In English

Tjejzonen is Sweden’s largest support organisation for girls aged 10 to 25. We are a politically and religiously independent non-profit organization founded in 1998. We work from a child and youth perspective and reject racism, violence, bullying, oppression, and abuse and are open to all girls and women – regardless of culture, ethnicity, sexuality, or religion.

The organization is drug free and works for equality. The programs of the organization are based on the belief that the interpersonal meeting and the conversation itself is changing, bearing, and has an empowering effect. The organization is based on transparency and is a reflection of the girls’ ideas and needs. There is an interaction and continuous communication with other organizations, authorities, and experts.

Purpose and goal

• To work preventatively and strengthen the mental health of the target group.
• Offer humane meetings on the target group’s terms.
• Offer meaningful volunteer features for a long-term and rewarding commitment between the volunteer and the organization.
• Inform, educate, and interact with actors who meet the target group in their work.
• Raise awareness on issues related to the situation and rights of the target group.

Vision

A society where the human right to be listened to is respected.
We have an unwavering belief in the strength of young girls, and their ability to help themselves. We recognize how important being seen and validated is to mental health. We also know that people who have been met with respect and who have been listened to will, in turn, pay it forward.

Strategy

1. Financing – we generate our own income.
Tjejzonen secures our survival and independence by generating our own income.

2. Collaborations – we create allegiances.
Tjejzonen collaborates with- and influences people of power, industry, donors, and civil society. We are a given partner to professional aid. We raise the voices of girls.

3. Positioning – we are a recognized contributor in civil society.
Tjejzonen is a professional organization that demonstrates the benefits of our work through goal- and result-management, as well as, effect-calculations.

Volunteers at Tjejzonen

Tjejzonen has a well-developed program for the volunteers. About 250 volunteers are recruited, trained, coordinated, and supervised in accordance with clearly developed structure and clearly defined tasks.

Tjejzonens Big Sister program, live and virtual, has been researched by Örebro University. The scientific evaluation (2011-2015) has shown that Tjejzonen’s Big Sister program is a successful concept, well adapted for the target group in regards to strengthening mental health and prevention. Read more:

• Larsson et al (2016), Initial motives and organizational context enabling female mentors’ engagement in formal mentoring – a qualitative study from the mentors’ perspective
• Larsson et al (2016), More than just shared interests: the importance of engaged listening for mentor-mentee connection

The competence at Tjejzonen

Tjejzonen is the largest NGO in Sweden in terms of support for girls and a pioneer in the field of virtual programs. Tjejzonen has since 2007 been giving support via the internet on a one-on-one basis. We have through the years since experimented, explored, and developed methods for interacting with the target group on their terms with the overall goal to strengthen the target group’s health and autonomy by taking advantage of modern technology in supportive relationships with good samaritans. What also is, and has been, important is the fact that the internet is now integrated in daily life. That means that what girls are exposed to good, or bad offline, they are also exposed to online. And that means that help has to be available online as well. What we have done is move the support we have been giving offline to online. This means we have widened the possibility for our target group to find help. It is and has been especially important for the girls who find it difficult to communicate offline.

Tjejzonen has established good contacts and collaborations with many schools, youth clinics, field youth workers, and social workers within the county of Stockholm. Tjejzonen has also developed a network with other organisations like Fryshuset, United Sisters, BRIS, Stadsmissionen, HOPP, and other organisations that run hotlines for girls.

About the organisation

Tjejzonen was founded in 1998 and currently has 14 employees. The office is led and administered by the Secretary General with the assistance of the operative manager and the financial manager. The staff work with coordination, training and supervision of volunteers, support for the target group, as well as administration, communication and education.

Tjejzonen have a trustee elected board who is the employer and is ultimately responsible for the organization. Final decisions are made at the annual member’s meeting. They elect the chairman and the board members. The board consists of five people who work pro bono, not operatively in the organisation.

Project reports

• Project Report 2016. Support Groups Online in a Non-Profit Organization
• Project report 2014. Big Sister – supportive relationships online over Skype in a non-profit organization
• Project Report 2012. Chat Sister – Supportive relationships online over chat in a non-profit organization
• Project Report 2011. Development of the Chat at Tjejzonen