– We will create health groups, with a low threshold. It shouldn’t be a shameful thing to be a part of. And of course, if we see a child getting hurt, we have a duty to report it, says Friederike Fischer, project manager of Sweden’s 4H.
Over the next two years, 4H farms around the country will hold meetings where children and young people can talk about their mental health.
At the same time, they must be able to socialize with the animals and take care of them.
– A preliminary study was conducted that showed that the 4H farm attracts children with mental illness, says Friederike Fischer, project manager at Sweden’s 4H, the organization behind several 4H farms in the country.
Received a million grant for the project
The project has received almost SEK 3,700,000 in support from the General Heritage Fund, which writes in a statement that “being together with animals is for many a relief when the mental state fails”.
The investment will also aim to increase the staff’s competence in dealing with mental illness in young people between 10 and 16 years of age.