The case in summary: Nore kindergarten has employed young people to solve the staffing problem they are facing. The young people, called “play resources”, work one day a week after school. Without these “play resources”, the kindergarten could have had to cut back on opening hours and offer fewer activities. The parents’ rebellion 2024 believes that the measure is positive, but that it does not solve the underlying staffing crisis in the kindergartens. The young people who work in the nursery gain valuable work experience and the children benefit from their energy and desire to play. The nursery has received positive feedback from parents on the initiative. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – You can’t take me here! shout the toddlers in unison, laughing loudly as only happy children can. – That is true. It’s free here on the ladybird slide, replies Nadia Øktedalen, who has to run and catch other knots that have not yet sought refuge on the “magical” slide. There is a game of “stiff witch” in Nore kindergarten. The kids snuggle under the autumn sun. Jumping and laughing. In all respects, it is a completely normal afternoon at the nursery, which is located by the Norefjorden at the foot of the valley in Buskerud. But the circumstances are perhaps a little unusual. Where other nurseries struggle with staffing, Nore has solved it in her own way. Nadia Øktedalen, who has today been given the role of “witch”, is 14 years old. One in five young people who are employed in the nursery to play with the children after school. The teenagers each have one day of the week. They are called “play resources”. Nadia Øktedalen (14) is a play resource at Nore kindergarten. Marthe thinks that’s nice. Photo: Lykke Frida Synnøve Høyås / news Is the solution to the kindergarten crisis the way Nore kindergarten does it? Have your say at the bottom of the matter. “Why don’t you use youth?” Bente Gunn Haug is the director of the kindergarten. When asked how the measure with play resources came about, she answers simply: – We lacked people in the afternoon. Then one of the parents said: “Why don’t you focus on the youth?” Yes, why not? thought the board and brought the idea forward to the administration. Bente Gunn Haug is the director of Nore kindergarten with room for up to 40 children (52 places). She is very pleased with the play resources that fill out the days in terms of personnel. Photo: Lykke Frida Synnøve Høyås / news – Within a couple of months we had the first play resources in place. Now we have had this for a few years. The young people get paid for the work, and it is their first encounter with working life in a good way. “Play resources” has become a well-known and beloved term in villages and kindergartens. Even among the smallest. – Young people have a lot of energy and playfulness in their bodies. Lots of jumping, bouncing and running. The children like it, because they ask in the morning: “Which play resource is coming today?” Haug chirps. Without the young people, the kindergarten offer would have deteriorated. It is not only the youngest who thrive in the kindergarten. So do the youth. – I do it for the children. So that they will have some young people to look up to. It’s a very nice job, says Øktedalen. – How is it to be someone the children look up to, then? – It’s an honor really. I just try to be me, the best version of myself. Play resources in Nore kindergarten Five secondary school students work one day each as “play resources” after school in Nore kindergarten. They have to go through interviews, get a first aid course, as well as an introductory course where they learn about children’s development and the world of play. The young people are paid in the same way as the employees. Primarily, the young people must take part in free play, but under the auspices of the kindergarten teachers they can take part in educational projects. The “play resources” fill out the day in terms of personnel. – My impression is that they like each other very much, adds director Haug, who points out that the three who applied to the kindergarten this year were also here last year. Also: The other two are here in their third year. – Do you experience a difference from the time before and after the play resources? – It was more intense in the afternoon earlier. Now we can actually switch some of the staffing over to earlier in the morning. – And the parents? – Only positive feedback, they are very satisfied! Marianne Gibson Heimdal is Annlaug’s mother (here with her nieces). – It is very pleasant to have local young people in the nursery. I see that they develop, and I see that the children think it’s great. It is a very good arrangement. Photo: Lykke Frida Synnøve Høyås / news Daniel Sæle is Johan’s father. He praises the measure. – The staff are usually very busy when we arrive, and it is a nice relief for them that the play resources can be here in the nursery to help. The children look up to the young people very much. Photo: Lykke Frida Synnøve Høyås / news Arn and Nadia have become popular playmates for the children in Nore kindergarten. Photo: Lykke Frida Synnøve Høyås / news Haug emphasizes that the play resources are never alone with the children; other nursery staff are always present. When asked what everyday life could have looked like without the young people, the director replies: – In the worst case, we would have had to cut down on opening hours. There had been fewer activities and the offer for the children had deteriorated, says Haug. Play resource Arn Ruud Heiderby has got a taste of working life, and says he would like to work with children in the future. Photo: Lykke Frida Synnøve Høyås / news Positive for the students, fun for the children, but … Shrink staffing and budgets that don’t add up. Kindergartens in several Norwegian municipalities are struggling. Some have to tighten their opening hours, or simply close. The staffing standard in kindergartens states that there must be one employee for every three children under the age of three, and at least one employee for every six children over the age of three. In addition, kindergartens must have at least one educational leader per child under the age of three, and one educational leader per 14 children over the age of three. 65 per cent of the kindergartens met the norm for pedagogical staffing in 2023, and according to KS there was a shortage of 2,822 man-years in Norway at that time. The action group “Parents’ uprising 2024” has long sounded the alarm about the staffing crisis. Leader of the group, Ida Madslien, says the initiative with secondary school students as a “play resource” can be positive for the students and fun for the children in the kindergarten. But that it does not solve the underlying staffing crisis. Ida Madslien is the leader of Parent Uprising 2024. She says it is crucial that the kindergartens have enough qualified staff. Photo: Amanda Pedersen Giske / NTB – Although such schemes can be a nice bonus, it is important that they do not become a substitute for competent employees. You cannot equate young people with adult employees, especially those with professional expertise. Without enough staffing, this gives the young people far too much responsibility, and devalues the nursery staff who have this as their career, she says. However, she emphasizes that this is happening because the staffing is too poor, and that she did not think that what Nore kindergarten is doing is negative. The Parent Uprising 2024 The Parent Uprising 2024 is a movement made up of parents all over the country who are fighting for better staffing in kindergartens. The movement has emerged as a reaction to the critical staffing situation in kindergartens across the country, where the lack of staff and resources affects the quality of the provision and the safety of the children. As the staffing standard is set up today, there are only a few hours per day with full staffing, because it does not take account of opening hours, planning time, breaks etc. This means that employees risk being left alone with large groups of children for several hours. The parents’ revolt has drawn up eight requirements that they believe must be in place for the children to have a safe and sound daycare center: Increased basic staffing That the staffing must apply to the entire opening hours and full funding of the staffing norm with earmarked funds to ensure that children receive the care and follow-up they are entitled to in accordance with the framework plan and the Kindergarten Act. The demands have been handed over to Storting politicians, and they believe the politicians must include the demand for increased staffing in the negotiations on the upcoming kindergarten settlement. Madslien says that politicians must instead ensure increased staffing with full funding and earmarked funds. – The children must receive the educational follow-up they are entitled to. The staff must first be in place, then such measures can be a positive contribution. Mari Evine Elserud, Ida Madslien and Helene Straith are three of the parents behind the action group “Parentreopprøret 2024”. Photo: Privat This is what the children in the kindergarten think: Marthe thinks it’s fun to play with Nadia. Annlaug thinks it’s good to have the young people there. The best thing about having the young people in the kindergarten is playing, says Sigrid. A taste of working life Arn Ruud Heiderby is in the 10th grade and has been a play resource for just over two years. – It gives me a lot of joy and it’s nice to work here, but I miss those who have started in 1st grade, it’s a bit sad, he says and adds that he could imagine working with people in the future – preferably also children. – When we come here, we find that the children are very energetic and happy to see us, every time! Heiderby says smiling. Arn Ruud Heiderby has proven to be a resource for the kindergarten in Nore. Photo: Lykke Frida Synnøve Høyås / news Fortunately, the play resources have matching youthful energy. – I like playing outside the best. Be active. And the children also think it’s great fun, he says. Play resource colleague Nadia Øktedalen has been at Nore kindergarten for almost a year. And time flies when work is a breeze. – It’s nice to come here after school. Being with the children, playing hide and seek, drawing and painting. And I’m very happy when I see that the children are happy that we’re coming here, she admits as she is surrounded by a cheery crowd. – Am I going to be the witch again?! OK! Is the solution to the kindergarten crisis the way Nore kindergarten does it? Hello! Welcome to dialogue at news. Since you are logged in to other news services, you do not have to log in again here, but we need your consent to our terms of use for online dialogue Published 02.10.2024, at 19.19
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Nore kindergarten has hired young people to play with the children in the afternoon – news Buskerud – Local news, TV and radio
