AskovFonden

AskovFonden (also known in English as the Askov Foundation) is a Danish nonprofit foundation that develops social solutions for people in vulnerable situations. It was founded on 13 December 1943 by the folk high school students Mira Arnfred and Niels Henrik Arnfred from Askov Højskole, and it has since then worked on solutions to the social problems of the day. The foundation describes itself as a nonprofit organisation that gives people the courage and strength to take responsibility for their own lives and for the community they are part of, starting from relationships and involving people in defining the most important challenges and solutions. The foundation is headquartered in Nørrebro in Copenhagen but operates throughout Denmark. Its work is organised into five main efforts: Dialog mod Vold (Dialogue against Violence, treatment programmes for perpetrators of violence), Mir (special schools for normally or well-gifted pupils with challenges such as autism and ADHD), Indenfor (social psychiatry), Askovhus (rehabilitation and treatment of eating disorders), and KBH+ (culture as a lever for young people towards education and employment). The foundation also runs Børnehuset, which includes nurseries, a kindergarten, an out-of-town kindergarten and an after-school centre. Much of the work is based on voluntary labour. AskovFonden states that its five efforts offer help and support to more than 2,000 people each year. Its solutions are described as targeted and scalable so that it can help as many people as possible, as well as possible. The foundation is concerned with what it does, how, why and with what effect. It is a nonprofit organisation and a Danish foundation, not a commercial company, and it relies on donations and support; its website invites the public to become a "Social Superhero" for 200 kroner and five minutes of their time, contributing to efforts such as preventing children from growing up in families with violence, helping vulnerable young people find their way to education and work, and helping people with mental challenges become part of a meaningful community. Since 2011 the managing director has been Helle Øbo. The foundation was formerly known as Askovgården. Its activities span social psychiatry, special education, treatment of eating disorders and violence, children's daycare and youth culture programmes, making it a broad social NGO brand in Denmark.

AskovFonden was founded on 13 December 1943 by Mira Arnfred and Niels Henrik Arnfred, students at Askov Højskole, a Danish folk high school. It was originally known as Askovgården. The foundation was established as a Danish social NGO and has since 1943 developed solutions to the social problems of its time. Over the decades the foundation expanded its activities into several distinct areas. Today it consists of Askovhus, which provides rehabilitation and treatment for eating disorders; Dialog mod Vold, which runs treatment programmes for perpetrators of violence; ASPA (Askovfondens Social Psykiatriske Afdeling), its social psychiatry department; Mir skolerne, special schools for normally or well-gifted pupils with challenges including autism and ADHD; Børnehuset, comprising nurseries, a kindergarten, an out-of-town kindergarten and an after-school centre; and KBH+, which uses culture as a lever to help young people into education and employment. Much of the foundation's work is based on voluntary labour. The foundation is headquartered in Nørrebro in Copenhagen but operates throughout Denmark. Since 2011 Helle Øbo has served as managing director. AskovFonden describes itself as a nonprofit organisation that develops social solutions for vulnerable people, giving them the courage and strength to take responsibility for their own lives and the community they are part of. It emphasises relationships and the involvement of people in defining the most important challenges and solutions, and it focuses on what it does, how, why and with what effect. Its solutions are described as targeted and scalable so that it can help as many people as possible, as well as possible. According to its website, its five efforts offer help and support to more than 2,000 people each year. The foundation also engages in public advocacy and events. Its website lists news items such as a free evening meeting on cooperation between parents and the system, a name change for its social psychiatry unit, and an open letter urging politician Monika Rubin to use the dignity reform for a paradigm shift across the social sector. It invites supporters to become a "Social Superhero" for 200 kroner and five minutes of their time, contributing to efforts such as preventing children from growing up in families with violence, helping vulnerable young people find their way to education and work, and helping people with mental challenges become part of a meaningful community.

• AskovFonden is founded by Mira Arnfred and Niels Henrik Arnfred, students at Askov Højskole.

• Helle Øbo becomes managing director.

• AskovFonden's Social Psychiatry changes name.

A Danish nonprofit social foundation developing targeted, scalable solutions for vulnerable people, based on relationships and voluntary work.

• Askovhus

  Rehabilitation and treatment of eating disorders.

• Dialog mod Vold

  Treatment programmes for perpetrators of violence.

• ASPA (Askovfondens Social Psykiatriske Afdeling)

  Social psychiatry department.

• Mir skolerne

  Special schools for normally or well-gifted pupils with challenges such as autism and ADHD.

• Børnehuset

  Nurseries, kindergarten, out-of-town kindergarten and after-school centre.

• KBH+

  Culture as a lever for young people towards education and employment.

1. 1AskovFonden official websiteaskovfonden.dk
2. 2Askovfonden - Wikipedia (Danish)da.wikipedia.org
3. 3Askov Foundation - Wikidatawikidata.org