Ungdomshøjskolen ved Ribe

In the middle of the village of Vester Vedsted there has been a living, free school for over 100 years.

It was built as a secondary school (one of the Kongeå schools) in 1895. After the Second World War, a camp school was run in the buildings. In 1961 Jens Kristian and Annemarie La Cour Madsen buy the school buildings to first run a junior high school for a few years until in 1965 they get permission for an experimental scheme to create a folk high school for the very young. An experiment that lasted 3 years, and which was so successful that the youth folk high schools became a permanent system, and thus written into the High School Law in 1970. Ever since 1965, there has been a youth folk high school for the young people here.

Much has changed since the beginning, but the very basic values ​​and terms are still the same to this day:

  • The youth folk high school at Ribe’s fundamental values ​​are openness, human respect, responsibility and community in a safe environment.
  • The youth folk high school at Ribe sees personal development, professional development and social development as prerequisites for each other.
  • The college is a unified campus in the middle of the village of Vester Vedsted; Student rooms, common areas, teaching facilities/workshops and teachers’ accommodation are located together in one place.
  • The college has both male and female students. The students are young adults.
  • The domestic community is a core value; All students live at the college and are part of the special community that is created there.
  • We work with democratic education, willingness and ability to cooperate and the maturity of young people.
  • The folk high school students experience a high degree of voluntariness and freedom of choice.
  • In the folk high school’s teaching, you will find highly qualified teachers and small class sizes.

Over the years

1895 – 1948Vester Vedsted Efterskole (boarding school)
1948 – 1961Lejrskolen på Vester Vedsted Efterskole (camp school)
1961 – 1965Ungdomsskolen ved Ribe (junior high school)
1965 –Ungdomshøjskolen ved Ribe (Youth folk high school)

The newly built school in 1895. The picture was probably taken in connection with the inauguration of the school.

Brochure from 1948 about the camp school at Vester Vedsted Efterskole.

Brochure from 1961 about the Junior High School at Ribe.

Article from 1965 about the Youth High School at Ribe.

Ungdomshøjskolen ved Ribe today!