- "The need for parental support is something we often encounter in contact with our young people in Erikshjälpen Framtidsverkstad," says Mattias Ingeson, Secretary-General of Erikshjälpen. "Through Föräldrakraft, we now finally have the resources to interact with parents as well.

Every year, the Swedish Postcode Lottery's surplus is distributed to the non-profit organisations it works with. By far the largest part of this is unearmarked money, known as basic support. But in addition to the basic support, there are the Dream Projects. A Dream Project always has a specific focus, such as one of the UN's global sustainability goals.

Want to contribute to safe families

Erikshjälpen's dream with the four-year project "Parental Power" is to contribute to safe and stable families. No matter where you live, parents should be able to support their children in the challenges they face in school and life.

A secure start lays the foundation for a lifetime, and caregivers play a crucial role in children's development and life choices. Good family relationships create better conditions for children to cope with adversity and reduce the risks of falling into exclusion, crime, destructive environments and abuse.
- "It is important to meet with other parents and exchange thoughts and ideas about family life and how to be a good parent," says a mother from a parent group in Motala.

Erikshjälpen Framtidsverkstad is currently located in Motala, Helsingborg, Linköping, Borlänge, Uppsala and Kristianstad. The work includes giving young people tools to influence and create positive change for themselves and their neighborhoods. With Föräldrakraft, interventions are also aimed at inspiring active parenting and strengthening family relationships.

- With many years of experience working for children's rights in different countries, we know that one of the best ways to help children is to support their parents," says Mattias Ingesson.

Building bridges between parents and the community

Erikshjälpen Framtidsverkstad sometimes meets parents who express a lack of confidence in their own abilities and who find it difficult to reconcile present parenting with challenges linked to finances and working conditions. Distrust of authorities can be great, so Erikshjälpen wants to act as a bridge builder to various agencies in society in addition to parent-strengthening measures. In this way, public resources and interventions can be made available to many more people.

Erikshjälpen will also develop meeting places in each location for inspiration, commitment and exchange of experience.
- "Erikshjälpen now has the opportunity to develop an existing business with new perspectives. It is important and urgent," says Anders Årbrandt, Managing Director of the Swedish Postcode Lottery.

February 24 marks the start of the fourth year of war in Ukraine. Russian attacks continue to cause fear and insecurity for children. Recently, there has been talk of a potential peace in which the US would negotiate with Russia. But there are many concerns about what such a peace could mean. What is clear is that even if the bombs stopped falling tomorrow, the children of Ukraine still have a huge need.

Since the beginning of the warn 2022, Erikshjälpen has been on the ground in Ukraine. Part of our work includes material support and emergency aid, but also psychosocial support to give children safe places in the chaos. The psychosocial support serves as anshelter from the war. Children are given a place to play and be creative as a way to process what they have been through. Quite simply, a place where they can be children. This is work that must not stop just because peace is in place.

New partner organizations

To strengthen the work in the country, Erikshjälpen has started working with three new organisations on the ground in Ukraine.

Erikshjälpen has previously cooperated with the organization Women Consortium of Ukraine (WCU). The organization has extensive experience in humanitarian interventions, both before and after Russia's full-scale invasion. WCUU supports families with children with cash, food, hygiene items, legal assistance and psychosocial support. Now theoperations in the country have been expanded with three new organisations.

- When the new Social Services Act comes into force next year, it will be crucial that we intensify work on preventive interventions for children and young people, said Camilla Waltersson Grönvall. For this we neede need a strong civil society that can build bridges and contribute with its resources and knowledge.

During the Children's Rights Conference at Jönköping University, around 300 participants from schools, social services, health care and the non-profit sector gathered to discuss how child participation can be strengthened. Through lectures and panel discussions, they discussed how adults can become better at including children in important decisions.

- "Every day, Erikshjälpen Framtidsverkstad meets committed children and young people who want to be involved in the development of society," says Mattias Ingeson, Secretary-General of Erikshjälpen. "But society needs to create structures where children's voices are taken seriously and have a real impact.

In one of the panel discussions, socialtMinister for Social Affairs Camilla Waltersson Grönvall, Police Commissioner Carin Götblad and Jönköping County Governor Brittis Benzler. They shared their perspectives on child participation and were questioned by young people from Vetlanda Youth Council and Underground Råslätt.

- As a as a minister, it is obviously important to listen to children's voices if you are to drive credible changee, said Camilla Waltersson Grönvall.

The day included lectures and seminars on children's rights and how adults can work to ensure that children are heard and taken seriously in decisions that affect their daily lives. By bringing together experts, politicians, civil servants and young people, the conference is an important platform for promoting children's rights work both in the region and nationally.

The government's new aid reform, and Sida's announcement that it would terminate existing agreements, risked putting an end to several of Erikshjälpen's interventions in the world's most vulnerable countries.

Erikshjälpen has previously had its Funding through the Swedish Mission Council (SMR), but now a process was started where they had the opportunity to apply for funding directly from Sida. An application was submitted together with the British organization Cord.

- "With the changes that have taken place, we feel it is time to take this step," says Mattias Ingeson. Cord contributes valuable expertise in areas such as conflict management and peacebuilding, which complements our child rights-based approach. Something that is becoming increasingly important in many of the areas where we operate.

Erikshjälpen has now been invited to a first dialog meeting with Sida on November 6 to get more information about the upcoming application. There are still questions to be answered, such as levels of support and what further selection looks like, but Mattias Ingeson is cautiously positive.

- We are happy and excited to have come this far. I do not want to pre-empt the dialogue that we have with our partner and with Sida, but as I see it, we definitely have the capacity to double our interventions compared to today.

An in-depth application must be submitted to Sida by February 1, 2025.

Activities coordinators Damir Softic and Mariam Zaoujan tell us how Erikshjälpen Framtidsverkstad has developed and how they see the future. During the anniversary, we get to meet Ismet, one of the first young people at the future workshop in Adolfsberg. Today he is a committed leader himself.

- The Future Workshop means a lot to me. Here I have gotten help with school, practiced in the second-hand shop and gotten help with finding my first job. I have participated in various leadership trainings and now I organize football trainings and tournaments for other children in the area.

It is in Erikshjälpen Second Hand's shop at Måndagsgatan 6 in Adolfsberg that children and young people's dreams for the future take shape. At Erikshjälpen's Future Workshop, they get the opportunity to explore their driving forces, strengthen their abilities and feel that they can influence the development of their own neighborhood.

- For many, it's simply about finding their voice and daring to believe that it matters," says Mariam. "With us, each individual is supported to develop, not only as a person but also in community with others. It's about more than just activities - it's about building self-confidence and faith in the future.

The celebration included a breakfast with cake. The guests included various professionals working with young people in the area. Neighborhood police officers, social services and politicians, who all meet the same young people, but in different roles.

- " Erikshjälpen Framtidsverkstad is the glue that holds our collaboration together," says Christina Wideland from the City Planning Office in Helsingborg, who works with "Mitt Adolfsberg" and the "Trygghetsprojektet". "We are so happy that you are here to stay.

Collaboration was indeed the key word of the morning. Around the coffee tables, both opportunities and challenges were discussed. Lenah and Olivia, area police officers in Adolfsberg, talked about the concern they felt after Adolfsberg's leisure center closed last year. But how safety in the area could still be maintained by Erikshjälpen together with actors from the City of Helsingborg and various youth associations filling the void together.

- "Many people in Adolfsberg don't even believe they have a future," says Lenah. "Together we can build trust and confidence in the adult world and instill hope in young people.

Gudrun Brunegård met with Erikshjälpen's Secretary-General Mattias Ingeson, Sweden Director Birgitta Johansson, and International Director Anders Malmstigen. They discussed the government's aid reform agenda and its potential impact on civil society organizations.

Anders Malmstigen particularly highlighted the importance of organisations such as Erikshjälpen being able to continue working in countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali, where both the EU and Sweden are now considering withdrawing their support. He emphasized that Erikshjälpen's future interventions in these countries depend on the future distribution of aid from Sida. 

Gudrun Brunegård shared the work that has been done so far and the processes that lie ahead. She agreed on the need for a long-term approach in development policy.

- I have great confidence in Erikshjälpen's commitment and work, both in Sweden and abroad, says Gudrun Brunegård. 

The meeting is one of several important steps in the dialogue between politicians and civil society on the future of aid and how Swedish civil society organizations can continue to contribute in the best possible way.