The government has initiated a societal mission with the goal of including all children and young people in education, work, and community life. The overarching objective is focused on the quality of life for children and young people, service development, and methods of inclusion where research plays a central role. Østfold University College (HiØ) wishes to contribute to realizing this societal mission and has established an area of effort for 'Vulnerable Children and Youth,' called CHANGE.
CHANGE will be interdisciplinary, and through research, education, and innovation, we aim to contribute new knowledge with the goal that fewer children and young people fall through the cracks. For HiØ to achieve this objective, it is important that we build on the excellent work already being done in our academic environments and facilitate more collaboration with relevant societal actors.
We therefore invited everyone at HiØ, both employees and students, to a feedback meeting. At this meeting, information about the societal mission was provided, professional inspirational presentations were held, and, not least, we received many valuable contributions from employees and students on relevant topics that the focus areas should pay special attention to.