In the LNU, the main focus of evaluation is on the democratic management of activities that are organised through funding. With this in mind, the main questions of evaluation are as follows: How are choices made between different activity options, are young people involved in the decision making, how satisfied are the members, and are the organisational culture and practices regularly evaluated? The LNU also helps ensure that the criteria for the funding and the application and reporting forms are kept simple, so that organisations of all levels can apply for funding, and that the applicants do not have to spend too much of their resources on the application. According to the LNU, preserving the diversity of civil society has an intrinsic value, as does working together in civil society, as well as influencing fellow human beings and creating a democratic society. (LNU, interview 21 March 2022.)
The following examples from Norway discuss the challenges of evaluation in terms of improving the world, the possibilities to justify the need for activities through scientific data, and developing accessibility and attractiveness and how well the activities match the needs of young people.
3.3.3.2 How to evaluate whether our actions have resulted in a decrease in inequality
Changemaker Norway works to remedy the injustice in the world through constant meetings with politicians, lobbying, maintaining press relations and organising demonstrations, school visits, environmental projects, weekend meetings and leadership studies. The evaluation is kept as diverse as the activities. There is a social media campaign analysis about how the activation of young people went. Or they focus on how the knowledge of young people was improved through education and training activities. Or they can verify how they manage to deal with local events.
According to the organisation’s representative, the debate on how to highlight the impact of the activities is not yet very advanced. However, there is one concrete example. When international taxation was discussed in the government, the organisation received feedback stating that without their activities, some of the changes would not have been achieved. The organisation has been in operation for 30 years, and it is possible that some of the things that were done 20 years ago are only now starting to have an effect. (Changemaker Norway, interview 6 May 2022.)
The interviewed representative of the organisation notes that it is difficult to see the change in the policy or in children and young people. According to the representative, it must be kept in mind that even the smallest contact with a 14 or 15-year-old can be the start of a significant interaction. Young people do not automatically accept everyone as an interlocutor. This position must be earned by one’s own actions from the first encounter. (Changemaker Norway, interview 6 May 2022.)
Changemaker Norway expects evaluation to develop. One of the challenges is that not many of the young people involved are members of the organisation and are only involved for a short period of time. Young people are interested about the activities, not their evaluation. There would be no evaluation culture without the organisation’s employees. The quarterly discussion with the board of the organisation, which evaluates how things are going and what more is needed, plays an important role. Funding comes from a number of different sources, and different parties request reporting in different ways. The organisation is fortunate in that the main funding bodies have a clear idea of what can be expected from the activities of this type of organisation, and how they can be evaluated and reported. (Changemaker Norway, interview 6 May 2022.)
3.3.3.3 No need to measure everything yourself if there are other trustworthy bodies offering a basis on which to build
The organisation The Psoriasis and Eczema Youth Association of Norway (Psoriasis- og eksemforbundet Ung i Norge, hereinafter PEF-youth) recognises the importance of meeting other people of the same age who are in the same situation, for example, with a specific disease-related condition. It is important to participate in activities that allow the feeling of shame and stigma to subside. However, it is almost impossible to measure the improvement in self-esteem as a result of a particular activity. For this reason, the organisation in question has found the section “Background information” particularly important when making funding applications. In this section, an organisation can refer to the results of various research groups, according to which people with a specific condition can easily suffer from issues, such as mental health problems and fears, which can be prevented, for example, by having friends and an atmosphere of trust in which one can speak and peers can meet up. It may not be as easy to talk to other peers who may not truly understand the issue. The organisation builds up its expertise on exactly what its members need and its ability to organise it for them. Funding applications must highlight the needs, translate them into objectives and determine how they will be achieved. The organisation itself does not have the possibility to carry out in-depth scientific research, and it is therefore good that there are reliable bodies whose research can be referred to. (PEF-youth, interview 2 June 2022.)
Although the PEF-youth has not yet attempted to make a comprehensive impact evaluation, they are still carrying out evaluations. After the meetings, the participants are asked whether they are satisfied with the organisation of the meetings and, for example, whether the visitors (such as doctors specialising in dermatology or rheumatology etc. or physiotherapists) highlighted the chosen topics clearly enough and if the participants found the topics relevant. When implementing projects, the organisation evaluated the outcome of the activity together with the participants, such as comics about specific conditions and whether they are satisfied. When the completed works, such as comics, are published on social media, visibility is created, which can contribute to raising awareness. In this case, for example, the number of clicks the comics have received can be documented. The organisation also received qualitative feedback on the cartoons from professionals, for example, who praised the cartoon as appropriately informative, taking into account the target groups. The professionals also stated that they would be happy to share it with children and young people with the specific condition. (PEF-youth, interview 2 June 2022.)
According to a PEF-youth representative, it is possible that the increased requirements for evaluation will increase the professionalisation of activities in a way that will distance them further from grassroots activities. The PEF-youth considers that the funding applications offered by different entities have very different standards, some of which are very difficult to meet. According to the interviewed PEF representative, you can get the wrong impression of the activities in the sector by reading funding applications and lists of the applicants, because some organisations cannot apply for certain funding due to a lack of resources. The PEF-youth has managed to find the funding channels that are accessible to them. These funding bodies have the previously mentioned “Background information” section in their application forms, where research data produced by other bodies on the needs of the organisation’s members can be added. The interviewee states that without this section, it would be quite impossible to submit an application. (PEF-youth, interview 2 June 2022.)
3.3.3.4 Cumulating knowledge related to those who participate and how to help engage those who do not
In their research report Samfunnsengasjert ungdom. Deltakelse i politikk og organisasjonsliv blant unge i Oslo, published in 2017, Guro Ødegård and Adun Fladmoe examine the participation of young people in voluntary work and political activities in Oslo. The purpose of the study was to find out how many young people participate in the activities of organisations or political youth organisations, and whether there have been any changes over the past twenty years. In addition, the study aimed to identify the differences in participation between different genders and between young people from different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. The variables taken into account in the comparison were, for example, ethnic background, residential area, socio-economic status and the organisational activity of the parents. In addition, the study examined whether the same young people are always involved in the activities of organisations and political activities, what kind of activities are perceived as attractive and whether some groups are excluded. (Ødegård & Fladmoe 2017.)
This study uses the results of the Ung i Oslo 2015 survey, to which more than 24 000 lower and upper secondary school students (aged 13–19) from the Oslo region responded. The data from 2015 was compared with the data from 2006 and 2012 to see the development in different decades. Around two-thirds (65%) of all respondents were involved in the activities of at least one organisation. Among the young people, sports organisations were the most popular. This sector also displayed the greatest differences in the minority and socio-economic backgrounds of young people. Girls from minorities were under-represented in the organisations. The lowest participation rates for these girls were in the activities of sports organisations. The children of parents who were active in organisations were most actively involved, while the differences in political participation between minority and majority youth were not significant. On the basis of the data, young people appear to be at least as active, if not slightly more active, in the organisation sector than they were 10–20 years ago. The study was published by the Centre for Research on Civil Society and Voluntary Sector (Senter for forskning på sivilsamfunn og frivillig sektor). (Ødegård & Fladmoe 2017.)
In the same year, the same research centre also published another interesting publication related to the theme: Norsk frivillighet: Utviklingstrender og samfunnseffekter (Kraglund & Enjolras 2017). It examines the participation of minorities in civil society, how organisations work, what challenges they face in their work, and how cooperation with municipal authorities is perceived. The publication states that the social impact of organisation and voluntary activities can be diverse: direct or indirect, short-term or long-term, affecting individuals, local communities and society at large. Impact on public health, integration work, emergency operations and preventive work against radicalisation can be used as examples. According to the publication, people with a migrant background in Norway are relatively well integrated into the labour market and education compared to other OECD countries. However, when compared to the majority of the population, the involvement of minority representatives in civil society is more limited. The publication notes how organisation and volunteer work can create and strengthen networks, create a culture of reciprocity and increase social inclusion, which would be of benefit to immigrants in particular. (Kraglund & Enjolras 2017, 63–65.)
The same publication Norsk frivillighet: Utviklingstrender og samfunnseffekter also looks at the longitudinal survey from 2012 and 2015. An article originally published in 2012, Rekruttering av barn og unge till frivillige organisasjoner. Barrierer, tilltak og institusjonelt samarbeid, the starting point of the study, examined youth participation in organisation activities in four Norwegian cities (Ødegård, Steen-Johnsen and Ravneberg 2012). The article highlights the obstacles young people have in participating in organisation activities on an individual, organisational and social level, and how the organisations have removed the obstacles. Particular attention was drawn to the participation of young people from ethnic minorities, who are less likely to participate in youth organisation activities, such as sports and leisure organisations, than the rest of the population. In addition to documentary analyses, material was collected by interviewing adult representatives of schools and sports clubs. In the study, sport organisations were considered to have the lowest threshold for participation as they do not promote religious or political agendas in their activities that could prevent young people from immigrant backgrounds from participating. The study found that, for example, girls belonging to ethnic minorities had a particularly low level of participation and often quit their hobbies at the beginning of puberty. At the individual level, obstacles to participation included socio-economic resources and challenging family situations, poor Norwegian language skills, and inexperience of local organisational culture, and religious and/or cultural practices. At the organisational level, for example, the lack of volunteers and the continuity of activities were challenging. (Ødegård et al. 2012, 88.)
The article also reviews the strategies and measures taken to involve young people in these organisations. Measures in different areas included communicating with young people’s parents orally and face-to-face instead in writing, involving young people in the planning of activities, providing role models, diversifying activities, and cooperating with municipal actors and organisations in relation to communication and reaching out to young people. The article states that clearer coordination of the recruitment and involvement of young people and setting long-term goals from these perspectives are required to involve young people in the activities. (Ødegård et al. 2012, 90–93.)
In a further study published in 2017, Levende drabantbyer: Ungdoms deltakelse i organiserte fritidsaktiviteter i flerkulturelle lokalsamfunn, Ingunn Eriksen and Lars Frøyland examined the participation of young people in leisure activities. One area of interest in the study was the extent to which young people participate in leisure activities. The study also examined the means and strategies used by organisations to recruit young people into their leisure activities. The same municipalities were examined as in the previous study. They all share a relatively large proportion of residents with an immigrant background, up to 50% of the total population of the city. As time had elapsed since the previous round of the study in 2012, it became possible to identify the actual impact of the previous recruitment measures in the monitoring. Each city had initiated or taken physical and social measures in the past five years to develop the area and improve services. With regard to the development of organisational activities, the measures strived to develop a system that allows young people’s perspectives to be heard more systematically and to start new leisure groups based on young people’s wishes. (Eriksen & Frøyland 2017.)
3.3.4 Denmark
3.3.4.1 Democracy as an important evaluation criterion
In Denmark, the partner of the project is the umbrella organisation of child and youth organisations the Danish Youth Council (Dansk Ungdoms Fællesråd DUF), which has 80 member organisations. The objective of the DUF is to promote opportunities for young people to influence matters, strengthen their inclusion and opportunities for dialogue, and to involve young people in democracy, society and organisations at a national and international level. (DUF, information about the organisation n.d.)
Like the central organisation in Norway, the DUF is in an important position in Denmark between the central government and the organisations. Its role can be described as a financial distributor, funding body, lobbyist and gatekeeper (DUF, interview 15 March 2022). We will first outline these roles from the point of view of funding and funding-related criteria, such as democracy. This will be followed by a brief review of the role of the DUF as a lobbyist and gatekeeper, and we will provide a few evaluation examples from youth organisations.
The DUF not only finances the activities of the organisations, but also contributes to the distribution of state grants and the gambling surplus to its member organisations. The criteria for funding for youth organisations include the organisation’s active activities in different parts of the country, democratic governance and working methods, community spirit, active youth participation and agency, access for all, development of activities, feedback from young people, and the systematic nature of reporting. In addition, organisations may choose to identify other objectives that are intrinsically linked to their activities and report on whether these objectives have been achieved. (DUF, interview 15 March 2022.)
Organisations can apply for funding for both basic and specific activities. Many organisations have a number of sources of funding, both public and private. Applications for funding from the DUF are assessed in cooperation between the DUF and the Ministry of Culture. Youth organisations, as well as sports organisations and civil society actors in general, are often funded by the surplus generated by the gambling industry. Then again, many other ministries also fund the activities of organisations. Organisations that are not members of the DUF apply for funding directly from the Ministry of Finance, for example. (DUF, interview 15 March 2022.)
The interviewee states that the DUF nurtures democratic ideals in its activities and considers there to be a need to “train democratic muscles in organisations”. According to the interviewee, it is easy to think that the increase in democratic activity only affects, for example, political youth organisations, when it actually affects everyone, including student organisations and peace movements. The DUF has noticed that when actors are brought together to reflect on democratic practices, actors from very different backgrounds tend to find common ground. (DUF, interview 15 March 2022.) Among other things, the DUF has influenced the criteria for distributing the proceeds from gambling, which require the supported organisations to have a democratic structure, which again is considered to prove that the organisation is promoting the democratic commitment of its members and the understanding of democracy. There must also be elements in the activities of organisations that support social inclusion. In addition, young people must be given opportunities to develop competencies, such as responsibility, cooperation skills and leadership skills, through the activities of organisations. Aid from the same funding body for the initiative of organising independent activities for children and young people can also be considered to emphasise democracy (see Tipsungdomsnævnet 2016 Tilskudsbekendtgørelsen §1, §2, §27.)
The DUF notes that the indicators it provides are not typically strict, but rather indicative, since the most important objective in the “civil society DNA” is to create democratically functioning communities. Large projects do not seek to report, for example, the growth of individuals, but rather the volume of activities and other general indicators. In its own activities, the DUF, for example, operates in cooperation with schools, where young people are encouraged to make an impact. For example, the DUF surveys voter enthusiasm both before and after the activities. (DUF, interview 15 March 2022.)
For its own knowledge base, that of its member organisations and society at large, the DUF has since 2011 carried out the Demokratianalysen survey to identify young people’s attitudes, social inclusion and participation in organisations, as well as digital skills. The 2021 results report presents, among other things, the membership of young people in various organisations and the forms of their participation in political life. The report also examines the opinions of young people regarding developments in Denmark and the world, as well as their interest in politics and social issues. The evaluation is conducted annually, and the comparison gives an idea of the changes taking place in young people’s attitudes and participation. The data used in the Demokratianalysen survey of 2021 was collected through online panels over a three-week period. The data consisted of a total of approximately 1 700 online interviews, of which nearly 600 were conducted with persons aged 16 to 25, while the remaining 1 100 with persons aged 25 or over. (Dansk Ungdoms Fællesråd 2021.)
In the interview, a DUF representative says that organisations use an infinite number of different evaluation methods, such as story-formatted reporting or quantitative figures. According to the representative, there are also organisations whose evaluation is more reminiscent of reporting rather than evaluating. However, many of these organisations strive to set themselves measurable objectives. For party-political youth organisations, this type of objective may be to increase the voter participation of young people in a given area, for example. On the other hand, the interviewee notes that not everything can be measured. It is particularly difficult when an organisation is trying to implement something new, and things are not going according to plan. With this in mind, the representative suggests that the core of youth organisational activity eventually comes down to learning by doing. (DUF, interview 15 March 2022.)
Together with its member organisations, the DUF has compiled a toolkit from various sources for evaluating international projects. The package includes a section supporting the self-evaluations of the team that carried out the project, where the team can think about whether the planned measures were implemented, if the work had an impact and if the right things were done. Several tools are available for embellishing the project, in terms of both highlighting the positive and negative effects that have occurred during the project, specifying whether they are thought to have been caused by the project or by some other reason, recording the biggest changes made and placing the project in a timeline. They also provide guidance for building a logical chain from the project’s main objectives, sub-objectives and functions, in such a way that, for example, unexpected effects are also taken into account (DUF, Toolbox til internationale projekter. n.d.)
The role of the DUF as a lobbyist and gatekeeper for youth organisations is to act in close proximity to them. According to the representative of the organisation, it is, in many ways, able to act closer to the organisations than officials in ministries. In Denmark, the development of indicators for evaluating youth organisation activities has been delegated to the DUF in the same way as sports organisations under the same ministry have been entrusted to their umbrella organisation. The DUF sees a wide range of challenges in the development of evaluation. Applying for funding and reporting on its use must not become too complicated and difficult for organisations. DUF’s helpline advises organisations on the interpretation of, for example, the terms “activity” or “active member”, or what is the minimum requirement for each criterion. The DUF can easily answer these questions on a practical level, as it is familiar with the realities of field work. On the other hand, the role of the DUF is to keep the ministry aware of the challenges of practical work and to steer the evaluation obligations in the right direction. (DUF, interview 15 March 2022.)
Next, we will examine other highlighted evaluation examples from Denmark. The first concerns all the Nordic organisations that utilise Erasmus+ funding. An example of sporting activities is the need to tailor activities and evaluation to the needs of the target group, in this case girls. The Scout Movement example, in turn, explains how evaluation is linked to everyday activities and how it is important to highlight different aspects in the evaluation without forgetting the core of youth work: having fun and being together. The Denmark section ends with an emphasis on democracy, where it all began. The Youth Island provides inspiration due to its operating model and also because of the kinds of issues they wanted to address in evaluation.
3.3.4.2 Erasmus +: Danish youth associations regularly taking part in a Europe-wide survey
In the report Monitorering af ungdomsusdvekslinger under Erasmus+: Ungdom, published in 2020, Carsten Yndigegn examines the results of the Erasmus+ exchange programme for Denmark. The study was conducted by RAY, or Research-based Analysis and Monitoring of Erasmus+ Youth in Action Programme, an autonomous European research network. It contributes to the development and quality assurance of the Erasmus+ Youth programme and to the development of youth policy based on evidence and research. It also contributes to identifying learning in the context of transnational mobility in the youth sector and to the dialogue between research, policy and practice in the youth sector. (Yndigegn 2020, 18.)
The RAY network carries out the RAY Monitoring survey to monitor the quality and impact of Erasmus+ Youth activities. The survey is targeted at young people participating in Erasmus+ Youth projects as well as project organisers and people in charge. Its purpose is to survey the impact of participation on participants and organisations in a variety of ways. It also examines the practices, administrative framework and funding of projects, as well as the opportunities for their development. In the past, the priorities of the monitoring survey included changes in the values, attitudes and behaviours of the participants, experience of inclusion, and how international projects promote the participants’ civic and social skills, language skills and intercultural competences. (See Yndigegn 2020, 19.)
The survey has been developed over the years, and it currently consists of 30–40 multiple-choice questions, 5–10 open questions and individual questions in relation to more specific background information. Overall, the question template contains approximately 200 sub-questions. The Youthpass tool is utilised in the participants’ self-evaluations. As the reference group of the survey is located in several countries, for reasons of practicality and accessibility, the Monitoring survey takes the form of a post-project online survey and is sent simultaneously to all participating countries. As a result of the evaluation, Yndigegn states in his report (2020) that the impact of Erasmus+ Youth projects and the project activities carried out in the framework of the programme have so far contributed to the objectives of the Erasmus+ Youth Exchange Programme, such as strengthening cultural and European understanding and recognising the development of informal learning, such as values and attitudes.
3.3.4.3 Modifying sports offering and evaluation methods to meet the needs of girls
Since 2016, the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark (Danmarks Idrætsforbund DIF) has been working with the Center for Ungdomsstudier and ten sports associations on the project Gode idrætsmiljøer for piger (“Good sports environments for girls”) (Center for Ungdomsstudier, n.d.). This research and development project was based on the fact that, among young people, girls are under-represented in sports clubs. School and sport are seen as a challenging combination, and there is a significant drop in the number of sports club members as young people move from lower to upper secondary school, with girls being the most likely to drop out (see the guide created during the project Jensen & Østergaard 2018.) The purpose of the project was to study, identify and increase understanding of the specific characteristics of girls in relation to sports activities, such as their tendency to perfectionism, and to find ways to strengthen girls’ participation in sports clubs. The project looked for tools, for example, to communicate the performance and expectations required in sport to girls, to create safe spaces and operating cultures, and thus to better engage young girls in sports club activities. (Center for Ungdomsstudier, n.d.)
In addition to the guide, the project produced a collection of material, which is published on the Center for Ungdomsstudier website. Both the guide and the material collection are intended to be used in girls’ sports activities, and the collection also includes evaluation models created in the framework of the project, the shorter of which is presented in more detail in the Gode idrætsmiljøer for piger guide (Jensen & Østergaard 2018).
This self-evaluation model can be used either during training or after sports competitions, with the team or individually. Young people can first complete the evaluation form independently or in small groups, after which the answers will be reviewed together with the coach. Self-evaluation consists of five open questions about successes and the development of the young athlete. The evaluation focuses on sport-related factors that the young people themselves can influence. A particular feature of the self-evaluation model is that the focus is on the athlete’s successes and development process, rather than on the sporting achievements or the results of a competition. The evaluation model serves as a tool that supports girls to identify and reflect on their own development. The template mentions that evaluation can be used to support the athlete or team in formulating future goals and in monitoring the goals. It is recommended that the evaluation is carried out in varying ways independently, in small groups or with a team, at home, during training or competitions, so that the topic is examined in a variety of ways. (Jensen & Østergaard 2018.)
3.3.4.4 It is important that having fun and doing things together receive respect as evaluative aims
The interviewee from The Danish Guide and Scout Association (Det Danske Spejderkorps) states that the measured objectives, indicators and the method of measuring depends on the funding body. Sometimes the focus is on quality, sometimes on quantity. The number of new members and volunteers is key, especially in organisations where the young people have to be waitlisted in large cities due to high popularity of the activities. This has been taken into account in the organisation’s long-term plan by launching new subunits and thereby shortening the waiting list as much as possible. (The Danish Guide and Scout Association, interview 26 April 2022.)
The interviewee states that they are not concerned of losing the organisation’s own will amidst the evaluation objectives of funding bodies. The problem is to have enough employee resources to develop evaluation, despite the large organisation having 25 000 members. On the other hand, a particular type of evaluation can be carried out, if necessary, as long as there are solid reasons for it. (The Danish Guide and Scout Association, interview 26 April 2022.)
The Danish Guide and Scout Association recognises the importance of increasingly seeking the perspectives of young participants in the evaluation of quality. For example, opinion polls with different coloured balls are used for this purpose. It is easy to take a picture of the distribution of the balls and attach it to the reporting. The interviewee also highlights the research consent issues that need to be considered when working with young people. When using balls, all that is needed is the young people’s willingness to take action. However, the same does not apply to interviews. Surveys are also often used, but the survey process is more demanding for young people as they need to prepare to read and write. Scouts often stay scouts throughout their lives. The organisation’s magazine features biographies to bring perspective to understanding the meaningfulness of the activity. On the other hand, these stories have not yet been used as material to evaluate impact. (The Danish Guide and Scout Association, interview 26 April 2022.)
As the interviewee noted, evaluations of the nature of the activities can highlight many things: having fun, doing things together, spending time in nature, utilising natural resources sustainably, cooking, being away from devices, being happy, which is especially important during the coronavirus pandemic. The organisation also has a large project involving 12 000 children and young people doing activities in the natural sciences. The aim is to arouse interest in studying natural sciences, for example. (The Danish Guide and Scout Association, interview 26 April 2022.)
3.3.4.5 Youth Island and space for communality
In a report published in 2021, Et fællesskab i bevægelse. Unges perspektiver på Ungdomsøens fællesskab, Benjamin Henriksen examines young people’s experiences of community and communality in the Ungdomsøen youth island, as well as young people’s ideas on what the island’s activities should focus on. The report also presents young people who are actively involved and their experiences of the island’s community. The third focal point of examination is how young people find their way to the community and the island’s activities. (Henriksen 2021.)
Ungdomsøen (Youth Island) is an island off Copenhagen, serving as an experience and development centre for young people. On the island, young people can create and carry out activities and events, participate in courses, meet other young people and create new communities. The aim is to support young people’s own initiative and social responsibility, and to strengthen their belief in the fact that they can create positive changes in their own and other young people’s lives. (Ungdomsøen n.d.) The island is an old fortress, which was acquired and donated to the Danish Scout Movement in 2015 by the A. P. Møller Foundation and the Nordea Foundation. The foundations financed the renovation of the island’s premises and outdoor areas, and Ungdomsøen was opened to young people in its current form in August 2019. (Nordeafonden n.d.)
The data in the evaluation report was collected with a questionnaire (n=50) on how young people experienced the island’s communality. Individual interviews with active young people (n=8), and a focus group interview with young people from GEÅ were also conducted. Young people from GEÅ, or Giv-et-år volunteers, live on the island for a year and are involved in, among other things, the island’s repairs and maintenance, activities and organisation. In addition, the informal discussions that took place during field work were used in the evaluation, and being present in the field provided a practical insight into the dynamics of the community. (Henriksen 2021.)
90% of the survey respondents felt that there was room for everyone in the community, while 50% felt that there was still room for improvement in the diversity of activities and engaging different groups. Some teams and small communities on the island are more close-knit than others. The island and its community are also constantly changing because the island has been created with and from young people to young people. The report therefore stresses the particular importance of creating a safe community by developing the opportunities for all young people to experience inclusion. There are many ways to participate in the activities of the island. The first step can be through social media, a school visit, meeting an island ambassador or attending a course. Joining the community requires initiative from the young people, but there are many routes, and the island and its community are accessible both online and physically. (Henriksen 2021.)