Jönköping Student Union is arranging an alternative to the traditional Kick Off this semester

Starting August 31st Jönköping Student Union will arrange an alternative to the traditional Kick Off for the students to get to know each other. The alternative Kick Off is arranged according to regulations and rules by the Swedish government and the Public Health Agency of Sweden and in collaboration with Jönköping University as well as in dialog with the Police in Jönköping.

The information on this page will be updated continuously as we make decisions about various activities and measures. Our goal is to be transparent!

When: August 31st to September 18th

Where: Outdoors in different parks

Why: Students' mental health is crucial for the success in their studies and the social context is crucial for their mental health. Therefore, it becomes important to arrange social activities where new students can meet each other and receive support from students already studying at JU.

In addition, the Student Union want to be able to offer activities according to the rules and recommendations given by the Swedish government and the Public Health Agency of Sweden where the students get the possibility to get to know each other, without having to participate in gatherings where the risk of distance, hygiene etc is not kept according to the recommendations.

I do not have a father group. How can I participate in the activities? Please contact your study social committee, via Facebook. Links below.

JTH/Tekniska högskolan-  study social committee is HI LIFE. External link, opens in new window.

HLK/Högskolan för lärande och kommunikation – study social committee is Blue Crew External link, opens in new window.(for those studying media, internationell work and HR)

HLK/Högskolan för lärande och kommunikation – study social committee is Pedsex Park External link, opens in new window.(teacher or pedagogical education)

HHJ/Hälsohögskolan-study social committee is Cellskapet. External link, opens in new window.

JIBS/Handelshögskolan- study social committee is Sexkreation. External link, opens in new window.

Information on where your fadder group shall be on what day during the Kick Off will come from the fadders in your Facebook group so it´s important you find your group.

If you have further questions of the individual activities, please contact your fadders. If you have any concerns or feedback please send an email to: projektledare@js.ju.se

How many activities will there be?

Each student will have the opportunity to participate in a maximum of four officially arranged activities - one activity per week for three weeks and this according to a fixed schedule. As the fourth activity, there is the opportunity to participate in a pub crawl, according to a fixed schedule so that no groups clash with each other.

Schedule Aug 31st-Sep 4th, ovve ceremony

Augt 31st. Blue Crew: Hälsoparken, between: 15.00-22.00

Sep 1st. HI LIFE: Hälsoparken, between: 15.00-20.30

Sep 2nd. Sexkreation: Hälsoparken, between: 15.00-21.30

Sep 3rd. Cellskapet: Hälsoparken, between: 17.00-22.00

Sep 4th. Pedsex Park: Hälsoparken, between: 17.00-22.00

Note that individual schedules for each "Fadder group" will be distributed by the "Fadders".

How does the Union ensure that activities are carried out in a secure manner?

They will be carried out according to following principles:

• Distance between all father groups
• Tools and similar used during the activities will be washed before next group take them
• Clear hygiene routines for volunteers who are responsible for the arrangement of the individual activity
• All activities will be arranged outdoors (except for the pub crawl)

• No father group will be more than 50 people
• When activities include tools, all participants must sanitize their hands after touching them
• Hand sanitizers or soap and water will be available at each activity
• No body contact

How will the distances be kept during the activities?

The father groups will not be more than 50 people and the Student Union will arrange activities where everyone can keep a safe distance between each other and other groups. If two groups will be in the same park, there will not be any contact between them.

It is extremely important to keep a safe distance to everyone, and this responsibility lies with each individual. The Student Union do not encourage activities with physical contact.

Participation in the Kick Off is completely voluntary and the distance you keep to other people is based on your own responsibility. No one should feel compelled to sit too close to other students or groups and that is why we are outdoors, it allows us to keep space between each other.

What about students in risk groups or students who are not comfortable participating?

The Student Union will offer digital activities, which they are working on developing. A schedule will be published shortly. These activities will be parallel with the physical kick off activities.

Will Kick Off activities clash with the education?

The Student Union will look at each “fadder" group's academic schedule to avoid coincides with lectures and other education, as far as possible. Students who have compulsory elements will be strongly encouraged to participate in these.

Overalls have been seen in various parks and on Vätterstranden - is this arranged events?

No, this is not arranged by the Student Union or any of the associations. The gatherings is initiated by individual students who meet privately and are drawn to the same place. The Student Union works actively in all channels, both public and internal, to remind and encourage students not to gather in large groups and to keep physical distance.

Are Kick Off activities counted as a general gathering?

No. The Student Union has continuous dialog with the police department and the Kick Off activities are counted as private events, thus it is closed companies that participate in the activities.

This does NOT mean that the Student Union will deviate from keeping their groups to the limit of 50 people, excluding staff.

The police still have the right to dissolve private gatherings. The Student Union will therefore continuously inform the police about the upcoming activities.

The father groups may however be in the same park with proper distance between the fathers groups.

When will the schedule for the preliminary Kick Off activities be published?

The schedule will be official during week 35 and divided into activities per school, day and location. This will be complimented before the activities begin with the rules of conduct that each individual student must adhere to participate.

Detailed schedule with the location will be communicated in each “fadder" group.

What are other unions and universities doing?

It varies. The majority arrange activities right now, or are planning to. The unique condition in each city decides the activities.

What does the Student Union do to stop private parties?

We communicate clear information and encourage all students to keep their distance, the importance of individual responsibility, to not share drinks and wait to gather in groups until the Student Union arrange their activities. The Union has no way of controlling the induvial students, but the Union see it as their responsibility to communicate the above.