Neighborhood centers in Sweden 1912-2012

IFS-conference in Stockholm 22 May 2012 Ulla Bergqvist fotoarkiv Ronny Bengtsson

Toynbee Hall, London

Samuel Barnett: Why settlements?

The basis/starting point is the conditions of the local life as a part of a global vision

Strong societies/ communities and positive social reforms depend on personal communication over social and economical barriers

Natanael Beskow

1899, London Robert Browning settlement

Social, economical changes

Industrial, bad conditions, children working… People moving from countryside to town Labour movement Social justice Class barriers No female voting rights

Birkagården 1912

Läsestugan Birkagården Elsa Beskow Female network around Natanael B Ebba Pauli also visited settlements in

London

Important women in the ”Network” around Natanael Beskow Ebba Pauli (middle), Herta Svensson and Dagny Thorvall (left), Emilia Fogelklou, Gerda Meyersson, Kerstin Hesselgren (right)

They wanted to make life easier/brighter for those living in the shadow. They wanted to be the spokesman of these people

They understood that the problems in the society which affected these people couldn´t be solved without politics

But they also understood that behind all questions of political and social nature, there are people/human beeings

And you don´t understand the people, if you don´t know them

And its impossible to know people, if you don´t live very close to them

Vision Civil service/community service of neighbourhood centers Artikel i Studiekamraten 1943 by Natanael Beskow

Dagny Thorvall, first director,Birkagården

Vision-adult education

Practical outcome, lots of children and youth

Läsestugan Birkagården

Elsa Beskow, author and artist

”Folkhighschools”-adult education

Countryside,residential schools for adults

Birkagården 1916 first city-based school

Birkagårdens Folkhighschool 1919-1920

Followed by………………..

Södergården, Stockholm 1916 Nordgården, Göteborg 1919 Hemgården, Norrköping 1926 Vintergården, Örebro 1928

Initiatives by Women

Other examples of background

”Shooting workers” in Ådalen1931 Kramfors

Financial crash of Kreuger 1930- Jönköping

”Bad boys” in Dragarbrunn 1941 Uppsala

Nordic development

Norway Fossgården 1920 7 settlements 1939 Denmark Christian students settl. 1912 Askhovsgarden 1943 Finland National org. 1918, Kalliola 1919 Informal meetings from 1924, First formal conf. 1931 Sweden

Riksförbundet Sveriges hemgårdar

1937 11 neighbourhood centers (14 in Sweden) Natanael Beskow, president, (then 4 men until 1988 a

women was elected) Reinforce cooperation (local independent centers)

Subsidies from government

Change of name (adapation)

1937 Nat.org. of neighbourhood centers 1958 Nat.org. of youth- and neighbour-

hood centers 1969 Nat. org. of leisuretime- and

neighbourhood centers

1990- Fritidsforum

Political involvment????

Should youthleaders engage themselves in politics?

Examples of important issues

1940- Open door for refugees (jews, finnish, norwegian..)

1940- Open activities for youth (Hans Jensen)

1950- Centers for all (not only youth) 1960- No drugs in youthcenters-campaign

1970- Community work, develop methods 1980- Peace and environmental work 1990- Girls work, equality, policies for quality 2000-