ROLE MODELS
Several of my friends and acquaintances work with vulnerable children and young people, who often come from underprivileged or at-risk backgrounds. They all speak of the crucial importance of there being ‘another adult’ in the child’s or young person’s life, someone outside their immediate family setting who can act as a role model for a different life.
In my own life, adult role models were deeply significant when I was young and embarking on the process of finding my way in life. Not that I was vulnerable at-risk or lacked support from my parents, far from it. But from an early age, I knew that I was not going to follow in their footsteps, so I needed other landmarks to navigate by. Thank you for being there! Thank you for letting me join in, taste your food, sing along with you and benefit from your company as I set out to grow into the adult I wanted to be.
January 2020
Role models was one of the topics that came up when I interviewed Jonas Als for my book HÅNDVÆRK, which was published in Danish in 2018.
In the book, I write this about Jonas:
Chefs are often described as today’s rock stars. If you look at their self-branding, that is not a far-fetched comparison. And not only do they deserve the attention and celebrity status, they also deserve a big THANK YOU. The attention the profession has attracted in recent years has influenced other crafts too, helping to boost the ‘coolness’ factor of craftsmanship in general. Speaking of cool, I would like to introduce you to Jonas Als. He carves spoons and mills wooden plates that several international gourmet restaurants put on the table. He lives in a small town in North Zealand, refers to himself as a wood carver and is studying to become a nature guide.
Wood craft
The story of Jonas and his company, Woodcraft by Jonas Als, is the story of a young man who stumbled headlong into adult life. Jonas was just 20 years old when a summer fling led to a twin pregnancy. The young mother was too vulnerable to handle the responsibility of becoming a parent, and suddenly, Jonas found himself a single dad with two children. Luckily, Jonas’s parents lived nearby and were a great help, as they still are. ‘For a few years, all I did was change nappies and try to find my way in my new role as a parent,’ says Jonas, when I visit him and his wonderful kids in their little townhouse. ‘It was during this time that I resumed my favourite pastime from my final years in lower secondary school: carving in fresh wood. I began to make spoons. I couldn’t go out with my mates, and I actually rather enjoyed whittling away after I putting the children to bed. I made a lot of spoons, and I got good at it; really good,’ Around this time, he discovered that others were doing the same. Especially in Sweden, Norway and Finland, this old trade is flourishing in a modern interpretation.
This provided a culture for Jonas to relate to and learn from, and he began to attend training courses and workshops. Once the small family had settled in and found a routine, Jonas began to pursue his Higher Preparatory Examination through single subject courses. To his own surprise, he did really well, and this whetted his appetite. He wanted to continue his education and is currently studying Natural and Cultural Heritage Management, a bachelor’s programme offered by the Forest and Landscape College at the University of Copenhagen. Concurrent with this, his own company is becoming increasingly established and successful. ‘Naturally, I am going to complete my bachelor’s degree,’ says Jonas, ‘but I don’t intend to sign up for unemployment benefits once I graduate. On the contrary, I will be focusing on my own business, and maybe I’ll have a sideline as a nature guide, that’ll make a good combination.’
Making a difference
When asked about the inspiration for the field he has chosen, Jonas mentions the year he spent in continuation school, a boarding school. This is where he began to carve, thanks to a teacher who made a big impression on him. ‘In his presence, I felt seen, and I felt that I was a success. He is probably the main reason why I ended up where I am today. In a way, I also imitated him when I began to promote myself and my products; he was a cheerful, forthright character, he loved the world, and the world loved him back.’
A wonderful story, I think, and I’m sure his teacher must be proud. For my part, nothing makes me happier or prouder than when I sometimes find that I have made a difference – big or small, on a professional or a personal level – in someone else’s life. Remember, what you give will be returned to you many times over!
Jeg har flere i min bekendtskabskreds som arbejder med sårbare børn og unge, ofte børn og unge fra udsatte kår. Alle taler de om værdien af ”en anden voksen”, ja ikke bare om værdien af, men om at det er af afgørende betydning at møde ”en anden voksen” en voksen med resurser, en voksen som kan vise vej, som er forbilledlig.
For mig selv var det af virkelig stor betydning, da jeg som ung skulle finde vej, at jeg fik øje på voksne som var forbilledlige. Ikke at jeg var sårbar og ikke at mine forældre var resursesvage, på ingen måde. Jeg vidste bare tidligt at jeg ikke skulle bare ikke i deres fodspor og jeg behøvede derfor andre pejlemærker. Tak fordi i var der! Tak fordi i lod mig være med, lod mig smage jeres mad og synge med på jeres sange og fordi jeg sammen med jer fik mulighed for at udvikle mig til den voksne jeg gerne ville være.
Jonas Als
Forbilleder, det var blandt andet hvad jeg talte med Jonas Als om da jeg interviewede ham om i forbindelse med min bog HÅNDVÆRK som udkom på dansk i 2018.
I bogen skriver jeg i afsnittet om Jonas:
Kokkene bliver ofte beskrevet som vor tids rockstjerner. Tager man et kig på, hvordan de iscenesætter sig selv som brand, er det ikke nogen helt skæv sammenligning, og ikke bare fortjener de opmærksomheden og deres stjernestatus, de fortjener også en stor TAK. Den opmærksomhed, kokkefaget de senere år har trukket til sig, har i høj grad haft afsmittende effekt på andre håndværksfag og har medvirket til, at cool-faktoren ved at være håndværker nu er helt i top. Når talen falder på, hvem der er cool, så vil jeg gerne pege på én, jeg kender. Han snitter skeer og drejer trætallerkner, som flere internationale gourmetrestauranter dækker op med.
Han hedder Jonas Als. Han bor i en lille by på Nordsjælland, han er 29 år og enlig far til et tvillingepar på 9, han kalder sig selv for slöjdare, og han læser til naturvejleder.
Sløjdhåndværk
Historien om Jonas og hans virksomhed Woodcraft by Jonas Alser historien om en ung mand, som snublede ind i voksentilværelsen. Jonas var bare 20 år, da en sommerflirt udviklede sig til en tvillinggraviditet sammen med en pige, som viste sig ikke at være så robust, og snart var Jonas enlig far til to. Jonas’ forældre boede heldigvis i nærheden og var dengang som nu til stor hjælp. “Der var nogle år, hvor jeg ikke lavede meget andet end at skifte ble og finde fodfæste i rollen som forælder,” fortæller Jonas, da jeg besøger ham og hans skønne unger i deres lille byhus. “Det var i den periode, jeg genoptog min foretrukne syssel fra efterskoletiden; at snitte i friskt træ. Jeg begyndte at lave skeer, jeg kunne ikke gå ud som mine jævnaldrende, og jeg hyggede mig faktisk ret godt med snitteriet, når ungerne var lagt i seng. Jeg fik lavet mange skeer, og jeg blev god, rigtig god.” Parallelt med at han snittede, fik han øje på, at der var andre, som gjorde det samme. Især i Sverige, Norge og Finland trives der en moderne version af det gamle sløjdhåndværk.
Der var en kultur at spejle sig i og at lære af, og Jonas begyndte at deltage i kurser og workshops. Da der var kommet ro og overskud i den lille familie, begyndte Jonas at læse HF som enkeltfag, og til sin egen store overraskelse gik det rigtig godt, og det gav blod på tanden. Det var derfor nærliggende at søge videre, og valget faldt på uddannelsen til Natur- og Kulturformidler på Skovskolen, en professionsbachelor. Den uddannelse er Jonas i gang med nu, samtidig med at hans virksomhed for alvor er ved at tage form og fart. “Jeg gør selvfølgelig min uddannelse færdig,” siger Jonas, “men jeg har ikke tænkt mig at stille mig op i arbejdsløshedskøen, når jeg afslutter, tværtimod, jeg skal drive min egen virksomhed, og så kan det godt være, at jeg indimellem skal lave noget naturvejledning, det hænger godt sammen.”
At gøre en forskel
Om årsagen til sine interesser refererer Jonas til sit efterskoleophold, hvor han begyndte at snitte i træ. Der var navnlig én lærer, som gjorde stort indtryk. “I hans nærvær følte jeg mig set og følte, at jeg var en succes, og han er nok den væsentligste årsag til, at jeg er, hvor jeg er i dag. Det var nok også ham, jeg imiterede, da jeg begyndte at sælge mig selv og mine produkter, han var kæk og ligefrem, og han elskede verden, og verden elskede ham.”
En vidunderlig historie synes jeg, og tænk hvor må han være stolt den efterskolelærer. For min egen del, er det som gør mig mest glad og stolt, når jeg nu og da erfarer at jeg har gjort en forskel for et andet menneske- lille eller stor, fagligt eller personligt. Må jeg tillade mig at minde om at den som giver mest, får mest!
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