Offers development program for young enthusiasts

NEW COLLABORATION. ViteMeir Vite Meir and Sparebankstiftinga Sogn og Fjordane have developed a development program for young enthusiasts. Heidi Breili Bøthun of Vite Meir and Hallvard Klakegg of Sparebankstiftinga are looking forward to starting up the program and hope for many participants.

ViteMeir and Sparebankstiftinga Sogn og Fjordane are launching a development program for young enthusiasts. The aim is to inspire these enthusiasts and provide them with knowledge about the important role played by the voluntary sector in local communities in Sogn og Fjordane.

Sparebankstiftinga, which distributes tens of millions to teams and organizations every year from the surplus of Sparebanken Sogn og Fjordane, is the initiator and provides funding for the program. The foundation is clear about why they want to do this.

- The voluntary sector is the jewel in our local communities. No one is better at creating activity, cohesion, integration, well-being and prosperity than the sum total of voluntary teams and organizations. This jewel must be preserved, and there is a constant need to recruit and motivate new enthusiasts to work in the voluntary sector. We therefore hope that such a program can contribute to this," says Hallvard Klakegg, director of Sparebankstiftinga Sogn og Fjordane.

A lot on the program

Three gatherings are planned throughout the year. The first gathering will be at ViteMeir in Kaupanger on October 7-8. ViteMeir, which is the organizer of the program, can attract talented contributors and exciting activities.

- "Rasmus Mo will be facilitating the gathering, there will be team building, a talk by Olav Tufte and a rib tour. In addition, there will be lectures and group work on organizational work," says Heidi Breili Bøthun, head of sales and marketing at ViteMeir.

She adds that there will be room for about 30 participants in the first cohort, and that the goal is to make this an annual program so that there is continuity and a new group every year.

- We find that teams and organizations in Sogn og Fjordane have many young and talented members who have already become important driving forces in their organizations. Our goal with this initiative is to give these young people a meeting place to build networks, share experiences, gain inspiration and build expertise. We want them to be appreciated and challenged to take responsibility in their own organization. This is the generation that will eventually become the mainstay of the voluntary sector in Sogn og Fjordane," says Klakegg.

Great advantage on your own CV

There is a dedicated website for the program; www.ungeeldsjeler.no and the registration deadline is initially set to August 31. The target group is young people aged 18-30.

- We hope that many people will show an interest in taking part, as I'm sure this will be an exciting and enjoyable experience where you can network, gain inspiration and get a good professional refresher. Being able to refer to positions of trust in the voluntary sector is also a great advantage on your own CV," concludes Heidi Breili Bøthun.

Heidi Breili Bøthun