Co-funded: European Union, Erasmus+ Program Accreditation in the field of Youth
Period: 01.06.2024 – 08.06.2024
Place: Norway
At the beginning of June, four of our staff members, long term collaborators and board members, have embarked in an 8-day journey to understand how the youth centers from Norway work with their target groups.
Our adventure started on the 1st of June, when we traveled from Tenerife to Oslo, Norway.
On June 2 we started the visit and we met the group leaders Ali and Selin of the Open House project – Ung Bjørndal, a community project for the youth from a neighborhood of Osla – Bjørndal, project financed by Save the Children. They guided us through the Bjørndal Volunteering Center facility used for their activities with young people. We had a comfortable environment to discuss and share the differences and similarities in our challenges when working with youth. Most importantly, we addressed the realities of youth worker burnout and the rapid disconnection from the issues and concerns of the new generation. We exchanged strategies and ideas on how to tackle the challenges we face.
On June 3, we returned to Bjørndal to meet with Vibeke, the coordinator of the Bjørndal frivilligsentral. She provided insights into the various projects organized at the Center for different target groups, including both youth and the elderly, along with their outcomes and challenges.
We also met Safriani, the project leader of their Youth Café, as well as her volunteers. The café operates from 16:00 to 18:00, welcoming young people to either observe or participate in activities in the kitchen and social area.
They treated us to a delicious lunch.
After lunch, we enjoyed a guided tour of the Bjørndal neighborhood, where we experienced firsthand the diverse areas and institutions that reflect the blend of cultures and their religious centers, including the mosque, the Buddhist temple, and the church.
On June 4th we had a free day in Oslo
On June 5th we traveled from Oslo to Ålesund
On 6th of June we visited the Volunteering Center from Ulstein Kommune, a small community in the Norwegian Fiords where Natalie and Marie, youth workers of the center, together with 3 volunteers made us a very detailed presentation of all the projects they are running this year with their challenges. We had informal talks and provided ideas and offer to help in getting the ESC Quality Label so they can receive European volunteers to help the team with the extensive number of projects they are running and Erasmus+ Accreditation to have access to european staff mobilities for the team.
We were extremely impressed with the huge number of activities the center is running all year long and the huge events they are organizing throughout the year, although they are a quit small team.
We were introduced into the MOT – Show courage project that runs in almost all Norway, an extremely interesting project to develop competences in youth.
We received a tour of the Volunteering Center and we visited the Ung Arena Ulstein and understood better the activities that take place there where they have the Bell Youth club. Our visit in Ulstein finished with the BUA Ulstein, a center to loan for free sport equipment and camping gear, an initiative in almost all Norway to provide access to sport equipment to all.
Our final stop on our tour of Norway was on June 7, at the Vanylven Volunteer Center, from a small community on an island in the Norwegian Fiords, where we explored their BUA Center and facilities that will soon host a Youth Club, set to open by the end of the year. Randi Irene accompanied us throughout the visit, and we had the opportunity to meet other professionals who shared details about their youth projects. The coordinator of the Volunteer Center also explained how they secure funding from national and regional institutions.
In this community, they also work with the MOT project.
Additionally, we visited Hakallestranda, where they hold a summer camp featuring canoeing activities. Randi Irene invited us to visit her family Greenhouse with cherries, strawberries and raspberry.
Our Nordic adventure finished on the 8th of June when we returned to Tenerife.
