Creating a better future for children and young people in vulnerable situations through supportive relationships

More than 50,000 children and young people in Denmark live in vulnerable situations. Many of them have fragile social networks – or none at all.

Mentorbarn is a Danish civil society organization working to ensure that all children and young people have access to stable and supportive relationships that can help them in their upbringing and development.

They do this by matching children and young people with volunteer “friendship families” who open their homes a few times a month and invite the child or young person into an ordinary everyday life.

Through these relationships, children and young people can experience being chosen, gain a sense of stability and belonging, and access new opportunities in life. These connections can leave lasting impressions, with the ambition that they become a meaningful part of each other’s lives.

“Children and young people in vulnerable situations experience higher levels of loneliness and distress than others their age. At Mentorbarn, we repeatedly see how children and young people with a friendship family thrive more and develop greater self-confidence when they have someone supporting and cheering them on. It strengthens their ability to cope with adversity and creates a foundation for new opportunities in life.”
— Cecilia Decara, Acting CEO, Mentorbarn

Close collaboration with municipalities

Mentorbarn was founded in 2015 by Ditte Reedtz and today collaborates with 32 municipalities across Denmark. The organization is present in all regions of the country and continues to establish new partnerships.

With the Danish Child Act (Barnets Lov) in 2024, children and young people in care were given the opportunity to be matched with a friendship family or a support person. With this legislation, Mentorbarn’s work connecting volunteer families with children and young people in vulnerable situations became part of the state’s official preventive efforts.