The matter in summary Posten and KS have collaborated on a project where post offices go to people’s doors in eight Norwegian municipalities. The project is part of Posten’s transformation to a society with fewer letters, but with a need for a nationwide network of post offices. Post office clerk Ellen Hustad Vinjevoll in Åmdalen is one of those who took part, and she feels that both she and the recipients appreciated the personal contact. Many older people, such as former mayors in Ørsta Stein Aam, greatly appreciate the service and see it as an extra measure of security. The Pensioners’ Association is undividedly positive about the project and sees it as an important measure to strengthen the relationship between pensioners and the public sector. KS reports that 9 out of 10 always read the information sheet they receive from the post office, and that this leads to a greater degree of older people taking part in events organized by the municipality. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Postman Ellen Hustad Vinjevoll turns the mail van into the yard of pensioner Stein Aam (74) in Åmdalen on Sunnmøre. She takes with her the stack of advertisements, letters and information sheets from Ørsta municipality and strolls the last meters up to the front door. There she rings the bell and meets the pensioner on the doorstep. They have a good chat in addition to her getting what she needs delivered. Hustad Vinjevoll is herself a pensioner soon, but it is exactly this part of the job that she will miss. – It was a bit scary at the start, but mostly it’s just pleasant people to meet. Some want to strike up a conversation, while others just say thank you for the post when they meet on the doorstep. Not everyone gets the mail all the way home – read about those who have to travel on two ferries to get their parcels. Ellen Hustad Vinjevoll in Posten. Photo: Arne Flatin / news Project in eight municipalities The project is a trial scheme in eight municipalities in Norway, and is a collaboration between Posten and KS. The municipalities are in addition to Ørsta, Balsfjord, Hitra, Asker, Ringsaker, Tinn, Evje and Hornnes and Bømlo. The project was started because Posten is constantly working on how they can adapt so that they are better adapted to a society where there are fewer letters. At the same time, they want to have a nationwide network of post offices. Posten believes that when the postman visits the door in this way, it helps people feel safer and can stay at home for longer. Alexander Hømanberg at Posten Bring Photo: Posten Bring Since the year 2000, the number of letters has decreased by 80 per cent, says press and communications advisor at Posten Bring, Alexander Hømanberg. Therefore, it is also natural that the post office is given other tasks. At the same time, we send more parcels than before, but these go to the Post in store, straight to the mailbox or self-service solutions. Many older people are not very mobile Stein Aam is a former mayor in Ørsta. He greatly appreciated receiving this visit from post office Ellen once a week. The social element is important in addition to the practical. Stein Aam is very satisfied with the door threshold project for Posten and KS. Photo: Arne Flatin / news – For those who are older than me, well into their 80s, you may lose your driver’s license for various reasons. Then it is difficult to make the journey into the city centre, and such a service from Posten provides extra security, he believes. Jan Davidsen is the union leader of the Pensioners’ Association. He is undividedly positive about the project and has been informed along the way. Jan Davidsen is the leader of the Pensioners’ Association Photo: Johnny Syversen Byråruta / news – We think this is an important measure to strengthen the relationship between pensioners and the public sector, and it reminds a bit of the old arrangement with rural post offices. So we are very positive about this, says Davidsen. Only positive feedback Department director Monica Fossnes Petersson in KS says that 9 out of 10 always read the information letter they receive from the post office. Many of these are “non-digital”. This in turn leads to the elderly taking part in municipal events to a greater extent because the information reaches them. Monica Fossnes Petersson in KS Photo: Arne Flatin / news – We only see advantages with such an arrangement, but whether this is to be permanent, I do not want to speculate. First, the formal evaluation must be carried out, says the KS director. The post office is well satisfied In Hovdebygda, a few kilometers away from the area where the post office travels, the manager of the post office in Søre Sunnmøre is stationed. Ole Tom Myroldhaug says they have received a good response to this scheme, which has been going on in Ørsta since March. – We had a short stay this summer, but now the project is fully underway until October. I think there are good arguments for making this a permanent arrangement, but it will not be decided until the pilot has been thoroughly evaluated, he says. Ole Tom Myroldhaug in Posten. Photo: Arne Flatin / news Published 04.10.2024, at 20.25
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Here, Stein Aam in Ørsta gets the mail delivered to the door – news Møre og Romsdal – Local news, TV and radio
