feeling alone or otherwise insecure, and if you feel alone or otherwise insecure yourself.

WHEN

Continuously, mostly during school semesters

SCORE

Effective
Gender and culture sensitive
Doable
Participatory
Replicable and adaptable
Assed

RESOURSES

Clothes
Flyers
Posters
Roll-up
Website
Facebookpage
Meetings
Contract, rules that h4u members follow
Activities
Language friend
Lunch friends for those students who are back alone in the lunch room

LINKS

Good practice overview

Effective
Gender and culture sensitive
Doable
Participatory
Replicable and adaptable
Assed