Exploring Global Connections: Lyn Lormer’s Scandinavian Visit

Lyn Lormer’s Scandinavian Visit | The same but Different

IFS Board member Lyn Lormer shares her enlightening journey through Settlement Houses in Scandinavia. Discover the inspiring similarities and intriguing differences in how these centers operate compared to their Australian counterparts. From youth centers in Sweden to social enterprises in Finland, Lyn’s insights offer a valuable look at the mutual learning and global friendships that transcend borders.

On a recent holiday in Scandinavia, I dropped into 3 Settlement Houses to see what they are like, both the similarities (of which there are many) as well as the cultural and organisational differences.

It was a mutual learning opportunity which was inspiring but also built global connections and wonderful friendships.

In Sweden, I met Angela Noel, the manager of Hamgarden, a Settlement Centre for youth in Lund. It was a fantastic mixture of social enterprise, a drop in space to connect with others and gain support and a host of interactive activities for young people including a small movie theatre and a sound studio to name a few.

In Tampere, Finland, I met Mervi Janhumen-Ruusuvuori,the Manager of Setlementti Tampere and her team. This Centre had multiple outlets as well as the main office. I visited the Immigrant Women’s Meeting Point, a disability day care for budding artists and met the new worker for the Romani population.

In Helsinki, Finland, I visited the headquarters of IFS at the Kalliolan Setlementtitalo, a great organisation supporting recently released prisoners, operating Girls and Boys Houses for intensive support for girls and boys at risk and heard in more detail about their social housing social enterprise services supporting low income residents.

In Australia, we also have a lot of these type of services but the funding framework has meant services in Neighbourhood Centres (Australia) don’t necessarily cater for the most disadvantaged with more intensive care but are used more as a an early entry point and referral mechanism especially with youth issues. The models are slightly different to those in Australia but Centres in Scandinavia are clearly more trusted to do the entire gamete of work with clients. With the conservative government in Finland, now the Settlement House is looking at funding cuts into the future and this will ultimately affect the holist nature of the work they do.

It is also clear that Centres in Scandinavia engage in social enterprises as a normal part of their work and this is one of the ways they diversify their income sources. In Australia social enterprises tend to be an add on. I think we have to follow Scandinavia’s example and start to think of ways we can support the community at the same time as raising income.

There are many similarities and differences that need exploration and reflection, so next time you are in another country on holidays, drop in the meet your global counterparts and be inspired by their work and gain friends from around the world.

 Lyn Lormer, LCSA, Australia.