March 12, 2024
Youth Democracy House, Kbh K
Unfocused - Paths for Everyone
Dorte Bukdahl from Mobilize, Mette Feifer from Dansk Erhverv, Tobias Simonsen from Coop, Vibeke Normann Andersen from SUS and Lyng Brøndum Dyrholm from BL - Danmarks Almene Boliger, Sine Egede Eskesen from Bikubenfonden, Janne Koefoed Jørgensen from Frontløbernetværket.
Jesper Christiansen from the Bikuben Foundation talked about how to set the framework for working with complex challenges by designing system-changing portfolios. Lukas Grøndal, Cecilia Riisgaard and Lærke Linea Hansen shared their experiences of going from being experience experts to co-creators of solutions in their work with Paths for Everyone and how they have experienced sharing their experiences of being outside of society's mainstream communities.
Since 2021, the Academy has been working on the change agenda Paths for Everyone to create pathways to jobs, education and communities for all young people. The initiative started with an ambition among a number of Academy members to influence The Danish Reform Commission , led by Nina Smith, so that young people's experiences and perspectives became a central part of the foundation of the commission's work. Today, Paths for Everyone consists of a coalition of more than 40 organisations across civil society, businesses, educational institutions, foundations and municipalities working together to bring about fundamental change in the systems around young people.
Youth power, cross-sector collaborations and an ambitious and innovative approach to how we create societal change are the pillars on which Paths for Everyone rests.
On March 12th, the Academy gathered at the Lab to revisit the work that has been underway over the last few years and to qualify the portfolio of initiatives and actions that are taking shape in Paths for Everyone. At the same time, we used the Lab to reflect on what we can learn about social innovation approaches from the work with Paths for Everyone.
The input to The Danish Reform Commission and the knowledge base on which Paths for Everyone is based is created based on young people's own experiences and stories about finding their way in the education system and youth life.
For today's lab, three of the experience experts who have been involved all the way - from storytelling camps, to developing proposals for a better future for young people, to presenting the input to the members of the Reform Commission and debating experiences and proposals with the Minister of Employment at Folkemødet.
They shared their experiences of being part of the development, their reflections on the impact Paths for Everyone has had on their lives, and their opinions on what we need to pay attention to in the future if we are to succeed in creating pathways for all young people.
"Often what speeds things up is not action plans and pressure, but being genuinely listened to and having our challenges recognized."
"Create opportunities rather than limitations. I was told I couldn't do an internship as a librarian. But when I met someone who listened to me and understood my interests, we found a solution. Now I work in a library." .
Jesper Christiansen, Program Manager at the Bikuben Foundation, presented A Road to Everything's approach to change, which is based on system change and portfolio thinking. The coalition and the development secretariat are currently working to establish a portfolio of initiatives that together contribute to pursuing the overall ambitions, and to ensure dialog and coherence between the various development platforms that make up the portfolio.
At the Lab, work was done to qualify the development platforms and initiatives that make up the portfolio. Among other things, the focus was on companies as a learning arena, strategic cooperation between municipalities and civil society, transitions in primary school and youth-led employment efforts. In addition, work was also done on the narrative of what learning and education is.
Paths for Everyonehas only just begun. In 2024 and beyond, we will put effort into launching new development platforms, as well as involving and mobilizing current initiatives that relate to the One Way for All focus, so that we can learn from each other and together with young people create a future of community, education and work for all young people.
If you are interested in learning more about Paths for Everyone , you can read more at www.envejtilalle.dk or contact Clara Dawe, at clara@akademietforsocialinnovation.dk
