Young people and exclusion: a professional day at Nøsen

On Friday 15 September we had the pleasure of gathering professionals from Hallingdal and Valdres at Nøsen for conversations about young people and exclusion. It was a good day, with good input from each valley and enriching contributions from the Back in the Ring (BITR) participants who live here on the mountain. We also had good talks from an in-house psychologist, two doctors and others who work in the field.

We had many good conversations, did some yoga, ate good food, shared experiences and gained new perspectives on a growing and complex problem.

Exclusion brings many challenges, such as:

• Lack of education and work opportunities
• Poor mental health
• Isolation
• Low self-image and self-confidence
• Crime
• Addiction
• Poor role models
• Radicalisation
• Stigma

Here are some of the important points we discussed.

What do young people really need to engage in life?

Recognition and understanding. Adults who listen, show empathy and take their feelings seriously. Safe relationships. Belonging, and being part of a community. Access to psychosocial support if you are struggling emotionally or mentally. Therapy? Acceptance, feeling good enough! Patience. Hope. Education and work opportunities. Life skills. Positive role models. Inclusive community activities. Sport, art and culture, voluntary work. Health services?

How do we create more safety and meaning in young people's lives?

Good, supportive relationships: one adult can make an enormous difference. Being seen. Access to professional help, or to people with lived experience who know the problem. Mentoring programmes. Leisure activities. Teaching life skills: cooking, resolving conflicts, budgeting. An inclusive school environment. Understanding career options and civic engagement. Stronger family relationships. Initiatives led by young people. Open dialogue. More focus on young people's strengths. There is nothing wrong with them!

Which places give young people meaning, mastery, hope and faith in the future?

Schools and colleges, vocational training and work placements, youth clubs, mentoring and guidance programmes, voluntary organisations and support groups. Nature and outdoor life. Digital and social platforms.

How do we create more responsibility, engagement and meaning for this group?

Involve them in decisions. Give them real tasks. Let them take part in mentoring programmes. Meaningful activities. Initiatives from the young people themselves. Give them feedback and recognition. Teach life skills, basic tools for their own lives such as making decisions, solving problems and handling conflict. Safe environments. Be informative, make room for reflection and focus on their strengths.

In practice: how can we better help young people and young adults who fall outside?

Action-oriented, easy-to-reach measures. Help them recognise the challenges they face, while teaching them that they must act. Balance. Do not underestimate lived experience. Youth centres. Jobs and work placements. Mentoring programmes, health services, leisure activities, life skills, support groups and civic engagement. Teach compassion and inner resilience. The importance of good communities from an early age. Meaning, mastery and inclusion.

After lunch we finished with several talks and split into groups that worked together on good answers to these questions:

• How can we better reach young people on their own terms?
• Can mentoring schemes be a solution?
• Is physical activity and a better understanding of the body important? Why?
• How do we create more recognition and understanding for this group, in practice?
• How do we build safer and more reliable relationships with this group?
• Education: how can we awaken more curiosity and hunger for knowledge in this group?
• How can we be more helpful and inclusive, and let them feel belonging and community?
• How can we better arrange for jobs, work placements and education?
• How do we encourage new life skills in this group, and what matters?
• What is needed to create a more inclusive school environment?
• How do we build a better understanding of young people's career options?
• What can we actually do to create more engagement and get young people to take their own initiatives?
• How do we focus more on young people's strengths and lift up the unique qualities they have?
• Mental health: how do we encourage better mental health and more safety in this group?
• How do we create a more inclusive environment that encourages diversity and acceptance for this group?

If you have read this far, thank you for your attention. Feel free to share the questions with others, and listen to young people, learn from them and contribute as you are able.

Thank you to everyone who took part and enriched our perspectives!