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Students Build for the Homeless |

When Yrkesgymnasiet in Gävle participated in a charity program, they did it their own way. They combined community engagement with education by building a cabin for the homeless.

At Yrkesgymnasiet in Gävle, learning and community involvement are uniquely intertwined. Recently, the school took part in the Raoul Wallenberg Academy’s Cube Program, 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 the homeless in collaboration with the human rights organization RIA Hela Människan.  

“We wanted to carry out the project with practical elements, as we believe in less talk, more action,” says Principal Linda Swedén.  
The program 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 we simply thought outside the cube,” says Linda.

Teachers and students saw an opportunity and contacted RIA, which runs a shelter in the area. They expressed a 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 Tied to Course Objectives

In building the cabin, students from different programs worked across subjects, connecting their work to course goals. In math class, students created drawings and calculated the amount of material needed. In vocational classes, they worked practically based on those drawings, and in Swedish class, they presented their 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,” says teacher Therese Laurila.

The original cube also serves a purpose. Placed in the school’s common room, it acts as a display where the 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,” says Therese.

The program concluded with a digital exhibition where all participating schools could share their work. The cabin will then be transported to RIA’s property, where the organization will handle its maintenance. RIA will also decide who will stay in the cabin and for how long.

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

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