Meet Forum for ungdomsinformasjon I Norge!
2021
Meet Forum for ungdomsinformasjon I Norge!
Today, there is no overall coordinating body for youth information in Norway at the Governmental level. Instead, all coordination is done by the informal network “Forum for ungdomsinformasjon i Norge”, consisting of 8 local or regional Youth Information Services.
Youth information work in Norway is carried out by different organisations and initiatives across the country; While the Ministry of Children and Families develops youth policy, the responsibility of providing youth information services has no coordinating body at a governmental level. Hence, some youth information services in Norway have direct ties to municipal administrations, while others result from NGOs’ initiatives.
The different youth information services chose to self-organise through “Forum for ungdomsinformasjon”, which was established in 1997, to network and find inspiration and support for each other’s varying activities. The forum has developed its own guidelines and statutes, and it has a national working committee consisting of representatives from three of the youth information offices in Norway.
Youth information work in Norway forms an integral part of youth work, and it is carried out in a variety of ways: through open info centre services, youth clubs, cultural activities and more. The Forum for Ungdomsinformasjon aims to organise two annual meetings within the National network where Norwegian youth information workers can meet and share best practices.
All the local and regional youth information services/centres in the network are organized and funded differently; UngInfo Oslo is an independent organization (NGO), others are municipal services financed locally, others are financed regionally. This is both a strength and a weakness. The strength is that each service is based on opportunities and needs in its local area. The weakness is that everyone is organised differently, and there is no common organization.
The Forum for Ungdomsinformasjon expresses an urgent need for a national strategy for youth information in Norway, with clear state coordination and organization of local, national and international information aimed at young people in Norway.
In addition, efforts should be made to establish more youth information services on a national basis and maximise the geographical spread of youth information services.
Over the years, the member of the network has developed different services, support and programmes for young people between the ages of 15-30 years (Oslo 13-27), including:
employability programmes,
counselling services,
School visits with information about work and education
Tourist information for young travellers
Open youth Information centres
Support/mentoring for the local or regional youth councils
Funding and mentoring for youth projects/youth initiatives
Mental health support
resilience building, anxiety programmes
drug and alcohol support
LGBT+ youth work
Indigenous youth work
club development
rural outreach and
fun, safe spaces for young people to gather
