Ukraine faces an urgent need to rebuild social cohesion by supporting displaced people, helping veterans reintegrate, and reducing isolation among older adults. Sweden’s model of “folkbildning,’ or popular education, offers valuable lessons. From Rubryka
Ukraine is facing one challenge after another. It needs to help displaced people settle into new communities, support veterans returning to civilian life, and help people who’ve become isolated from society feel connected again. Differences in their backgrounds and needs can easily lead to misunderstanding or tension when they interact with new people.
At the same time, many people in Ukraine are still used to keeping their distance from public life – staying quiet and not getting involved – because that’s how people had to live during Soviet times. This legacy makes it even more difficult to address these challenges, as people may be reluctant to open up to others or take the initiative.
Social cohesion is difficult to build. So the question becomes: how do you bring together people with very different life experiences? How do you help them live side by side without friction or misunderstanding, and encourage them to take part in community life?
Folkbildning, or ‘Popular Education’
One possible answer lies in Sweden’s approach to adult learning, known as folkbildning, or popular education. For more than a century, it hasn’t just helped people gain knowledge – it has helped them build communities, learn how to talk to one another, and take responsibility for the world around them.
Through the UKR-FOLK project, a group of Ukrainian educators set out to study the Swedish folk high-school model, explore whether it could take root in Ukraine, and what it might look like if it did.
Schools Stay Relevant
Folkbildning, informal education for adults, first took shape in the late 19th century, when local intellectuals wanted to make basic education accessible to workers and farmers. The system has evolved since then, but it’s still very much alive. Today, Sweden has 10 adult education associations and 155 folk high schools, all supported by public funding.
Together, they reach around a million people each year through courses, cultural events, and hobby groups. In Sweden, folkbildning is seen as a vital part of democracy. These schools and associations help build strong communities and work closely with thousands of civic organizations nationwide.
What Do Folk High Schools Teach?
Swedish folk high schools offer several programs, including general courses for people who didn’t finish formal education, opportunities to try out different professions, courses for personal interest and professional growth, language classes for refugees, and programs for older adults.
The general course is designed for people who didn’t finish school or graduated with low grades, often because of illness, bullying, constant moves, depression, or other hardships. These circumstances can make it difficult for them to pursue further or higher education.
At the same time, instead of choosing a career under pressure from parents or childhood expectations, graduates can spend one or two years trying out different fields, such as graphic design, journalism, or theater. They can take several courses before deciding what truly suits them.
They also provide adult courses that are professional and hobby-based. People can also pick up practical skills, such as creative writing or gardening, or train for a profession, such as a social educator or a nursing assistant. Many schools have courses in music production, and since Sweden is a global leader in this field, classes like “music for video games” or “songwriting” are especially popular.
Sweden has welcomed people from many countries for decades, and to help them settle in, the government introduced free language classes; folk high schools also offer them. Participants are usually grouped by background and skill level.
For example, some women from Arab countries arrive without reading or writing skills, even in their native language, so schools create separate groups with adapted teaching methods. Other groups may include people from Somalia, Iran, Ukraine, and beyond. Since they all speak different languages, they are strongly motivated to learn Swedish to communicate with one another.
For the older adults, courses are also provided. In Sweden, caring for older people is seen as the state’s responsibility, not the family’s. Folk schools play a key role in organizing their daily lives and social activities. They offer everything from computer literacy and English classes to practical skills courses, but just as importantly, they create spaces for connection and community.
“Folk education differs from traditional education above all in that there are no grades,” says Natalia Kotsiubynska, a Swedish language teacher and a manager at the Ukrainian-Scandinavian Center (USC) that is part of the UKR-FOLK project. “Instead, there are ongoing, informal conversations through which teachers understand how well participants understand the material. Another difference is the lack of hierarchy. There is a teacher, but there are no students – only participants, or deltagare, in Swedish.”
Modern popular education is open to everyone in Swedish society, Kotsiubynska adds. It helps people integrate, become active, and take part in community life. Folk high schools offer both long-term programs (one to three years) and short-term courses (three to six months). One school can bring together people of different nationalities, religions, views, and life experiences, and teach them how to live together, both in and out of the classroom.
As Kotsiubynska puts it: “You learn to talk to people outside your bubble – with all kinds of people you can come across in your daily life. You learn to respect different opinions, defend your own views, and resolve conflicts before they escalate.”
A Joint Effort
In a previous feature, Rubryka covered how the Ukrainian-Scandinavian Center has been building a community in Ukraine for people interested in Nordic countries since 2014.
At the center, learning Norwegian, Finnish, Danish, and Swedish goes hand in hand with a deeper dive into the cultures, values, and social systems of these countries. Students don’t just learn languages; they gain a real understanding of life in Nordic countries, whether they plan to study or work there, or bring those ideas back to Ukraine.
The UKR-FOLK project’s goal was to introduce Ukrainian educators working in non-formal education to Sweden’s folk high school model. The initiative was made possible by a grant from the Swedish Institute (Svenska institutet).
“The Ukrainian-Scandinavian Center played the role of both connector and expert in this project,” says Kotsiubynska. “One of our key goals is to build cooperation between Ukrainian and Nordic organizations in education. A long-time partner of ours, the Swede Jonas Abrahamsson, who at the time represented the association of Swedish folk high schools, reached out and invited us to join.”
Around the same time, researcher Serhii Chumachenko, who studies folkbildning, also became interested in the initiative. Using their own savings, Serhii and his wife bought a building and opened Ukraine’s first folk high school in the village of Vovchok in the Chernihiv region. Teachers from the school later joined the project to see firsthand how popular education works in Sweden.
The Ukrainian Leadership Academy (ULA), which runs a 10-month program for teenagers combining intellectual, personal, and physical development, also joined the initiative.
During discussions, the partners decided to study the Swedish model through job shadowing – learning by observing. They selected 16 participants from ULA and the Vovchok school, then paired them, assigning each pair an interpreter from the Ukrainian-Scandinavian Center. Besides helping educators understand what was said, interpreters also provided context on Sweden’s history, traditions, mindset, and social norms.
“The name UKR-FOLK symbolically brings together Ukrainians and a folk school model,” explains Kotsiubynska. “The goal was to see from the inside how these schools work, learn from their experience, and adapt it to Ukraine.”
What Did Participants Take Away?
In the two years that the UKR-FOLK project lasted, educators organized a range of online and offline events: conferences on Swedish popular education, discussions on Ukraine’s non-formal education sector, community work during wartime, and approaches to trauma healing.
The most important part of the project was the two study trips to Sweden. Each lasted a week: the first one in January and February, and the second in October 2025. During these visits, the Ukrainian delegation toured seven Swedish folk high schools.
The delegation members say the experience went far beyond simply sitting in on classes. They were able to speak directly with teachers and, just as importantly, with students. That gave them a real sense of how the Swedish model works in practice.
“Often, Swedes would come up to us themselves,” Kotsiubynska recalls, “asking whether there are similar schools in Ukraine, how our education system works, and why we chose to study their model.”
Teachers also invited the Ukrainian guests to take part in school life. For example, a multicultural school where students from many countries study hosted a Week of Cultures. Ukrainian educators learned national dances and tried dishes from around the world.
At Litorina Folk High School in Karlskrona, a city on the Baltic Sea, the delegation attended carpentry and boat-building courses. Like many Swedish folk schools, the Litorina school tailors its programs to the region’s needs.
Kotsiubynska and two ULA representatives witnessed a similar approach at Hola Folk High School near Kramfors, further north. There, students can take gardening courses adapted to the harsh local climate. The skills they gain help them support local farms and keep them running and growing.
The government supports these programs through local municipalities, which fund courses based on regional needs. At the same time, officials do not interfere in what or how the schools teach.
Kotsiubynska, who visited two folk high schools – Hola folkhogskola and Farnebo folkhogskola – shares her first impressions: “What struck me most during the first trip was a course for older adults at Hola. It wasn’t focused so much on hard skills as on building a sense of community. Under the guidance of a teacher, retirees from nearby towns go to the theater, discuss books, or walk in the forest together. I attended one session where the teacher showed them simple morning exercises and explained how the body works and what different kinds of pain might mean.”
Kotsiubynska adds that Sweden promotes and shares its approach to education with other countries because it’s built on democratic values. Folk high schools put a strong emphasis on respect for diversity. They bring people together through cultural events and shared meals, and they encourage open discussion. Everyone has a voice, and students learn to work through conflicts rather than avoid them. Different religious practices are respected; for example, many schools provide prayer rooms for Muslim students.
“Swedes understand that, as a country with one of the highest levels of democracy in the world, they have a responsibility to share those principles with others,” Kotsiubynska says. “The founder of Farnebo often said: ‘We are not alone on this planet. We have to care not just about our street, our town, or our country, but about the whole world.'”
Project leader Beatrice Norberg puts it this way: “Developing adult education matters because it strengthens democracy and civil society. Popular education helps form active, engaged citizens who can contribute to rebuilding the country.”
In Ukraine, people talk constantly about rebuilding – roads, infrastructure, the economy, and reforms. Much less is said about rebuilding communities or creating spaces where adults can grow, connect, and learn to trust again.
Formal education usually ends with a diploma. Professional courses teach specific skills. But there are no spaces where people can try something new, regain their footing, learn to work together, and shape life in their communities.
In a time of war, mass displacement, job loss, and shaken identities, adult education matters just as much as economic growth. A society doesn’t stand on specialists alone – it depends on people who are active, thoughtful, and involved.
“Even though Swedish and Ukrainian societies may look completely different, the need is the same – to build unity and understanding between different groups. The demand for this kind of learning comes from the polarization we’re all experiencing now,” says Kotsiubynska.
She believes this kind of community-based education can help many people: displaced Ukrainians find a sense of belonging, veterans return to civilian life, and older adults find connection and support. It can also help rebuild communities by teaching people how to cooperate and find common ground, even on difficult issues.
Over time, folk high schools could also grow into places that train people for practical professions, such as social work. The philosophy of folkbildning encourages people to stay active, to want to act, and to know how to act, while developing critical thinking skills. In today’s Ukraine, that couldn’t be more relevant.
Can Popular Education Take Root?
For now, the Ukrainian government is not involved in developing this type of education. Instead, the work is being led by nonprofits and active community members. Project manager and teacher at the Vovchok Folk High School, Ivanna Deshura, explains.
“Sweden’s experience with folk high schools deserves much more attention in Ukraine. Countries with high levels of democracy, trust, and well-being share one trait – a strong network of non-formal adult educational institutions. They build civic engagement and a society’s ability to reflect on itself – key defenses against populism and fragmentation, especially during wartime,” says Deshura. “The example of Vovchok shows that a folk high school can respond quickly to crises, strengthen resilience, and support both communities and young people. This isn’t about ‘after the war,’ but about building resilience and shaping the future right now.”
Study trips to Sweden became a turning point for participants in the UKR-FOLK project. Each Ukrainian organization involved came away with practical, tangible results.
The Ukrainian Leadership Academy adopted a new approach to setting learning goals: mentors will now develop them together with students. The academy is also placing greater emphasis on discussion, group work, and learning through action.
“For me, what mattered most was being present in the classroom – watching how teachers communicate with participants, what methods they use, and how they connect with each individual,” says Ivanna, deputy head of the academy’s regional center in Uzhhorod.
The organization also plans for students to design and lead their own community seminars – for example, digital literacy courses for older adults. This activity will both build leadership skills and deepen the academy’s role in local communities.
At Vovchok Folk High School, the team drew inspiration from Swedish approaches to communication, support, and the culture of fika – casual, meaningful conversations over coffee. They also say they “confirmed firsthand what we already believed – that schools like this are truly needed in Ukraine.”
“The results and insights from our first visit inspired us to explore the phenomenon of folk high schools even more deeply, their impact on society, and how this experience can be implemented in Ukraine,” the school adds.
Another project participant, Nataliia Kalinchuk, with support from local patrons, opened Ukraine’s second folk high school in the town of Hoshcha in the Rivne region. It already offers English classes, civil defense training, communication courses, programs for educators, and local governance training.
At the Ukrainian-Scandinavian Center, the team came away reassured they’re on the right path, bringing Nordic practices to Ukraine. Teachers and team members, many of whom had previously studied in folk schools in Sweden and Norway, were able to look deeper into how these schools actually work from the inside and ask all their questions about the Swedish system.
As Kotsiubynska notes, teachers often repeat: “There are no stupid questions.” What seems obvious to one person may be completely unclear to another. That’s one of the core ideas of folkbildning: don’t be afraid to ask, and keep looking for answers.
Alice Smahina is a journalist at Rubryka, a Ukrainian media outlet focused on solutions journalism. Her reporting covers social initiatives, education, and community-driven responses to the challenges of war and recovery. This article originally appeared in Rubryka and is republished here with permission.
