A resident council… Responsibility were it should be!

I was very much looking forward to our meeting with the strong holders of the resident council at Dale reception center.

Since 3 years this centre has become the reference in the country to be managed for a big part by residents themselves. For the moment there are 6 persons in the council. They are in charge of organising activities for all the other residents, they speak on behalf of the residents and they are the spokesman when officials, like the mayor are visiting the centre, etc.

Meeting Leith from Irak, he explained us what he’s getting in return from his voluntary commitment.

“Just waiting in the mottak for the answer from UDI got me more and more depressed. But when I’ve been approached to join the resident council, I start to feel better again. I still feel support from the other council members when I do feel down from time to time. Mainly when I miss my family.”

Leith is now helping out people with their computers and he gives courses in IT to other residents. But the council is also engaged in other trainings for residents thanks to a kind of train-the-trainer programs.

Abdellah, one of the resident co-founders of the council explained us how he sees their mission:

“We have to try to kill the time, before the time kills us.”

I was very much impressed, this council has important responsibilities. They are managing a budget up to 2000 euro each month. They organise activities for all residents, and are in charge of the facilities like TV room, cyber, fitness. Asylum seekers with personal interests are also supported. E.g.: you can get subsidies if you join a sport team. And if a certain nationality likes to celebrate one of their traditional or religious holidays, they will sponsor a 100 NOK for each participant at the event initiated by residents.

Unfortunately it keeps on being a difficult job to convince new people to join the council. Although every single resident knows who Abdellah and Leith are, and so do they. But it is not the way budget is spent that makes them respected. They also mediate between residents, and with the staff if necessary. They’re even asked to intervene in other centres to settle arguments.

I got the permission to share their presentation with you.

Operational and strategic teams: shall we try to get residents participation to a new level?

Thanks a lot,
Kobe

Here you see a not so flattering self-made picture where I’m riding one of the bikes that the council is borrowing out to other residents. They have been in use since the council joined a cycle race a few years ago.