Scandinavian CRO is already a sponsor of TRIS, a Swedish organization that supports girls’ rights in society. But we want to do more to support and empower young girls. We have therefore started a new type of business collaboration, where our employees enter as mentors and support young girls. This is a cooperation that has worked out really well.
– My hope is that we can create a valuable meeting place, not only for the girls but also for our employees. To contribute and make a difference is important to us as a company, but also to us as individuals. Our values are built into this work and it feels good to do good. It gives us pride and joy, said Ulrika Hammarström Lüllmaa, CEO of SCRO.
An important project aim is to build bridges between people from different cultures. To give people of different backgrounds and ages an opportunity to meet.
– We want to act as a support in future school and career choices, and hopefully be an important sounding board for young girls through dialogue and meetings. We also hope that the mentors can be role models, says Ulrika Hammarström Lüllmaa.
The girls meet a mentor every fifth to sixth week. The results are documented and the mentorship is evaluated after six months.
We at TRIS are very happy with the cooperation. Sevana Bergström is Marketing Manager and responsible for preventative activities at TRIS. She also drives two of their big initiatives: Ronjabollen and Läxhjälp. These projects are based on the fact that there are girls who are restricted in everyday life in Sweden today. There are girls who cannot participate in some school tuition, who cannot hang out with whoever they want, dress how they want or participate in recreational activities, sports activities or community life. There are girls who live with honour-related norms and limitations – or honour-related repression.
– These young people have feet in two completely different value systems. One foot is in the honour-based, collectivistic value system and one in the individualistic value base of main society. The core of everyday life is about controlling the social space. For example, girls are referred to a selective social environment that is often controlled, says Sevana Bergström.
She says that this often leads to absence from activities and limited opportunities for leisure and participation in society, which affects the present and future for young people. Therefore, they want to engage with the girls, give them meaningful leisure time and opportunities to challenge their situation and thinking. The goal is to prevent exclusion, mental and physical ill health, and to offer girls who are far from sporting types an opening into the community and the sports world.
– Cooperation with SCRO is also an important part of giving the girls an insight into a company. It gives them a chance to meet people who work there. It will be so exciting to see what added value this collaboration can provide. I am very excited that SCRO is getting involved and supporting our organization. This is a company that is passionate about gender equality, which is a real strength, says Sevana Bergström.
RONJABOLLEN
Ronjabollen (or ‘Ronja Ball’, named after the fantasy character Ronja Rövardotter in the Swedish author Astrid Lindgren’s Ronia, the Robber’s Daughter ) aims to enable increased participation and freedom of action for girls who live far from the sporting world. This is a football project for young girls, from eight and up who are from resource-weak areas. Ronjabollen aims to help girls to be physically active in their leisure time, find a sports club that suits them, and have a meaningful leisure time. The target group is picked up early, already from the age of eight. The fact that they are so young increases the chances of establishing a sporting interest before they become more restricted in their physical space. Training sessions include value-based exercises. Fifteen minutes of each exercise is spent on the value-based exercises, which consist of subjects that are carefully selected for the target group.
– Ronjabollen is unique because participants can reflect on their own thoughts and values, understand their own rights and obligations, and contribute to personal development, says Sevana Bergström.
HELP WITH HOMEWORK AND A MEETING PLACE
Another popular activity that TRIS has started is Homework Assistance. Many want to participate and there is a long waiting list. At each meeting the assistant focuses completely on a single person.
– Our homework assistants are a mix of students from different subjects, professionals and retirees. Homework help involves two homework sessions, a joint dinner and a group meeting. The participants are always welcome, even if they do not have homework and instead want to watch a movie, do pastimes, or just hang out with new and old friends, says Sevana Bergström.
Participants also have access to a curatorial conversation with a social worker specialised in honour-related oppression and violence. Current topics are discussed during the group meeting. It can be about anything, including human rights, love, gossip, norms, how to find a home, how to vote in public elections, or find a job. The starting point is children’s and women’s rights, so girls can discuss the issue based on different themes, such as freedom, love, borders, discrimination and identity.
