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Students at Kristiansand Folkehøgskole sharing perspectives during the focus group discussion

When young people realize their voices matter

publisert 19.05.2026 00:00:00

The chairs were arranged in a simple circle. No podium. No microphones. Just young people ready to speak.

Text: Nassaka Donantouse Jovintas, Act Now student at Hald International School 

My teammate and I facilitated a focus group discussion with Norwegian youth as part of our internship in Kristiansand. Our goal was to explore how young people experience participation and inclusion in their communities. What unfolded was more than a discussion, it reflected a culture where youth voices are not only welcomed, but expected.

When I asked what it means to be a young person in Norway today, one participant responded immediately: “We are expected to have opinions.” Others nodded in agreement. That expectation to think critically, to question, and to contribute shaped the entire conversation.

When participation becomes action

Participants spoke about climate engagement, mental health awareness, volunteering, and involvement in school and local decision-making processes. Many described participation as a natural part of their lives. Through student councils, youth initiatives, and organized community activities, they are given opportunities to contribute in practical ways.

But one story stood out. Sandra, a student at Kristiansand Folkehøgskole, raised an issue that was directly affecting her and her peers. In the autumn of 2025, the Norwegian government had proposed reducing the grant portion of financial support for folk high school students from 40 percent to 15 percent. For many young people, this change could make attending a folk high school financially impossible. Sandra explained that students did not remain passive. They organized and joined a national signature campaign to oppose the proposal. “We signed because this year matters,” she shared. “Folk high school gives students time to grow, to explore who they are, and to prepare for further studies.”

The campaign argued that reducing grants would mean fewer young people choosing folk high school, fewer completing upper secondary education, and potentially higher dropout rates in higher education. It would also affect creative and professional pathways from musicians and artists to psychologists, architects, and outdoor professionals. Students at Kristiansand Folkehøgskole, including Sandra, added their voices to the campaign. Signing was not just symbolic. It demonstrated collective concern for future students. It showed the government that this issue mattered deeply to young people and their communities. After the campaign, the percentage was kept at 40 percent.

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Sandra (left), a student at Kristiansand Folkehøgskole shares her reflection on youth participation in Norway during a focus group discussion with Donantouse (Right) the facilitator of the discussion

When participation becomes culture

Listening to these youth, I realized that youth participation is not theoretical. It is active. It is strategic. It is courageous.

Beyond the focus group, I have seen the same sense of ownership in everyday life at Kristiansand Folkehøgskole. As part of the fundraising group organizing Sunday café activities, students confidently debate ideas, divide responsibilities, and execute plans. Participation here feels practical, not performative.

Facilitating this discussion challenged me personally. I arrived eager to learn about youth engagement in Norway, but I left reflecting on a deeper question: What happens when young people grow up in systems that assume their competence rather than their inexperience?

Youth participation is often described in policies and strategies. But sitting in that circle, listening to young people speak with clarity and belief, I understood it differently. It is not simply a concept, it is a culture intentionally built through trust, responsibility, and shared power.

What I witnessed was not entitlement. It was confidence developed over time. It was young people who have been taught that their perspectives matter and who act accordingly.

Including young people in discussions is not enough. To make participation truly meaningful, they must be given real opportunities to influence outcomes. Because when young people truly believe their voices matter, they do not wait for permission to shape the future. They begin shaping it themselves.