Labs of Contextualized Urban Social Work
OsloMet and Søndre Nordstrand
In Oslo, The OsloMet university collaborates with Søndre Nordstrand municipality through a department focusing on community outreach. The department is engaged in a variety of local efforts and programs, ranging from supporting local business development, operating multiple community centers to supporting diverse volunteer groups. The department collaborates closely with various public and private entities, all with the intent of creating opportunities and supporting quality of life for residents.
The neighborhood
The municipality of Søndre Nordstrand is the most recent of Oslo’s 15 municipalities. It is the home of approximately 39 000 residents. It is the first municipality in Oslo with a majority immigrant population. People from Pakistan, Somalia and Poland are some of the largest population groups. Known as an area of great natural beauty, Søndre Nordstrand encompasses lakes, beaches and hiking trails as well as dense forests and green spaces. It has, however, struggled with a somewhat poor reputation due to poverty related issues and crime.
Student activities
As part of a 10-credit course, groups of students from OsloMet spend 2 1/2 weeks in different districts of the municipality where they do participant observation, conduct a survey and follow up with qualitative interviews with inhabitants they meet in open areas, such as shopping centers, town halls, bus /metro stops, squares, coffee shops, markets etc.
The fieldwork allows students to gather knowledge about living conditions and well-being in the districts and what assessments, opportunities and obstacles citizens of different ages highlight and emphasize.
Besides gathering data from inhabitants, students should also complete a photo-assignment; they take pictures of the neighbourhood to show the atmosphere of the area. At the end of the project, students present their research-findings in a project report, which is also the exam of the course. The results are presented to inhabitants in community meetings leading to interesting discussions about their findings.
