The municipalities offer various benefits and programs to help low income families cope with everyday life. Below, we have gathered information from a few municipalities, from east to west.
This overview is incomplete, since there are also private and voluntary initiatives that do not appear here. If you know of resources that you think should be listed below, contact Vest-Agder Museum: g.aaby@vestagdermuseet.no
There is also a Nasjonal tilskuddsordning mot barnefattigdom, a national support program against child poverty. Public institutions, private actors and voluntary organizations can apply for funds, but the municipality first needs to confirm that they will announce the program locally, and agree to assess and prioritize applications made within the municipality. Read more about the subsidy here: https://www.bufdir.no/tilskudd/soke_om_tilskudd/barnefattigdom/
The application deadline is 2 December, 2016.
Kristiansand municipality
We wish for all children and adolescents to be able to take part in the recreational activities they want to. For some, low income can be an obstacle, since membership fees, equipment and excursions all cost money. There are several programs that are intended to help everyone to participate.
At school, talk to your contact teacher, social counsellor, or school nurse, or contact the manager of the local youth club. They can help you locate the right program.
NAV offers advice and assistance, and can grant support for free time activities and equipment when parents apply for them. Contact NAV for information about the criteria for obtaining support. The application form and documentation requirements are at www.kristiansand.kommune.no/nav.
The municipality has two equipment storages, one on each side of town. Here, everyone can borrow sports and hiking equipment free of charge. Do not hesitate to contact us!
- Fritidsetaten øst, tel. +47 400 01 906.
- Fritidsetaten vest, tel. +47 38 00 74 60.
In addition, many voluntary organizations in Kristiansand strive to help include all the inhabitants. We encourage adults involved in organizing recreational activities for children and adults to join the national voluntary project ALLEMED.
ALLEMED (‘All Together’) is a tool intended to make it easier to include children and adolescents in leisure activities, regardless of a family’s income level. It is useful for everyone who organizes activities for children and adolescents (sports clubs, school classes, organizations, choirs, boy- and girl scouts). The tool is free and can be ordered at www.allemed.no.
Mandal municipality
Contact the volunteer coordinator of Mandal municipality Ingunn Ulvestad: tel. +47 903 65 546. E-mail: Ingunn.Ulvestad@mandal.kommune.no
- Individuals, organizations, schools and pupil’s councils can apply to Mandal barne- og ungdomsråd (Mandal child and adolescent committee) for activity funds.
- In 2016, the national support program against child poverty allocated funds for the following projects in Mandal:
- Lindland Gård – vacation and leisure experiences
- InClub Mandal – vacation and leisure experiences
- Mandal municipality – participation in UngMakt-festivalen (‘Youth Empowerment Festival’)
- “Sykler og klær” (bicycles and clothes) at Finsdal gård supplies equipment for people in need, either by donation or for a cheap price.
In addition, voluntary groups and organizations arrange a number of free offerings and activities. Some examples are Mangfold I Mandal (‘Diversity in Mandal’), Fyrlyset/Frelsearmen (The Salvation Army), Mandal frivilligsentral (Mandal volunteer center) and Kristent interkulturellt arbeid (KIA, Christian intercultural work).
Mandal helsestasjon (Mandal Health Centre) offers a free service program called Helsestasjon for ungdom (Health Central for Young People), for young people from 13 to 24 years of age. Opening hours are Mondays 3 – 5 pm. It closes during school holidays, except during the summer holidays when opening hours are 1 – 3 pm throughout the holiday period. At HFU young people can get appointments with physicians, nurses, midwifes and psychologists.
Lindesnes municipality
- At Lindesnesskolen we have equipment for leisure activities (bicycles, running shoes, skis, skates, etc.) that can be borrowed during school days.
- Kindergartens in Lindesnes have extra close when somebody needs to borrow something, for example rain gear, dresses, etc.
- Lindesnes municipality has 390,000 kroner at our disposal to allocate to clubs and organizations each year.
- Lindesnes municipality has another 100,000 kroner each year that can be applied for by clubs, organizations and private individuals to fund children and youth work in connection with specific projects. Low-income families can apply for support in order to take part in activities, for example to pay membership fees, fees for arrangements, equipment, etc.
Lyngdal municipality
The board of Lyngdalæs municipal administration resolved to supply 200,000 kroner that clubs and organization can apply for, with the following criteria:
- To help disadvantaged children and adolescents
- To foment integration of young refugees
Lyngdal is also part of the program for national anti-poverty funding. This means that the municipality itself, or actors within it, can apply for those funds.
The municipality runs Rocky Fritidsklubb (Rocky Leisure Club), which aims to provide a free offering for all children and adolescents living here. We have, for example, a free skating hall where visitors can borrow equipment. The club also offers gaming, dancing, watching movies and meeting friends.
Contact Head of Culture Jan Seland for more information: jan.seland@lyngdal.kommune.no, tel. + 47 38 33 40 42.
NAV has several offers for refugees. They arrange an overnight skiing excursion every winter, and a Christmas celebration together with Rustjenesten (the alcohol and drugs health services), Frivilligsentralen (‘Volunteer Centre’) and the Red Cross, and provide extra support for recreational activities for children, as well as an autumn excursion to Undeland each year. This year, they also supply funding for swimming instruction for immigrants. There is a women’s club at the Red Cross every other Monday, where we knit and drink coffee.
Rustjenesten organizes food supplies for those who are on the high-accessibility program Dørstocken (‘The threshold’).
Farsund municipality
Farsund municipality does not have a free culture and activity program of its own for those in need.
But there are various free offers and activities in the course of a year. Several of the municipality’s clubs and organizations offer free, or very inexpensive activities. This is the case with both organizations and religious congregations.
All the museums in the municipality have a free entrance policy. The library is also a good free service. Here you can read papers, borrow books, films and games, or play Play Station 4, etc. Another free event is the Språkcafé, the Language Café, which is arranged once a month, and provides a meeting place for people of different cultural backgrounds. This autumn, Kulturskolen (The Culture School) starts a new free offering that we have called “Du store verden,” where people from different backgrounds can get to know each other through exchanging song and music.
The sports clubs also offer activities, but tend to require a membership fee, licenses and training fees. Sometimes they also require that you purchase training gear in the club’s colors. But several of the clubs have support policies, which makes it possible to contact the management, board or coach in order to find a way to cope with expenses for family who cannot afford them.
Kvinesdal municipality
- Kvinesdal municipality offers holiday/activity days for children who have family members with alcohol or drug problems, or mental conditions.
- We provide support for recreational equipment and fees, after reviewing applications.
- The children of all new participants in the introductory program will get one leisure activity/equipment/fee covered without review. In addition, all adult refugees will get one leisure activity paid in the first year.
- We also provide and follow up economic assistance / help with making a budget, for families with children, and others.
Flekkefjord municipality
This overview from Flekkefjord covers both public and private initiatives.
Frivilligsentralen i Flekkefjord (Flekkefjord volunteer centre) offers a variety of support policies and programs:
Contact person: Marianne Hafte, Manager at Flekkefjord Frivilligsentral, tel. + 47 941 48 944 / + 47 38 32 80 41, e-mail: Marianne.Hafte@flekkefjord.kommune.no
- Activity card: Frivilligsentralen supplies activity cards for those whose are found to be in need. The cards provide free activities for children and families. In 2016 and 17 we will hand out more than 250 tickets. Applications are assessed by NAV, teachers/nurses/staff at kindergarten, preventive health services, refugee coordinators and refugee asylum staff. The tickets are donated by clubs, organizations and the municipality itself, and include activities such as draisine excursions, cinema, swimming tickets, a festival pass to Fjellparken, Miniparken, Kul kveld (a youth sports event), Julemønstring (annual Christmas inauguration), etc. If you wish to apply for an activity card, get in touch with someone who can assess your applications, or contact NAV.
- Christmas gifts. Frivilligsentralen puts up a Christmas tree in December, where people can donate gifts. The gifts will be handed out by Englevakten, together with Pscyhological Health Services.
- Free gatherings: The Red Cross, religious congregations, clubs and organizations arrange free events with experiences for the whole family, f.ex. summer parties with loads of activities, and youth evenings with free food and transport, in case the event takes place out of town.
Englevakten (‘The guardian angel’, an initiative of the Flekkefjord Pentecostal Church) donates clothes, food and equipment. Here, people make donations of e.g. used clothes that they can spare, and supermarkets donate food. Contact person: Arild Egeland, tel. +47 908 64 113, e-mail: arild@englevakten.com.
Sammen om nøden (‘Together in need’, IOGT) hands out food donated by supermarkets. Contact: Jan Harald Lilledrange.
Fritidsbanken: Four sports clubs (Flekkefjord fotballklubb, Flekkefjord turnforening, Bakke IF, Sira Kyokushin) have been given monetary support to reduce member fees and tournament expenses, and for buying equipment to children who find it hard to participate because of economic problems. This support is for both old and new members. The program is especially for refugees, but can also be used by other children. You may also contact Frivillighetssentralen if you wich to participate in such activities or organizational offerings.
Frelsesarmeen (The Salvation Army) gives out clothing and equipment to people in need. The clothes are from private donors. Contact person: Monika Ellingsen, Director at Frelsesarmeen, tel. + 47 38 32 23 81.
Flekkefjord Mottak (Refugee Asylum) hands out free clothes and equipment donated by private individuals. Contact person: Bernt Erik Spinnangr.
Swimming instruction: In 2016, Flekkefjord svømmeklubb (swimming club) arranges swimming classes free of charge for asylum seekers and refugees. Contact person: Folkehelsekoordinator (People’s Health Coordinator) Silje D. Gilje, tel. +47 467 66 847 / 3832 80 41.
Read more: www.vestagdermuseet.no/fattigdom
