Norway

National Organiser for Schemes

Wenche Heimholt Isachsen
Tel: +47 22 06 51 00
Email: post@home-start-norge.no
Web: www.home-start-norge.no

Home-Start Familiekontakten

Origin

Home-Start has been active in Norway since 1995. Ten specialists working at different levels within the support administration, went to England and met with the founder of Home-Start, Margaret Harrison. Back in Norway they immediately began to spread Home-Start’s method of working with families and volunteers to four regions. The first scheme started in the city of Trondheim in 1995. During the next four years, nine schemes were established, and Norway then found it needed a National Coordinator. The Government granted 600,000 NKR (£60,000), and in October 2000 the National Coordinator started her work.
We also use the word “Familiekontakten” (family contact) in addition to ‘Home-Start’ in the title.

About the Schemes

Norway has 28 schemes, spread almost over the entire country. Half of the schemes have a Coordinator working full time. The other Coordinators works mostly on a half time basis.

Norway has a very good progress being accepted both in the Local Communities and by the Government. The Ministry of Children and Equality regularly mention Home-Start in their plans for children’s and Young people’s physical health, and funding for Home-Start is received from the Government‘s state budget.
In 2005 the Ministry of Children and Equality offered HSF two million Norwegian Kroner (NOK) every year for a period of three years to do a project supporting families with chronically ill and disabled children. This period (originally three years) has now been extended to six years.

Health Visitors in the local community are also happy working together with Home-Start.

What people say about us

“I have received more than I expected. You don’t believe it is so natural, but you get much more back than you give! I received so much because I went into a relationship with the family.
It might have changed me. In our society, I see people from other cultures more clearly now, both children and parents, and I have a more open mind and a bigger heart. It has expanded my horizons.”
Kari, volunteer

“My son has found himself a friend; he talks about the volunteer as his friend. They have been doing boyish things together; looking at cars and going out fishing.”
Grethe and Family

Funding

Half the schemes receive money from the local community, and the other
half from funding organisations.

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