Fryshuset

Fryshuset is an activity center for young people in Stockholm, Sweden offering social projects and educational programs.

History

Fryshuset was founded in 1984 as a result of joint efforts by the social entrepronour Anders Carlberg (1943-2013) and the YMCA/YWCA of Stockholm (Swedish abbreviation ’’KFUK-KFUM’’). The name Fryshuset literally means the cold storage building in Swedish, since the center was first housed in a former cold storage facility at Södermalm in the south of Stockholm.

At the outset, sports and music were the sole activities, but social issues made their way into the house as a reflection of young people's needs.

In the summer of 1986, when violent riots occurred between teenage groups in Stockholm, the Swedish government asked Fryshuset to help relieve the situation. Fryshuset launched a campaign, touring the country lecturing on constructive alternatives to violence.

Today

Since then Fryshuset has grown into a large center and meetingplace for social projects, education and interests. Fryshuset runs several schools (for example the high school Fryshusets Gymnasium, in Stockholm) and programs for vocational training, seminars and conferences, courses in theatre, music, and sports as well as events, concerts, parties and discothèques, a skateboard park, a basketball arena for Fryshuset Basket. Parts of Fryshuset's activities are running in Gothenburg and Malmö – Sweden's second and third largest cities. Fryshuset employs around 500 people and receives around 40,000 visitors every month.