It works to mix fatherly advice with conversations about well-being.

Mixing in fatherly talks about well-being works in confirmation classes

A new evaluation of well-being work in confirmation classes shows that young people are becoming more observant of each other.

Priest Louise Ekelund from Brøndbyøster Church sings a Christmas carol with the upcoming confirmands during confirmation classes. (Photo: Mathias Holm Hansen)

By Mathias Holm Hansen ([email protected]) 23 minutes ago

This is the last time the upcoming confirmands in Brøndbyøster Church meet on this side of Christmas. On the table lies the Bible, thimbles, and paper in various colors for cutting and pasting.

But there is more to the program in confirmation classes than just coziness. Namely, talks about well-being.

One of the upcoming confirmands reports that these talks have changed her a little:

- I've become better at noticing those who struggle, and maybe also better at helping them, says Victoria Ribas Rywarll.

And she is not alone. For years, churches throughout the country have, in collaboration with The Social Network/Headspace, put well-being on the agenda in confirmation classes. And this initiative has now been evaluated.

Read also: New confirmands are taught to cope with anxiety and poor self-worth (https://www.dr.dk/news/regional/midtjylland/new-confirmands-are-taught-to-cope-with-anxiety-and-poor-self-worth)

The evaluation shows, among other things, that nine out of ten of the upcoming confirmands are inspired to help others if they don't thrive.

The work with well-being in confirmation classes consists, among other things, of presentations from young people who have had well-being challenges and exercises designed to help the upcoming confirmands talk about well-being. And more than 5,000 young people have participated in the evaluation.

Victoria Ribas Rywarll is one of the upcoming confirmands who participates in confirmation classes in Brøndbyøster Church (Photo: Mathias Holm Hansen)

The upcoming confirmand in Brøndbyøster Church, Victoria Ribas Rywarll, reports that the well-being program has made it easier for her to talk about difficult things:

- I've learned that one shouldn't be afraid to talk about how one has it and be more aware of how others have it, she says.

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The talk about well-being is the first step

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Louise Ekelund is the priest in Brøndbyøster Church and oversees confirmation classes. She believes that the first step to doing something about mistreatment is taken when the young people dare to open up about it.

- The young people learn to focus on each other's well-being by talking about it, because it's so important that they also know what's going on. It opens up thoughts for many of them, who believe they go around alone with these problems, she says.

Louise Ekelund is the priest in Brøndbyøster Church and oversees confirmation classes. (Photo: Mathias Holm Hansen)

For Louise Ekelund, it is convenient to use the church, the priest, and confirmation classes to talk about well-being among young people.

- If we open the Bible on the first page, we talk about creation. That we were all created in love, and we were all created equal. So it's a really good foundation to speak from when it comes to well-being, she says.

Trine Hammershøy, who is CEO of The Social Network/Headspace, is pleased that the young people in the evaluation report that well-being talks make them more aware of each other.

- It's important that it's not just the individual's problem when they don't thrive. We all have a responsibility for each other, and they also have that. So I'm glad that they feel they're getting some tools to deal with it during the confirmation classes, she says.

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