Young students explore welfare technology at Varde Youth School in Denmark

Cecilia Rask Andersen has embraced a new welfare subject offered by Varde Youth School, reflecting her enthusiasm for engaging with others and exploring new experiences. Currently in the 10th grade, she will spend the next eight weeks after school learning about welfare technology and practicing communication skills with residents at a nursing home. The course, aimed at piquing young people’s interest in fields such as nursing, pedagogy, and social and health care assistance, has garnered significant attention.

Despite offering various subjects like French, cooking, and moped training, the “Healthcare Hero” course has attracted strong interest. Karin Berg, a development consultant in Varde Municipality involved in creating the course, emphasized the goal of inspiring youth rather than waiting for them to seek welfare education. Students will learn how to integrate technology within elderly and healthcare, with hands-on experiences such as testing virtual reality glasses to understand what living with dementia or a disability is like.

The youth school offered nine spots in the course, all of which were filled. Karin Berg hopes that participants will share their experiences with friends, creating ambassadors for the welfare field among their peers.

Cecilia is already familiar with the Social and Health Care Assistant profession through her parents, who work in the field. Their stories ignited her curiosity, prompting her voluntary enrollment in the course. Although she finds the area intriguing, she remains undecided about her future educational path, believing that this elective will help clarify her direction. Her classmate, Ioana Bianca Irimescu, aims to become a biomedical analyst but believes the course will still provide valuable communication skills applicable in various contexts.