Students Build for the Homeless

At Yrkesgymnasiet in Gävle, a vocational upper secondary school, learning and community engagement are uniquely intertwined. Recently, the school took part in the Raoul Wallenberg Academy’s Cube Programme, where students across Sweden learn about human rights by reflecting on and working with the decoration of a display cube. Instead of following the usual pattern, the school’s students built an overnight cabin for unhoused people in collaboration with human rights organisation RIA Hela Människan.

“We wanted to carry out a project with practical elements as we believe in less talk, more action,” said Principal Linda Swedén.
The programme is based on the EU’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and in Gävle, the idea was to decorate the cube according to Article 25, which concerns the right to an adequate standard of living. However, the cube itself didn’t quite meet the school’s expectations.

“The cube wasn’t a container as we had thought; it arrived in a small, foldable package. So, our original idea was no longer feasible. But we didn’t give up, instead we thought outside the cube,” said Linda.

Teachers and students saw an opportunity and contacted RIA, which runs a shelter in the area. They expressed their need for an overnight cabin, and thus the project began. One of the school’s tool sheds was converted into a so-called transition unit, equipped with electricity, water, and basic facilities. The materials and furnishings were largely sponsored by partners, such as the companies where students have their internships (APL).

Practical work linked to the course objectives

In building the cabin, students from different programmes worked across skill areas, connecting their work to course goals. In maths class, students created drawings and calculated the amount of material needed. In vocational classes, the work was based on those drawings, and in Swedish class, they presented the product. This allowed students to apply their knowledge in a real-world context, enhancing their learning.

“By working across subjects in a project like this, students gain much more than if they were just working on separate subjects,” said teacher Therese Laurila.

The original cube also serves a purpose. Placed in the school’s common room, it is a display where work on the overnight cabin is documented. For the students, working on both cubes has been an additional source of motivation.

“It’s amazing to see how engagement is contagious and how a project can take off when done well,” said Therese.

The programme concluded with a digital exhibition where all participating schools could share their work. The cabin has been transported to RIA’s property, where the organisation is handling its maintenance. RIA will also decide who will stay in the cabin and for how long.

“The fact that the programme results in a final product that will make a real difference for someone in need is a huge added value to the schoolwork,” said Therese.