Aktiestinsen’s foundation distributed SEK 144,000 to two projects
On January 25, the annual scholarship announcement from Aktiestinsen Lennart Israelsson’s Foundation at the School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, had its award ceremony. The picture shows Lennart Israelsson and Ewa Wigaeus Tornqvist, former dean at the School of Health and Welfare.
On January 25, the annual scholarship announcement from Aktiestinsen Lennart Israelsson’s Foundation at the School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, had its award ceremony. The foundation distributed just over SEK 144,000 to two projects at the ceremony, which this year was digital.
Anita Björklund, Professor Occupational Therapy and Head of Discipline at the School of Health and Welfare and secretary of Aktiestinsen Lennart Israelsson’s Foundation.
Every year, Aktiestinsen Lennart Israelsson’s Foundation supporting older people’s activity and health announces a number of scholarships for students, researchers and entrepreneurs to promote development work and research on health promotion work for the elderly’s activity and health in the field of occupational therapy.
“In short, the scholarships aim to create opportunities for meaningful activities for the elderly, as we know that being active in daily life contributes to their wellbeing, says Anita Björklund Carlstedt, Professor Occupational Therapy and Head of Discipline at the School of Health and Welfare and secretary of Aktiestinsen Lennart Israelsson's Foundation.
This year, the foundation distributed SEK 76,000 to the project “Existential health when the body ages and the soul matures”, Ann-Britt Grändemark, and SEK 68,350 to the project “Voices through photos - to understand loneliness and community through older people’s photography”, Therese Bielsten.
“Both projects are well thought out and feasible. They relate to the foundation’s statutes and occupational therapy area and are important with good societal relevance,” says Anita Björklund Carlstedt.
The scholarships will be used in projects conducted in collaboration between researchers and students at Jönköping University School of Health and Welfare and professionals who work to promote the elderly’s activity and health in the field of occupational therapy.
As the distribution ceremony had to be digital again this year, the obligatory lunch was canceled. However, the scholarship recipients had, prepared engaging presentations of their projects and were then allowed to receive the usual gold checks online from the foundation’s cashier Dennis Peterson. He also told the participants about the foundation’s origin. It was this one of Lennart Israelssons five foundations that he appreciated the most, perhaps mainly for its urgent theme.
Lennart ”Aktiestinsen” Israelsson (1916–2017) was characterized by always looking ahead and acting long-term. The story of how he bought shares for SEK 600 in 1946 and then became a multimillionaire is well known. When he died, his equity portfolio was worth SEK 150 million.
Facts The Aktiestinsen Foundation
Lennart Israelsson was an SJ (Swedish State Railways) station manager in Småland, who earned a fortune on equity investments, giving him the nickname “Aktiestinsen” (the “stock station master”). During the latter part of his life, Israelsson donated millions to various foundations. There are now five foundations with his name, one of which is Aktiestinsen Lennart Israelsson’s foundation for promoting the activity and health of the elderly.
The foundation annually announces at most eight scholarships in total, of an amount of SEK 500,000 to professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers and students to promote entrepreneurial development work and/or research on health promotion work for the elderly’s activity and health in the field of occupational therapy.
The assessment committee that proposes which projects are funded by the foundation consists of the School of Health and Welfare’s dean (chair of the foundation), a representative of the student association at the School of Health and Welfare, Head of Discipline/researcher in the field of occupational therapy, an occupational therapist and an external entrepreneur in the field of occupational therapy.
