81-year-old Oda hopes to support pupils as a school friend

Oda Daniel, 81, is waiting to be matched with a school class where she can volunteer as a school friend and help pupils get the support they need, DR reported.

“I hope there is a child who might be a little happier about going to school and get some help if things are difficult,” Daniel said. She believes there are too many children and too few adults to give pupils enough care.

School friends from the nationwide association Skolens Venner join lessons for a few hours several times a week, helping pupils with schoolwork and talking with them. The association says it has seen record demand for volunteering this year, with 1,200 people contacting it in 2026.

Daniel has worked as a seamstress and volunteered as a leader with DUI-Leg og Virke, a children’s and family organisation. She also raised three children and says she looks forward to spending time with pupils. She is due to start after the autumn holidays.

Though she has an 81-year-old perspective on school, Daniel said she does not believe children today are more badly behaved than previous generations. She now has a great-grandchild who has just started school.