| dc.description | Almost 20% of the Norwegian population consists of immigrants or children of immigrants. In the coming years, this number is only going to grow bigger. Those already here, and those coming in the future will have to make use of public services at some point or another. As the Norwegian system is built on Norwegian norms, assumptions, and expectations, for people coming to Norway with a different background, navigating through the system can pose a challenge.
Maladapted services, as well as institutions not taking into account the challenges and needs of immigrants can lead to systemic exclusion in a way that might hamper the immigrants’ integration into society. As the Norwegian welfare state is built on trust and participation, it’s in the public sector’s best interest to ensure that their services and interventions don’t contribute to alienation, or even actively try to fight it.
“Ever felt like you don’t belong?” is a project looking at how the public sector can transform and adapt to the growing complexity of a diverse population by taking critical approaches and being conscious of the consequences of public services. My proposal is a set of principles to guide the public sector towards being one built on the values of inclusivity, self-reflection, and compassion. | en_US |
