The Näktergal Project in Växjö 2009 – 2016 : Report

• Näktergal is a mentoring project. Students from the university work as mentors for such children in the age of 8-12 who are regarded as non-affine to higher education. Aiming at the development of a child´s wish to participate in higher education in the long run, during eight months the mentor meets the child once a week for 2-3 hours and for mutual enjoyment, and learning. Näktergal leaves the planning of the activities to the participants; it provides for an organizational structure (management of the bookings, the matchings and evaluation, meetings, training for the mentors, certification and evaluation).The main idea behind Näktergal is to balance out and work for a recruitment of certain social groups to university and, at the same time, to contribute to the understanding of the social and cultural differences that arise in the relationship between a pupil and her/his mentor. The differences between the both sides are seen as advantages, “[…] as the whole idea was to get to see the other person as an individual and not as a spokesman for a particular group, religion or ethnic identity.” (Sild Lönroth 2007, 5). The focus is thus on impartial mentorship for children who do not have an affinity for higher education, seen as individuals. They shall get supported in developing their positive attitude towards higher education.Anyway, Näktergal is designed as organizationally framing intercultural learning in a mutual, balanced and equitable relationship between a supposingly highly educated adult and a child who does not yet have a positive attitude towards higher education. As I understand Sild Lönroth, the participants shall be supported in their transcultural learning. `Trans´-cultural refers to a learning `across´ or `beyond´ cultures, whereas `culture´ is not automatically limited to ethnicity or nationality, but also includes different education.The topic of this report is a proposal of the conzeptualisation of the mostly practical concept by referring to scientific terms and the empirical evaluation of the general acceptance of the project.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

mentoring

higher education

transcultural learning

Pedagogics and Educational Sciences

Pedagogik och Utbildningsvetenskap

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

rap (ämneskategori)