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Nattergalen – NTNU

An international mentoring program at NTNU where child welfare and social work students mentor children with minority backgrounds to strengthen language, self-esteem and coping skills.

Who is it for?

Students in child welfare and social work

About Nattergalen

Nattergalen is an international mentoring program at the Department of Social Work at NTNU in which university students act as mentors for children with minority backgrounds. The program combines direct meeting activities with academic reflection and gives students practical experience early in their studies.

Goals for the children

The program aims to help children:

strengthen their self-esteem,
increase their ability to cope in social situations,
feel more secure both alone and in relationships with others,
improve their Norwegian language skills and increase school motivation.

Goals for the students and the system

Nattergalen also has long-term goals of strengthening cultural sensitivity and multicultural competence within child welfare by providing students with better knowledge of children and families with minority backgrounds. The program seeks to contribute to more minority youth completing upper secondary education and gaining access to higher education.

How the program works

Children (usually 8–12 years old) are recruited from primary schools in Trondheim municipality. Mentor and child meet approximately once a week during the period October–May; meetings can take place at home, at the university, or as joint leisure and cultural activities. The program also organizes shared events for all participants.

Credits and academic grounding

Participating students can link their engagement to the course ISA1005 - 'Mentorship in a Multicultural Context – Nattergalen' (7.5 credits). The mentoring work provides relevant practical experience early in the study program.

Network, evaluation and support

Nattergalen is part of The Nightingale Mentoring Network and is established in several cities across Europe and Africa. The mentoring scheme has been evaluated by NOVA on several occasions, and the program is administered and financially supported at national and local levels.

Who can become a mentor

The program is open to students in bachelor programs in child welfare or social work; all applicants are invited to an interview as part of the selection process.