Sweden-India Project is a cross cultural training programme in social work, social pedagogy and education. Students from different universities of Sweden choose this training programme and have field visits, seminar and group conferences to understand Indian social work, social problems, intervention strategies and methods at individual, group and community level. While they go through this programme, culture becomes framework in which they study the above. They are here on 15 week field study. They are doing their undergraduate programme in social work. The programme has 7 semesters. They are either in their 5th or 6th semester. They will get 15 credit points on successful completion of this project. This project started in 1994. Currently 4 universities are participating in this project. So far, approximately 900 students have gone through this training.
Following students are participating this semester.
Stockholm University:
- Ms. Elnaz Tavakolikolour: 22 years old. Born in Iran and moved to Sweden, as a refugee, together with her mother and older sister. She has worked as a care assistant and an elderly assistant at multiple retirement homes. She graduated as a nurse assistant. She has also worked as a volunteer during the refugee crisis 2015. Her job was to translate (in her case Persian/Dari) and explain everything that they needed to know, help them get to their final destination or apply for a permanent stay. She has worked as volunteer with an organization called “Ortens favoriter” that make sure that the area stayed calm. She wishes to gain knowledge about the Indian society, its social problems and the problem solving work that is taking place within the NGO´s.
- Mr. Olof Lothigius: 27 years old. Worked as a day-care assistant at Preschool with children with different kinds of problem; as a host at the Swedish Radio Concert Hall; been a member of Amnesty International Sweden as head of a campaign group ; volunteered for the Red Cross at a transit center for refugees. His interest in cultures and people led him to study two semesters of anthropology; studied a course about the Convention on the Rights of a Child (CRC) at the Red Cross People’s Development School in Stockholm; travelled to Kenya and Tanzania to study the Red Cross work in those countries. He hopes this internship gives an insight in social work in India and help gain more knowledge and experience in social work outside the Swedish context.
- Ms. Alexandra Santala Andersson: 25 years old. She has been working as an in-house nurse for four women with disabilities; worked at a youth club and at kindergartens; volunteer job in Phuket, Thailand at the Quality Swedish School (QSS); Turkey, Spain and Thailand gave her the opportunity to see my life, and others, from a different perspective and in a completely different context; she believes it is essential for human growth to experience new cultures and ways of life to become a fully rounded, open minded individual and to welcome all new challenges.
- Ms. Eilona Zeito: 21 years old. She has her origin in Syria and Lebanon. She has been working as a substitute teacher with children from six to 16 years old; joined the Red Cross about a year ago to support the work they do for people in need. She has travelled to many European countries, been to different parts of Northern America and Syria. Her biggest interest is dancing, and right now learning to dance a traditional Irish dance. By meeting new people and see the world in other perspectives, she wishes to have the opportunity to open her mind-set. Staying in India for a semester would be a personal challenge, which would prepare her for future obstacles within her professional life.
- Ms. Fatma Abu Sultan : 21 years old. Her family are originally from Gaza, Palestine. She studied social science focusing on Peace and Conflict studies; has worked as a waitress in cafés/restaurants, in a flower shop and as a personal assistant for older and younger clients. She sees this Project as an opportunity to learn about a different country such as India. She wanted to live a longer period in a different country and to see how she would develop as a person
- Ms. Josefin Sara Elisabeth Gustafsson: 30 years old. She studied one year of sociology and half a year of “sustainable society” at Stockholm University. Mostly worked in the restaurant business and in sale; worked as a manager at a á la carte restaurant in the city; volunteer at a soup kitchen. She visited India for 10 weeks in 2014. it would be interesting and meaningful to experience a different way to approach social problems and social challenges ;would open ways of thinking about social work and what other ways there are to approach social challenges; would be of value for her personal growth .
- Ms. Rumeysa Alici: 20 year old; She was born in family with Turkish background; has been in several projects where she has worked as an art assistant to an art leader with children from the age six up to fourteen; works in Botkyrka Art Gallery during every other weekend as an art host; her love for different cultures and this visit will help her as a person and broaden her views on how different societies work and why they are shaped the way they are.
- Ms. Ronja Haapanen: 26 years old. She has worked as a swimming teacher, worked with hairdressing; a zumba-instructor; as a breakfast hostess at a new hotel; summer work at Kriminalvården in summer 2015 with criminals and the system at prisons and custody; controller for Kriminalvården, controlling people who has been convicted to tagging as they are not accepted to drink alcohol during their time with tagging; as a social worker to assess people’s right to financial aid.
- Ms. Yasamin Javadzadeh: 22 years old. She has been teaching in different classes with kids and youths; in SFI (Swedish for immigrants) ; worked on the Election day; be an ambassador for the Social Work programme at Stockholm university; at one of the biggest arenas in Sweden as a host etc. Her current job is to work as a Social worker at Social services, financial aid department. She has been volunteering in Zimbabwe with orphanage kids that are living on the streets and with animal care; volunteered in China, with animal care, pandas; volunteered at college organisation; “Mehre Hasti”, an organisation that helps kids with economic problems and unstable family with schoolwork, varies financial help; volunteered during the period when a lot of immigrants came to Sweden, that worked as translators and helped them with the basic things to be able to travel to their final destination or to stay here in Sweden. She has travelled in Europe, US, south part of Africa, China, Iran and Munich
- Ms. Josefin Stark: 21 years old. She started as a nursing assistant in April 2014, to help elderly at home under dignified life conditions; worked as a cashier and kitchen assistant at the fast food restaurant; travelled to countries like Egypt, Spain and Italy to seek something new; sees this internship as a unique chance to build a wider perspective on societal factors and its impact on the population and to get the unique chance to learn a new culture and also she gets to live in it for a while.
- Ms. Emina Selimagic: 21 years old. Her parents and oldest sister fled to Sweden from the war that was going on in the former Yugoslavia during 1992-1995. In summer 2012, she worked with the Convention on the Rights of the Child for Borlänge Municipality where she got education about the convention and how it was applicable in Sweden. She joined a youth association due to her interest in politics; been the chairman in the municipality and campaign manager in the District Board. Through her political interest and commitment, she learned a lot about the society and its injustices, both nationally and internationally; worked as a volunteer leader at Tjejforum, or Girl Forum, for Save the Children Sweden. She finds it extremely interesting to experience how social work can be performed and operated under different conditions and circumstances than in Sweden.
Orebro University
- Ms. Anna Margareta Vestman : She has worked as a leader for children that wanted to try new sports; worked a lot with child care in a few different contexts – hired as a baby sitter during parenting courses arranged of the Swedish church four years in a row; helped out as an assistant leader for youths during their confirmation time. She has traveled to the Nordic countries, Lithuania, The Netherlands, France, Spain, Greece, Cyprus and England. A trip to France was about young adult meetings with people from all around the world. The trip included bible study, communal work, sharing and to live in the spirit of kindness, simplicity and reconciliation.
- Ms. Maja Lovisa Dymling: 22 years old. Worked as a preschool teacher with children between one and six years old; Lund’s University Hospital as a medical secretary and receptionist; At the University she worked voluntary, as an ambassador, at the University’s student house. Travelelled in South East Asia for three months and visited Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia. She would love to do internship in India to gain insight about different cultures and to see the social works both similarities and differences between different countries.
- Ms. Malin Sofie Nilsson: 22 years old. She works at a cafe; volunteers at a place called EKSAM witch help people in need with their finances; . She was in England, done an exchange with an Italian school for about two weeks; been to Spain, China, Holland and Paris. Considers this internship as a rare chance to see more of India than just the tourist attraction and genuinely get to know and experience the culture.
- Mr. Joakim Ivar Stemansson: 25 years old. He grew up on a farm and did a lot of work around animal husbandry, construction to repair and build new things on the farm’. Was a leader for youth camps for kids the ages of 8-12 years; took an internship with Gotland’s musical company as a stage technician; worked in elderly care as both at retirement homes and elderly home care; studied to become a teacher I also worked as a substitute teacher; as an assistant at the social services office. Through youth camps went to Britain and Germany. Did a backpacking tour around Indonesia. Gaining knowledge about different cultures, people and the circumstances around them.
Mid Sweden University:
- Ms. Malin Fyhr: Worked at a hospital and a home for elderly to help them with care and support; worked as au-pair in US, Traveled in America, Asia and Europe. This journey will help see things from a wider perspective, challenge my way of seeing the world and the people in it and help me in my future work in social services, both abroad and in Sweden
- Ms. Hanna Sjöberg Dahlgren: 23 years old. Worked as assistant teacher and preschool teacher. Worked with children of years 1-2. She would love to do internship in India to gain insight about different cultures and to see the social works both similarities and differences between different countries.
Linköpings University
- Ms. Karin Anna Moreau: Worked in Group Home for Disabled; Care worker for people with Neuropsychiatric disability (autism) and developmental disability ; Treatment Assistant in Substance Abuse Treatment Center ; Treatment Assistant for protected residence for women over eighteen years with an ongoing substance abuse and exposure to violence ; did military service, Swedish Armed Forces. 12 weeks of practical and theoretical education; Swedish Armed Forces. Professional soldier. Field maintenance and rescue. Trained security guard. Guard at the Royal Palace in Stockholm; as a personal assistant to a patient with multiple sclerosis, with elderly care, at a marina, at a camping and at a hotel ; Treatment Assistant. Support and supervision at night for the social office accommodations for adults and youths; Treatment Assistant. Accommodation for men (over twenty-one) that has an ongoing substance abuse ; Care worker for Eight adults living in own apartments with varying needs and disabilities (2015).
- Ms. Maria Sandström : 25 years old. She studied theatre a year at “Mälardalens Högskola. She moved to England to work as an au-pair in London and also worked as a volunteer for an Oxfam charity in Woking; worked part time at a home for old people in Sweden; moved to Cologne in Germany for a term and studied German; very involved in the rights of asylum seekers; . She wishes to have the possibility to work abroad and help.
