– I was happy, but it was a joy mixed with horror, says the 18-year-old about when she herself moved away from home. Nicoline Heiberg-Evenstad is from Gibostad on Senja in Troms and Finnmark. She moved to Tromsø, almost 180 km from home, two years ago to start high school. The 18-year-old remembers well all the feelings she felt when she was new in a foreign city. – When the school day was over, I went home and thought “what am I going to do now?”. Social arena outside the school Now she will be one of six “dorm pilots” for students at the upper secondary schools in Tromsø. The dormitory pilots are people that newly arrived residents can call for advice on most things. – I believe that we who are dormitory pilots can help recruit and take the new dormitory residents along to activities and dinner and things that happen, she says. We need these youth experts, says the project supervisor for the dormitory pilots. He says that the Tvibit youth center in Tromsø wants to give young dormitory residents a gathering place, a place to make new friends, access to good activities or a healthy meal. Photo: Julie Bendiksen / news – A dormitory pilot is simply an expert in his own age group, says Bjørn-Tore Hilmarsen. He is a project supervisor at the youth center Tvibit in Tromsø, and responsible for the dormitory scheme. For many years, Tvibit has focused on gathering young residents away from home and giving them a social arena in a foreign city. Among other things through dormitory dinners and other social activities outside school. New this year are six dormitory pilots, who take on the role of godparents for new dormitory residents. They are paid for the work they do, and the aim is to have one representative at each upper secondary school. – The environment for dormitory residents varies from school to school. Then it is wise that we work together so that it is less about luck, says Heiberg-Evenstad. The young know the young best – We have already had a meeting with the dormitory pilots, and it was a great success. I get good ideas from hearing what they want and don’t want, says Hilmarsen. He needs young people like Heiberg-Evenstad to spread the word about the offer at Tvibit. – As a young person, I know better than an adult how young people think, and what we are interested in, says the 18-year-old. She thinks it is good that those who are going to make use of the dormitory offer themselves can help decide what it will entail. Sif Vik is planning and development manager at Tvibit in Tromsø, and believes that there are better social offers for newly arrived students than for the newly arrived residents of upper secondary school. Photo: Julie Bendiksen / news Random follow-up in upper secondary school Tromsø is the largest host municipality for residents away from home in Northern Norway, with around 500 dormitory residents in upper secondary school each year. – This is a group of young people who have to learn to do most things themselves. That makes them a vulnerable group, and at the same time they are a great resource for Tromsø, says Sif Vik, planning and development manager at Tvibit. Despite their vulnerability, the social follow-up of young people in upper secondary school can be more random. – If you come to Tromsø as a student, you have sponsor week, and there is a lot of focus on being well looked after, says Vik. – But if you come as a high school student, it is very random how the follow-up is, she says. Wants a permanent arrangement Municipal director in Tromsø, Stig Tore Johnsen, believes that Tvibit’s dormitory pilot concept is a great and effective measure for young people. – We want to propose that the dormitory pilots become a permanent arrangement. The municipal director believes that the work that the youth center Tvibit does for young dormitories in Tromsø is very important. He also hopes that the dormitory pilot concept will become permanent. Photo: Julie Bendiksen / news Johnsen says that they will propose it against the budget that will be presented in October. The municipal council will then decide on it, he says. The municipal director believes it is important to focus on preventive work related to young people. – We have a big societal problem in Norway with outsiders, he says.
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Dormitory pilots must counteract alienation among young people – news Troms and Finnmark
