Do international field studies
Due to changing financial conditions for Södra Vätterbyggdens Folkhögskola (Svf) and Erikshjälpen, the course Distance Learning with International field studies will be paused in 2024 and 2025.
In the coming years, Erikshjälpen will review the course's content and Funding with the aim of being able to offer people between 20-30 years a similar experience to what the course offers today.
About international field studies
International field studies is a course for those who want to develop and gain new knowledge about child rights and sustainable development. By participating in the course, you will also have the chance to grow as an individual, gain new perspectives and experience completely new things. The course is aimed at those aged between 20 and 30. No prior knowledge is required.
The course has previously been organized by Södra Vätterbygdens folkhögskola together with Erikshjälpen.
Questions and answers about the course
The Distance Learning Course with International field studies is divided into five parts; Self-preparation, Preparation Course, Conducting field studies, Follow-up Days and Final Information Mission.
Own preparations
Once you have received your admission letter in mid-autumn, you will start your own preparations. They consist of the following:
- Obtain passports, visas and vaccines. Start this process early as they may take longer than you think. You are responsible for getting it done.
- Two assignments: a country study and an interview with a former field student
- Get in touch with your field study partner, the course participant you will do your field studies with.
- Digital coordination with your supervisor at the partner organization where you will do field studies .
Part 2: Preparation course
The preparation course runs during week 4, from Monday to Friday. The course takes place on site in Jönköping or Huskvarna. The course takes place partly together with students from the Global course organized by Södra Vätterbygdens folkhögskola. The preparatory course is mandatory and an important foundation for your field studies.
During the preparatory course, you will be offered accommodation and food at Södra Vätterbygden Folk High School at cost price.
During the week you will
- get to know this year's field students
- more information about the country and project you are visiting
- deeper knowledge of Erikshjälpen
- cultural understanding and knowledge of the world
- review of assignments and tasks
- information on how to best manage your stay abroad
Part 3: Conducting field studies
Now it's time to travel! You will be on site in your assigned country for four months, together with another field student. You will be assigned a supervisor who will be on site, and you will have the opportunity to contact Erikshjälp's course coordinator remotely.
You decide how the study period will look like
Tell us what you can, want and wish to do during your time in the country. Together with your supervisor, you and your field study partner will shape what your study period will look like.
Communication assignment for Erikshjälpen
During the course, you have a number of communication assignments from Erikshjälpen, which you must submit to Erikshjälpen's course coordinator.
The assignments can look different, but the purpose is to give you a greater understanding of the work being done in the country you are visiting, while Erikshjälpen can use your material in, for example, Erikshjälpen's magazine, social media or web. It can be about taking over Erikshjälpen's Instagram story for a week, interviewing children in a project, photographing or writing a report on the work in the place you visit. The assignments are shaped according to who you are as people and what prior knowledge you have in photography, film or writing.
Part 4: Follow-up days
After returning from the trip, all field students are invited to three follow-up days in Jönköping or Huskvarna. During these days, you summarize the course together, process your experiences and prepare for the final information mission. During the follow-up days, you will be offered accommodation and food at Södra Vätterbygden Folk High School at cost price.
Part 5: Final information mission
After returning home, each field student must carry out at least eight information assignments where you tell about your experiences in different ways. Together with Erikshjälp's course coordinator, you will agree on how to do this. The information assignments can be to give a lecture, organize an exhibition or run your own fundraising.
The course starts in January week 4 with a preparation course on site in Jönköping with accommodation at Södra Vätterbygdens folkhögskola. The trip to the country you will do field studies in takes place at the end of January and your stay abroad lasts for about four months. When you return home, there will be a few follow-up days before the course ends in mid-June.
Questions and answers on costs
- International air travel
- Travel during the study period in the field linked to your placement
- Accommodation in the country of study
- Insurance during the study period
- Travel in connection with a number of information missions
- Travel to and from recruitment day
- Travel to preparatory course
- Travel to follow-up days
- Passports and visas
- Accommodation and food at the preparatory course*
- Accommodation and food on follow-up days*
- Vaccinations and possible malaria prophylaxis
- Travel to airport in Sweden
- Food in the country of study
- Private costs
The cost of the course is estimated at around SEK 15 000 - 20 000.
The distance course with international field studies is a folk high school course, which means that you are entitled to a CSN grant, for the entire course, full-time.
You can choose to take a CSN loan for the course, in addition to the grant. If you only take the grant part for this time, it is estimated that you can get around 15 000 Swedish kronor (SEK) without taking a loan. Your study time is estimated at 20 weeks.
The grant will be able to cover some of the costs of living in the country you end up in, such as food costs.
Questions and answers on placement
- You can request a specific country in your application, but it is Erikshjälpen that ultimately decides which country you can go to.
- Based on your personality, interests, education, background and experience, we will match you with a partner organization and make a plan for your placement time.
- You will conduct your field studies with another course participant.
Erikshjälpen works with local partner organizations in 16 countries divided into 5 regions; Eastern Europe, West Africa, East Africa, Asia and Sweden. You can do field studies in all regions, except Sweden.
We have had field students in Uganda, Kenya, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, India and Romania, among others.
- The choice of country or region depends on the security situation in the countries we work in. We never send field students to areas where the security situation is unstable.
- We contact our partner organizations to see what opportunities they have to provide our field students with an educational and meaningful study time.
- Finally, we look at who applied for this year's course and what their preferences are to see what might be the best fit.
- The placements will be finalized in the autumn, and then we will get back to this year's field students with the country they are offered to go to.
Questions and answers about the application
If you are looking for
- Are between 20 and 30 years old in the year you start your studies.
- Is a Swedish citizen or has a permanent residence permit.
- Demonstrates a commitment to development issues through study or involvement in non-profit activities.
- Demonstrates responsibility and initiative.
- Has an interest in children's rights issues.
- Have the ability to work with information missions during your field studies.
- Have a good command of English, both spoken and written.
- Want to share your experiences when you are back in Sweden.
The application is closed as the course is canceled in 2024. You are welcome to return to apply at the next application deadline.
If you have any questions, please contact bitte.arrehn@erikshjalpen.se
Your application should include a cover letter, CV and a letter of recommendation. All three parts should be written in English. This is to make it easier for us to communicate with your potential placement.
Personal letter
In your cover letter, we would like you to first of all tell us about yourself. Who are you and why do you want to do this course? Also, tell us about your characteristics and qualifications that make the course particularly suitable for you. Don't forget to write your age. Also tell us how you found out about this course.
CV
Your CV should include contact details, education, work experience, language skills and volunteering.
Letter of recommendation
You should also include a letter of recommendation with your application, in which an outsider gives an opinion on your qualities and qualifications. The reference person writing the letter of recommendation has had contact with you through, for example, school, work, organization or church and tells you how they perceive you as a person in that context and your suitability to carry out a field study abroad.
After August 31, we will review all applications and select around 20 people to attend a recruitment day. Of these, 10 people will be offered to start the course. If you have questions about the application, contact the course coordinator. A warm welcome to apply!
Contact us
Anders Malmstigen
Program Manager International
Published: 14 September 2023
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