Berättarministeriet – The Storytelling Ministry

Image: Berättarministeriet

Berättarministeriet (The Storytelling Ministry) is a foundation that supports teachers and pupils in socio-economically challenged areas to develop language through storytelling. It is a private initiative that works in close collaboration with municipalities and schools and has been running for ten years.

Berättarministeriet is a politically and religiously independent non-profit foundation, working closely with the private, public and non-profit sectors. It works to reduce the negative consequences of segregation on children’s schooling by supporting teachers and students in their daily teaching in areas with high unemployment.

The "Ministry" runs writing centres in the suburban areas Husby and Hagsätra in Stockholm and in Gamlestaden in Gothenburg. All primary schools in their catchment areas are offered free school programmes that attract students, regardless of level of knowledge, to help them master the written word through fantasy.

The programmes are based on the national curriculum and are developed in dialogue with the teachers to meet their specific pedagogical conditions and challenges. The programmes are progression-based and act as a cross-disciplinary support for teachers.