DrengeAkademiet was first held in 2012 and helps around 120 boys from all over the country each year. Common to them is that they have significant academic backlogs in Danish and mathematics, and many carry negative school experiences and low self-esteem.

– The support from Fonden Sol og Strand by Margit and Kjeld helps ensure that more boys can get a fresh start and experience that they can actually succeed in school, says Lars Andersen, program leader at LøkkeFonden.

DrengeAkademiet consists of a two-week intensive learning camp during the summer vacation followed by a mentoring program where the boys receive support to maintain motivation, new habits, and belief in their ability to succeed – both in school and in life.

– We are talking about boys who fell off the school train as early as 4th grade and never really got back on when the train rushed by. Many of them have practically given up on school, says Lars Andersen.

– They have developed a narrative that they can't do much, and it becomes self-reinforcing. Therefore, we try to change their self-perception and create a new story that they are good enough as they are, says Lars Andersen, who notes that DrengeAkademiet receives more applications each year than it can accommodate.

– More than one in ten students today leave primary school without passing the final exam, and for this group, not many doors are open. They cannot enter a youth education program – not even high school, says Lars Andersen.

At DrengeAkademiet, the goal is to improve the boys' academic skills so they pass the primary school final exam. The teaching is based on each boy's academic level, allowing everyone to experience academic progress.

– We have a lot of teachers and can almost offer nearly one-on-one teaching. During the first week, we see that almost everyone makes progress, says Lars Andersen.

In addition to the academic boost, DrengeAkademiet works purposefully on the boys' well-being, resilience, and belief in their own abilities. They experience that they can actually make progress – both academically and personally.

– With us, the boys become part of an equal community, and they find out that they are not alone in struggling. It is no shame to raise your hand and say that there is something you can't do – because the other 119 can't do it either, says Lars Andersen.

After their stay at DrengeAkademiet, the boys receive support in their further development towards the completion of primary school. They are connected to one of the seven local mentoring centers and have the opportunity for support from a boys' coordinator, who can help the boys find a part-time job or advise them on educational choices, etc.

According to Lars Andersen, 86 percent of the boys who have participated in DrengeAkademiet subsequently pass the primary school final exam.

– It not only has a significant impact on each individual student – it also makes a difference economically for society. Studies show that each student who does not pass the final exams of primary school costs society 120,000 kroner the following year. Our experience is that a program at DrengeAkademiet can be life-changing for the boys. They come home with a boost and a belief in their own abilities, which has an impact on their future, he says.

Facts about DrengeAkademiet

• Started in 2012 by LøkkeFonden
• Target group: boys in 7th and 8th grade with academic and personal challenges
• Consists of a two-week learning camp during the summer vacation
• Followed by a group mentoring scheme and parental collaboration
• Helps about 120 boys from all over the country each year