Science and Leisure

The “After-school Science Activities” fund supports projects that provide more children, young people, and their families with access to fun, educational extracurricular activities that bring science and technology into everyday life.

We know from research that interest in science is not only stimulated by skilled teachers in schools. If children and young people are to develop curiosity and motivation for science, they also need to experience how science relates to everyday life, and they should have positive experiences with science in their free time, within their families, and social networks. This is why the Villum Foundation supports fun and inspiring extracurricular activities that bring science into the lives and daily routines of children and young people through the “After-school science activities” fund.

What do we emphasize in the applications?

We support programs where children and young people meet regularly over a period or in shorter intensive courses for inspiring, engaging, and educational extracurricular activities with a clear science content. We interpret science broadly. It can include natural sciences (physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, etc.), as well as the use of digital and analog technologies, engineering, design, construction, or similar fields.

We prefer multi-year projects where efforts are thoroughly developed and tested multiple times, ideally in collaboration with several partners. We expect there to be a clear strategy for how the initiative can be anchored and sustained after the project period ends, and how knowledge, results, and ideas are shared with others who wish to carry out similar activities.

We expect applicants to consider and explain:

• How to ensure science content is relevant and engaging for children, balancing play, desire, and learning in the project activities.
• What skills the adults involved in the project have or need to acquire to create engagement, inspiration, passion, curiosity, and joy in the activities.
• How activities are planned and organized, considering the involvement of children and young people in planning, their social communities, and their opportunities to experiment and immerse themselves along the way.