The Stækkaðu framtíðina project has far surpassed expectations this spring, with outstanding participation and feedback. Over 800 volunteers have signed up for the initiative, representing a wide range of industries. During April and May, trial visits were held in several schools across the country, with those schools volunteering to take part in the project’s development phase. The visits were met with great enthusiasm, and both volunteers and schools have expressed their deep appreciation for the warm welcomes and contributions from both sides.
Volunteers, coming from a variety of professional backgrounds, had the unique opportunity to share their experiences with students and introduce them to exciting future career possibilities. Schools nationwide have shown keen interest in the project, and students gained invaluable insights into a range of professions and the potential pathways available to them.
A New Platform and an Exciting Future
The next steps for the project promise to be just as exciting. This autumn, a brand-new, custom-built platform for Stækkaðu framtíðina will be launched, further simplifying and enhancing the connection between schools and the job market. At the same time, a new website will go live, providing teachers, careers advisers, and professionals with a more efficient way to collaborate. This new phase will see the project rolled out to all primary and secondary schools across the country, enabling students nationwide to benefit from this innovative initiative.
We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both volunteers and the schools involved in the spring visits. Here are a few thoughts shared by some of the volunteers after their visits:
‘The kids definitely inspire me more than I inspire them. Expand the Future is an amazing initiative that I wish had existed when I was younger.’
‘I think many adults who don’t regularly interact with children would be blown away by such a visit, coming away softened, uplifted, and happy. With a fresh perspective on their work and life.’
‘I’m lucky to be in regular conversation with children through my job, but even so, I was asked questions I had never encountered before, giving me a new view of my working environment.’
‘It was fun to reflect on which subjects I enjoyed most in primary school while preparing for the visit, and it was remarkable to see how well those subjects connect and are useful to me in my current career.’
‘I personally love sharing my experiences and passion with young people, and I find it particularly meaningful because I remember how lost I felt at that age. I would have really welcomed presentations like these.’
‘It was wonderful to meet the children and receive their unfiltered questions. I myself received the wrong information about my dream job when I was in primary school, which temporarily threw me off course. That’s why I now enjoy providing accurate information to kids who dream of doing the same work as I do.’
We look forward to the upcoming school year and the continued involvement of volunteers in helping to inspire and broaden the future horizons of students across the country.
