During 2017-2019 Hedbergska, one of two school districts of Sundsvall’s gymnasium”, is carrying out the project ”En gymnasieskola för alla”. The project is partly financed by National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools (SPSM in Swedish) and Mid Sweden University in Sundsvall is participating in it to give input and evaluate.

The main purpose of the project is to increase accessibility for studies and thereby create additional conditions for increased goal achievement. Another aim is to develop more methods with greater focus on student participation and influence. Target group is primarily students with experience of psychosocial ill health and / or neuropsychiatric disability (NPF). The selection of students is preceded by a mapping process by staff in our student health team in collaboration with Project manager and Project instructor.

Every new term we add 10 students who, in addition to our regular healthcare personnel’s regular work, will receive additional support from Project instructor Malin Bostedt who works according to the Supported Education method. The Supported Education methodology is based on the following steps:

Want to – Attract motivation with the student by talking to the student about how he/she looks on his life, his studies and his future. Are there any dreams? Goals with studies? Does the student experience stress? Is there time for recovery? etc.

Choosing – What different choices does the student have? How does the student choose and prioritize his/hers own time? Based on mapped needs, what support does the student want access to?

Obtain – Based on mapped needs, what support resources and tools are there for the student?

Keep – Making the student develop his or her own abilities. Making the student involved and maintain his or her own influence in order to achieve its interim goals and long-term goals.

Exit – To monitor and evaluate both the student´s own efforts and how the support has been and to identify future support needs to see what is possible to keep in the coming transition to studies / work. In this project there are opportunities for the students to:

• Individual supervision of project instructors
•  to study at the school at selected Sunday afternoons
• to study and to get supervision at school during school holidays
• competent teachers who provide guidance and feedback during school holidays
• Large influence over their own study situation

The lessons and experiences we receive during the course of the project we will spread in different arenas within and outside our own organization.