Transcript Cultural multitude and integration in scouting Kirvil Kaasa, The Norwegian Guide and Scout Association (NGSA) Growth Network Meeting, Helsinki December 2008 Norges speiderforbund Demographic.

Cultural multitude and integration in scouting
Kirvil Kaasa, The Norwegian Guide and Scout Association (NGSA)
Growth Network Meeting, Helsinki December 2008
Norges speiderforbund
Demographic facts about Norway:
- population: 4 800 000 (+ <1% per year)
-
9,7% are immigrants
- 19% under 14 years (920 000)
- 87% are members of the evangelic-lutheran church
- 4% are of other religions
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In the largest cities, it’s different …
Oslo: 23% of the population have immigrant
background. Only 1/5 of these are of European or
US American origin.
In 48 of the 138 children’s schools in Oslo, children
of Norwegian parents are a minority.
In 5 schools, more than 90% of the pupils have a
different ethnic background.
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This is not reflected in the guide and
scout groups …
Very few – if any – members with non-western
background.
In general, few children of non-western immigrants
take part in organised activities (only 12% of
Pakistani girls).
More than 95 % of the children want to take part in
organised activities.
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The guides and scouts of Oslo wanted
to thange this …
A few Oslo groups have worked towards integration
of non-western youths and adults in their activities
since 2000.
Brochure with information for parents about
scouting in ten languages.
Still, it has been very hard to attract new members
from non-western immigrant families.
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2008: New project: a Moslem guide and
scout group
Earlier efforts to form a moslem group have not been
successful
Governmental funding now enables the NGSA to hire a full
time project manager for one year.
The aim is to start a moslem guide and scout group in Oslo.
The group should get support from an experienced Oslo group,
17. Oslo.
The NGSA aims at cooperating with moslem societies and the
mosque in Oslo.
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Cooperation and communiation are the
key words …
The NGSA contacts the mosque and establishes a
good dialogue with the leaders of the mosque and
with leaders of the children’s and young people’s
activities
Challenge for the moslem society: The work with
young people was not organised, thus it was not a
part of a larger network
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Step by step to a new group
The NGSA helps the moslem society form a youth organisation.
A guide and scout group is then planned around activities that
fit with moslem belief, values, customs and culture and with
the core values of scouting in NGSA: Friendship – cooperation
– outdoor life and adventures
Ten scout leaders are recruited among the active youth leaders
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Rabita Guide and Scout group is
founded
The leaders are mostly young moslems
The members are both girls and boys
The members of Rabita and 17. Oslo represent ten nationalities
The two groups do outdoor activities together
17. Oslo is a mentor group for Rabita
They have so far been on four outdoor adventures
Some of the leaders take part in Overture in Milan
The members of 17. Oslo benefit from the cooperation.
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Photo: Aften newspaper, Norway
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The word spreads …
The largest Oslo newspaper writes a big article about
Rabita, interview the leaders and the children
The government contacts the NGSA: They can offer
foundings for a project aiming to prevent forced
marriages with special focus on girls
Three of the leaders from Rabita speaks in front of
100 politicians at a meeting on cultural multitude
and integration in organisations
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The children and adults of Rabita say:
”It’s fun to get to know other children”
”I always learn something new”
”I didn’t like being outdoors before, now I look
forward to it”
”I have involved my family in outdoor activities”
”We prepare the food outdoors ourselves – that’s
fun!”
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What happens now?
Guide and scouts groups in other Norwegian cities
are enthusiastic and want to try the same
Governmental funding now enables the NGSA to
keep the full time project manager for 2009.
Interested in finding out more? Please contact
project manager Anette Guldahl:
[email protected]
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