STU Sputnik Copenhagen: Interest drives the promotion of digital competences

When Copenhagen Gaming Week opened its doors, a team of dedicated young people from Sputnik STU stood side by side with their teachers in front of a purpose-built arcade machine. On the screen ran a brand new computer game, and both the machine, game and graphics were created by the students themselves.

Their presence at the fair was the result of half a year of dedicated work where interest, curiosity and pedagogical support have gone hand in hand. The project at Copenhagen Gaming Week is one example of how practice-based learning can create results that give both professional pride, collaboration skills and a strong personal development step.

A project that grew out of commitment

Mark Bo Sørensen, IT teacher at Sputnik STU, tells about the process: “When Wonderful Copenhagen last year invited us to present a project as part of their focus on neurodivergence in the gaming industry, it was obvious to let the students create something from scratch.”

The three lines at Sputnik's IT academy, programming, graphic design, multimedia and the IT workshop, joined forces to develop the game. Some coded the mechanics, others designed characters and animations, while the IT workshop built the arcade machine itself, including the cabinet, buttons, and electronics. Even posters and T-shirts for the fair were designed by the school's creative students.

“Some of the young people were so absorbed in the project that they came into their winter holiday to finish it. It says everything about how much this has meant to them," says Mark.

What is Sputnik STU?

Sputnik STU is a specially designed youth education programme for young people aged 16-25 with autism, ADHD, and related challenges, which has existed since 2008. Sputnik STU can be found in Copenhagen, Hillerød, and Hvidovre. At their STU in Copenhagen, they have about 140 students. The training is based on individually planned courses, practical subjects and a strong environment with a focus on well-being, development and bridging to work or further education.

STU lines

At Sputnik STU Copenhagen, young people can choose from seven lines, all of which combine learning with practical experience:

• IT Academy - programming, IT workshop, graphic design and multimedia
• eSport - game understanding, strategy and IT and engineering
• The business line - trade and service, packing and internship
• Study line - examination course, single subject HF and study café
• Art & Design - needlework, idea development and creative immersion
• Beauty - cosmetology, hairdresser, make up and customer service
• Music Line - instrumental learning, interaction, recording and creative sound production

Everyday life includes classroom teaching, individual support, breaks as needed and access to facilities such as music studio and courtyard. Internships are a central part, and Sputnik collaborates with a wide range of companies to give students relevant experience and courage on the next step.

Learning from interests

At the IT Academy, learning is playful and experimental, and students' interests are often key to their development. “When young people are allowed to immerse themselves in something they find meaningful, they start to grow,” says Mark. “They gain self-confidence, skills and sometimes also friends with the same passion.”

Mark goes on to say that "First and foremost, it's about playing with technology and making it fun, and then learning that it can be frustrating, and it's okay to fail. We actually have to do that.”

Not only do young people acquire digital skills that are becoming more and more important in Denmark and the EU, the technology understanding becomes a way to much more, it becomes a tool for general education: Dare to try, fail, succeed, and cooperate, even when it is difficult. Professional skills grow alongside social and personal skills.

What makes their strategies good practice? 

When I ask Mark, who is a trained educator and It professional, what makes their initiative successful, he says: “Today we can have an approach that we have to have results, we have to be able to see results, and if we cannot see results, we have to do something else. I think our experience tells us that sometimes things take time, sometimes young people need to be calm to develop, and be allowed to be in that development, then they grow and also come on the field themselves.” 

A flexible education and a diverse student group

At Sputnik STU, students can start year-round. This requires a flexible organisation of teaching, but in turn allows young people to start when they are ready, and not just when the calendar says August.

Students have very different experiences. Some have been sitting at home for a long time, others have tried their hand at upper secondary school subjects or already have knowledge of IT. Some need to learn everything from scratch, while others need help with structure and goals.

“For us, it is about finding the balance between community and individual learning,” says Mark. “We use technology as a starting point to learn. What works for me? How do I find calm, focus and motivation?”

Training of trainers

Sputnik Stu works according to a systemic-narrative and mentalization-based approach. Teachers are trained teachers, pedagogues and subject teachers, and offer, among other things, autism basic course and Special pedagogical continuing education to their permanent staff. The staff also receive ongoing supervision by specialised internal and external psychologists. Joint training ensures that all teachers work according to the same methods. This means that the young people encounter a connection in what the adults do and say.

Close contact, promoting development

Students will be assigned a contact teacher/guide teacher who will follow them through the training and help shape their training plan. Contact teacher / guide teacher holds meetings with the student about their goals and development at least every 14 days. 

The close relationship also creates security and ensures that students have someone they can ask if they are in doubt about something or need to talk.

Cooperation with municipalities

STU-programmes are run in cooperation with the municipalities, which search the young people who need a specially organized offer. Experience from Sputnik STU shows that the right support in a safe environment can be crucial for young people with special needs to find new ways, both professionally and personally.

Read more about Sputnik STU