We meet the single mother in a handball hall in Drammen, one of the cities with the largest proportion of low-income families in Norway. Both she and three of her children spend a lot of time here. Handball is important for the whole family, but earlier this year poor finances threatened to put an end to the children’s favorite activity. Despite the fact that she has a full-time job, high prices for electricity and food meant that her wallet no longer stretched. – I think it was terrible, and I had a stomach ache the whole time. I tried not to think about it. You feel that you cannot give the children what they need, says Veronica, which is not her real name. Got help from the sports club and the Salvation Army In a financially tough everyday life, the mother of four has to prioritize hard. As a result, the dues for the sports club ended up at the bottom of the bill pile. Finally, the message came that the children’s membership had to be terminated, if the money was not paid. She then contacted the sports club to explain the situation – It took a lot of courage, because I think it was embarrassing, she says. To Veronica’s surprise, she was met with great understanding. With help from the sports club and the Salvation Army, her children were able to continue with their favorite activity. – It has meant everything. When I got help and that bill disappeared, I almost felt like a new person. I am incredibly grateful, says Veronica. The single mother from Drammen encourages parents in the same situation to seek help. Photo: Jan-Erik Wilthil / news Idrettsforening: – Several are struggling Alenemoren’s story is far from unique. General manager of Åssiden Idrettsforening, Ørjan Handal Dimmestøl, has experienced an increasing flow of parents who are no longer able to pay the dues. – It is more difficult for people to pay. We notice that this applies to more people than before. It is tough, because this affects the children, says Dimmestøl. General manager Ørjan Handal Dimmestøl in Åssiden sports association. Photo: Jan-Erik Wilthil / news The sports club has collaborated with the Salvation Army to provide help to those who need it. Now the demand has become so great that they have to look at another solution. – It is a strong signal that something has really happened, says Dimmestøl. He believes the situation worsened sharply after the government chose to end the support scheme with the Leisure Card earlier this year. – The leisure card was a very good solution. It is strange to me that we get a socialist government, which chooses to remove it, says Dimmestøl. The Swedish Sports Confederation fears that sports will become a balance sheet – When many people with completely normal incomes have to resort to food boxes to get the wheels turning, there is little doubt that many will struggle to pay for their children’s sports and leisure activities. We have to do all we can to avoid sports becoming an offsetting item in the household budget, says communications manager Finn Aagaard at the Norwegian Sports Confederation. Communications Manager Finn Aagaard at the Norwegian Sports Confederation. Photo: Norges Idrettsforbund He is calling for an arrangement where the municipalities can transfer more state funds to vulnerable children. In the government’s proposal for the state budget for 2023, subsidies for the inclusion of children and young people are increased by NOK 96 million. This pot will be used, among other things, to cover costs for leisure activities. – When we know that there are approx. 115,000 children and young people in low-income families, it goes without saying that this pot will not cover the actual need. We are in good dialogue with the Ministry of Culture to discuss measures to ensure that finances do not become a barrier to sports participation, says Aagaard. Aagaard believes that the sports clubs have mostly been good at not increasing the training fees and keeping the costs of sports participation down. He believes that sport could suffer because families have to prioritize living expenses in the first place. – Do you mean “money football” like that? – There are extra people contacting us for help now. Also people who are in regular jobs, says coordinator in the Salvation Army, Iselin Heggestad. So many have approached, that time is no longer enough. – This autumn I have spent a lot of time following up on these families. So many have approached via the collaboration with the sports club, that time is not enough. Now I no longer have the capacity to be the first instance anymore, says Heggestad. She tells of heartbreaking episodes where children have ended up outside, because the parents are struggling financially. Coordinator Iselin Heggestad in the Salvation Army fears more children will stop taking part in leisure activities because their parents cannot afford it. Photo: Jan-Erik Wilthil / news – The mother of a youngster who had played basketball for a year, said that they had used the Leisure Card to pay the membership fee, but could not afford to pay the licence. As a result, the boy was no longer allowed to play matches. Then they couldn’t afford to pay either the license or the fee, says Heggestad. – Another 10-year-old boy we came into contact with said that he was very fond of playing football. When he was asked which team he played for, he replied: you mean that kind of money football? Heggestad has now sent a letter to the politicians in Drammen, in which she asks the politicians in the city to act on the new leisure declaration, which was signed earlier this year by the State and voluntary organizations – I propose to create a fund, where people can apply for support. The financial pressure many are now experiencing will lead to many children giving up their leisure activities, says Heggestad.
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Can’t afford to pay for children’s sports – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
