The 24 – 25th of March we had our Nightingale 11th Conference hosted by Lillehammer, Norway – the same date as Ukraine was invaded. However we all agreed on the importance to work together in the Network and this type of cooperation is important and needed in Europe. We hope for peace and will continue to work with compassion by letting people get together that otherwise would not meet and learn from each other. For a better and sustainable society.
We also want to send a big thanks Liv for hosting us on zoom and for all her work to organize this Conference. Partners agreed on the importance to be able to meet ( even if it is on zoom) and to have experience exchange. In our Network we can ascertain – there are a lot of knowledge. Important to spread.
PPTs from Key note speaker Sunil Looma and PPT from the seminars are uploaded on the page: Conferences
The Minutes from the Network Meeting is uploaded on the page Network Meetings
PARTNER NEWS I am happy to inform you we now have a new board consisting of: Cecilie from Nattergalen Trondheim Núria Rossinyol from Girona Peter Stammerjohann from Nightingale, Freie Universität Berlin will continue his second year. Carina will continue in the board That means we now have members from Sweden, Spain and German speaking countries ( Germany, Austria and Switzerland)which was the goal to be able to represent all
NEWS FROM FINLAND We are happy to inform you that Nightingale Finland will start their Nightingale project at Helsinki University. Richi who has been a mentor in the Näktergalen, Malmö for some years ago took the initiative and now he and his college Belinda will start to run it the in Autumn. in cooperation with Helsinki University and one local school. After a two day visit in Malmö and workshops they are now fully educated!… and have a lot of energy to begin. We wish them a big Good Luck!
Richi and Belinda
An idea, to discuss in our national network? it would be so nice if we together could compile some stories from mentors and mentees in our Network and make a sort of a booklet/ digital. Sharing and showing the variation but also what is common in the tandems or in the concept of Nightingale. Could be a nice way to show other outside our network and to spread all around. Could also be one way of showing our cooperation in Europe. (and with Africa too!)
Dear Nightingale friends, welcome back, hoping the new year stated well!
As already decided our next Network meeting & Conference will be held at Zoom, arranged by Nightingale at Lillehammer University in Norway. The program will almost be as decided …but cost nothing! Lillehammer will pay for all, the Keynote speaker and for the cultural event we can take part in. So now you will have the great opportunity to invite student, mentors, contact persons and your network in the municipality and at your university for free. We will also have an optional gathering in the evening the 24th of February.
The program will start 9.45 the 24th and end 1 o´clock the 25th of February.
Las day for registration will be the 18th of February. A link will be sent to all registered.
Click here to get the interesting program, agenda for the days. Looking forward seeing you all!
Despite the covid everyone is trying to run the Nightingale program. And as always we meet passionate and clever students who reflect on mentoring, on children´s life and living condition and as well on their own life and living. One good aspect of mentoring is the mentors reflection, – how do I live my life, but also the moral aspect, how should life be lived and what society do I want. Today when we face so many challenges I think it is so important to have and get insight into different aspect of the society, to be able to understand, but also to improve for other.
Here one reflection from one mentor in Nightingale Vienna:
“Patience is one factor that I was able to train in this project. Since we live in an incredibly fast time, in which everyone has to be available at all times, one often loses patience in dealing with other people. This is particularly evident in our compulsory internships when we observe mentors who do not even let the children think for two seconds, but immediately asks the next raised hand to formulate the correct answer. Accordingly, we should all work to give children time to focus on things and not humiliate them if they don’t spit out the answer in the next second. Spending several hours with a young child whose knowledge of German is not yet fully available trains your own patience enormously.
I am sure that my empathy towards her person and character has led to a strong basis of trust. I’m proud of that too. One cannot emphasize too often the appreciation of diversity and individuality. Because there are still prospective teachers who want to move to a small, cozy village in the country immediately after graduation in order to teach a class that is as white and homogeneous as possible. If everyone thought that way, there would be a lack of staff in schools that do not have privileged children. For whom we are often the only common thread they can cling to. In addition, there should be more intensive preoccupation with and examination of the needs of different children. We should be interested in their worlds, take their development phases seriously and, above all, act in a constructive and supportive manner in their pubertal phase.”
(Tara, Teacher-Student, final online-report_June_2020)
IMPORTANT NEWS Unfortunately the Covid situation in our countries is bad again so the board have decided to adjust to the situation and be safe, under the current circumstances. We have to call of our meeting in Lillehammer the 24th of February – 25th, 2022. But don´t cry…we will have the Conference anyway – it will be digital but almost the same. The zoominar will be two days, a little shorter but it will be an interesting version. There will also be time for you to get to know each other in Breaking rooms and there will even a pub in the evening! We will adjust the agenda as soon as possible and give you more details in January, next year.
Partner news As already mentioned I ( Carina) am now a Honorary Doctor at Karlstad University, where we also have our Nightingale bird singing, lead by Petra Johansson. It was two fantastic days at the University in Karlstad and the ceremony is now a memory for life for me! But as I said my wish is that the light will not only shine on me but on The Nightingale and give us more national and international attention and priority at our University for our work with compassion and humanity. I also think, to be honest, the hat should be meant for all our mentors who actually do the most work and deserve it! Since I promised, some partners to show you photos from the ceremony here they are.
From the Ceremony. Patrik, mentor three times in Karlstad and engage in the Student council, Carina and Jessica Eriksson, Dean of the Teacher Training board
Now the board wish you all the best, we also wish you a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you for your effort in the Nightingale due all the restriction and obstacles we have had because of the Corona. We are looking forward to meet you all, first digital at the Conference the 24th of February. But fingers cross maybe we can meet physically in the year 2022.
Dear Nightingale friends, we are very much looking forward to the 11th Network Meeting and Conference, this time in Lillehammer, Norway, the 24th of February until the 25th.
“Reflect, re-think and re-story in supervision.” Now we also have a blog where you can apply and get more information about the agenda, keynote speaker, events, venue and accommodation. Remember to apply at the latest the 18th January 2022.
Please spread the news to colleagues, network partners, the university, schools and local networks.
PARTNERS NEWS “Imagine if there was a war and no one showed up…”In this street art project, refugees, students and artists have worked side by side to spread a significant message to all of us” saysBeate Sæthern from Østfold University College.
The street art project is carried out in collaboration with refugees and mentors (students) inthe “Nightingale Mentoring Program for Adult Refugees” at Østfold University College.
Louay from Syria takes a picture of his wife after her contribution to the wall “A + L heart art”. He lives in Sarpsborg, and she was reunited with her husband two weeks ago.
Zuhur came to Norway as a refugee from Eritrea, and is currently studying Work and Welfare at Østfold University College. She chose to write her message “Where I have my freedom, I have my home” both in her mother tongue and Norwegian.
Mazkin from Syria had prepared thoroughly in advance to translate his message into Norwegian. “The children are our future” and “Hand in hand we build the country”
WE WELCOME OUR NEW NIGHTINGALE COORDINATOR IN BODØ Yan Zhao, who is associate professor in social work at Faculty of Social Sciences, Nord University. Yan Zhao took over as the coordinator of Nightingale in Bodø, August, 2021 from her colleagues Marit Tveraabak and Bjørnar Blaalid. She has worked with social work education since 2012. The subjects she teaches include social work in multicultural context, cultural competence, social work theories, interdisciplinary/interprofessional collaboration, community work, and work, welfare and inclusion. Her research covers topics such as transnational adoption, ethnic relations, nation and nationhood, migration and health, migration, aging and intergenerational relationship, as well as transnational and intercultural perspective in social work. Her work is inspired by feminist and postcolonial theories.
NEW RESEARCH ARTICLE Anti-Racism Education and Training for Adult Mentors Who Work With BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Adolescents) Read more on the page: “Research about mentoring”.
From the abstract: The aims of this paper are to a) show why anti-racism training and education for adult mentors is necessary for promoting the positive development of BIPOC youth and b) offer a framework for antiracist education and training for mentors. We review research showing how mentors’ attitudes about race, ethnicity and culture can harm their relationships with BIPOC youth and research on general mentor training, anti-racism training for mentors, and general diversity and antibias training in the workplace.
In this paper you can find four components for anti-racist education and training for mentors: a)acknowledging, confronting, and interrupting racism, b) facilitating youth critical consciousness, c) supporting positive identity development in youth, d) mentors and mentees as active agents and partners. At the foundation of these pillars is decentering and interrupting Whiteness and youth as constructors of knowledge
Dear Nightingale friends, Welcome back to a new semester and a new Nightingale year.
This semester we are really looking forward to go back to a new normal, at least with physical meetings between the mentors and mentees. During the Covid we have noticed partners ability to adapt to the situation and let mentors and mentees meet on-line, which as mentioned before has been a great challenge but when we now look back, this was the best we could have done – to be creative and not loose contact. The most important is: mentees can rely on their mentors and they know they care about them and they did not leave them even when the Covid restrictions was there!
Now we are very much looking forward to also meet all of you which soon will be possible at the:
CONFERENCE AND NETWORK MEETING IN LILLEHAMMER, NORWAY, THE 24th – 25th OF FEBRUARY 2022
Lillehammer 2022 are waiting for us! The theme will be: Reflect, re-think, and re-story in supervision
At this network meeting we will discuss how supervision can help our mentors to create new narratives and a better understanding of their own action. Mentoring should not only become learning by doing, but also learning by reflective doing.
We will discuss and listen to partners experiences of supervision, from different perspective and we have invited an interesting Keynote speaker.
There will also bee three or four presentations with different examples of supervision delivered. You can read more about the Network Meeting at the page: Lillehammer 2022
The blog with more details will soon be available with details about the fee, the hotels and the agenda etc.
Partners presentations
Nightingale Karlstad started in the autumn of 2016. It is a collaboration between municipality of Karlstad and Karlstad University that finances 50% each. So far, 103 students and 294 students in primary school have participated. All students, regardless of education, can apply to become a mentor. The next round starts in October 2021. There are three schools in Karlstad municipality that participate. This round 90 students in primary school want to be part of the Nightingale, so now recruitment of about 35 mentors is ongoing. Each mentor gets 1-3 students in primary school with whom to do different activities. Some of the activities take place in groups, where all mentors participate, some take place on their own with their group. Examples of activities are visiting the university, having coffee together (Swedish ”fika”), playing games, various sport activities, cooking, baking, discussing life issues, studies and opportunities as an adult. The benefits of being in a group is many! Among other things the students in primary school get to know more friends, do fun activities in their free time, share the positive activities together with classmates and take this back to school, into the classroom. They get to see each other in other contexts, learn to respect each other, agree to decide with their mentor what activities they should do during the 8 months they are part of Nightingale.
All activities are financed of the project the students do not receive any compensation in addition to the costs of activities, they contribute their time because they want to make a difference for other people.. Last round we had to switch from physical meetings to digital meetings to the ongoing pandemic for a couple of months. The need to meet physical was clearly great and when students and their mentors got to meet again and do activities together, the happiness was great!
Quatations from some children/youth: ”You get to do things with new people who are a little older than us and see how it is to study at the university”
”It is important that it does not cost anything. Get away from everyday life, get to do something out of the ordinary.
Mentors: ”Students in primary school show great interest in in education and career paths.” ”They are very proud and happy to be part of the project.”
Teachers :”The students have been looking forward to it. For some, it has been extra important as they may otherwise lack a social network.” ”I think this project has developed some students very much.”
//Best regards Petra Johansson, project manager Nigtingale Karlstad, Karlstad University
Other News For your attention: Our Nightingale Mentoring Network is listed in the Yearbook of International Organizations (UIA) open year book. (The organization is an independent, not-for-profit research institute founded in 1907 to promote and facilitate the work of international associations) All our Nightingale conferences “Events” over the year since the Network started in the year 2010 and our aims, the history etc., everything is mentioned and listed here. Click here to read more
Research We have very productive partners in our Network so don´t forget to sometime look into the page “About” and click on “Nightingale research and evaluations” where you can find interesting research from our partners, there is a new one from Spain, for example. There is also an English translation abstract of Peter Stammerjohanns text: The Processes of Bildung in pedagogical contact zones. Crises as potential for Bildung within the framework of the organization of intercultural tandems.
We have also our own You Tube Nightingale channel with film, interviews etc. Nightingale Mentor – Näktergalen If you have anything you want to upload, please contact Carina.
Why should we want to know a stranger when it is easier to estrange another? Why should we want to close the distance when we can close the gate? Morrison, Toni (2017): The Origin of Others. Harvard: Harvard University Press. 8th edition.
To find new path and a new answer. To rethink and hold potential, to change the image of the world and oneself. This is one conclusion of the research – and crises gain importance.
Please click here to read more (translation of the preface and introduction of the book publication)
A guidance from the City Initiative on Migrants with Irregular Status in Europe highlighting the Nightingale projects in Girona and Barcelona
By: Òscar Prieto-Flores & Jordi Feu, University of Girona
The report shows two different models for municipalities – work with universities (Nightingale Girona) or with NGO partners (Nightingale Barcelona) Click here to down load the guidance
Hope everyone is fine and that we all soon can take a deep breath hoping the Covid-19 will disappear when the vaccination now is here. It seems we are all impressed of the creativity our mentors and mentees have shown during this year. Fingers cross, for next semester and wishes all mentors and mentees now will be able to meet physically.
NEWS
The bord have discussed and will now suggest one partner from each National network to be included in the board. That means one partner from Spain network, one from Norway network and Germany (included Austria and Switzerland) network will be selected ( at next Network Meeting). That means each partner countries will be represented and ideas, suggestions or wishes from the all national network will be discussed in the board. One suggestion is also that short Minutes from each network will be distributed to the board, with ideas, suggestions or news for coming event, Network Meetings or things they just want to share in the newsletter.
After a meeting with members from Spain the board have also decided to offer all NGO Nightingales to take part in the Network for free. We will also invite David from Nightingale Ghana, next semester to join the Network for free. Minutes from the board you will always find on this page
Reminder We have a You tube channel: Nightingale Mentor – Näktergalen if you have any film or clip you want to add, please contact Carina.
Another reminder is to change your links from your own homepage to this page. Some of you have old links.
Next Network Meeting/Conference will be in Lillehammer, Norway, the 24th – 25th of February, 2022. The theme will be “Supervision” and the day will include partner presentations and experience exchange. The second day the 25th a lecture will be presented but there and we will also have time for discussions.
News from Spain/Catalunia We are happy to share a new research article by partners in Girona. The research is showing evidence that mentors can help and promote positive intercultural relationships for young immigrants and refugees. They can for example play an important role promoting social, cultural, and linguistic inclusion. Titel: Results of Mentoring in the Psychosocial Well-Being of Young Immigrants and Refugees in Spain by Anna Sánchez-Aragón,Angel Belzunegui-Eraso & Òscar Prieto-Flores Please read more on the page: “Nightingale research and evaluation”
News from Berlin: Berlin have printed a nice new flyers/broschure.
Peter Stammerjohann´s book from 2019: Bildungsprozesse in Padagogischen Begegnungsraumen: Irritationen ALS Bildungspotential Im Rahmen Der Organisation Von Interkulturellen Tandemsis now avaliable. (but only in German)
There are also two more new article uploaded on the webpage about group mentoring. See more at the page: “Research about mentoring”.
News from Malmö and Karlstad university,Sweden I am happy to tell you that I have been elected as a honorary doctor- doctor honoris causa, at Karlstad University. The ceremony will take place the 3rd of December.
For those who understand Swedish and want to read more about it, please click here
Mentoring is an investment in so many ways for our future generation and a way to include them in the society. I wish mentoring would be as important for our politicians as it is for us. Agenda 2030 with 17 Global Goals goal is aiming to have the power to create a better world by 2030, by ending poverty, fighting inequality and addressing the urgency of climate change …but we have more work than ever to do! Guided by the goals, it is now up to all of us, governments, businesses, civil society and the general public to work together to build a better future for everyone. I just also want to say: mentors and You have all worked hard aiming to include our next generation in the society and all of you have invested so much time and engagement but most of all you have the will to change and improve for other – You are doing so much for a better and sustainable society and I just want to say: YOU are so great!
As one national economist in Sweden once said: Don´t ask what it cost- ask instead what it cost not to do all this! THANK YOU! Best wishes for a nice and relaxing summer and holiday!
Group Mentoring National Mentoring Resource Center Model Review By: Kuperminc Gabriel & Deutsch Nancy (2021)
In this article there are four topics related to group mentoring : (1) its documented effectiveness (2) the extent to which effectiveness depends on characteristics of mentors, mentees, or program practices (3) intervening processes likely to link group mentoring to youth outcomes (4) the success of efforts to reach and engage targeted youth, achieve high-quality implementation, and adopt and sustain programs over time.
Group mentoring programs can produce an array of positive outcomes for youth (behavioral, emotional, academic, etc.) and seem to be effective across a wide range of youth characteristics (ages, ethnicities, etc.) and diverse program models.
Additional social and relational processes, such as group cohesion, belonging, and a strong group identity, may also contribute to the outcomes youth experience from group mentoring.
Group mentoring programs offer a context for activities that develop mentee skills, change mentee attitudes, and offer positive peer interactions; and these processes may lead to behavioral outcomes for participants
Another article: Participatory Design of an Activities-Based Collective Mentoring Program in After-School Care Settings: Connect, Promote, and Protect Program
