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Sør-Odal municipality wanted to explore new methods to address local challenges, in line with international goals for sustainable development. We aimed to do this with guidance from our Danish par...

Sør-Odal municipality wanted to explore new methods to address local challenges, in line with international goals for sustainable development. We aimed to do this with guidance from our Danish partner and in collaboration with the inhabitants. Through active citizenship, inclusion, and skill development, this project aims to build stronger alliances between the residents of the municipality and their public employees and decision-makers. We wanted to create a meeting place and platform where inhabitants, volunteers, employees, and businesses would utilize. This was intended to become a venue that contributed to improved information and accessibility to knowledge and public services. Activities for leisure, participation, and vocational training were to contribute to inclusion. It was important to facilitate a space where volunteers could have a meaningful meeting place with the municipality's residents. The goals are described in the past tense here, but it does not mean that we have completed the work during the project period. We anticipated that the project would help us initiate and facilitate long-term efforts.

In the long term, our goal is to establish a range of activities. Initially, we aim to build a strong collaboration with our Danish partner, local volunteers, and the internal units within the municipality. We would involve all parties and facilitate participation in activities. The first thing we wanted to launch as a work training business and the heart of the community center, was Odali. Subsequently, we would hold an opening event for inhabitants, partners, and volunteers. A citizen café in the centre of the town hall would contribute to being a co-creative arena, where inhabitants, volunteers, businesses, and public employees could come together to discover new ways to create a working environment that is inclusive and promotes participation and active citizenship.

We expect that: • Participation in volunteer activities increases, thereby enhancing the well-being of the population. • A stronger local democracy where everyone in the community feels they have a place and a voice. • Shorter distance to access public services and employees. • More residents from marginalized groups entering the workforce. • Overall increased well-being for the municipality's residents and employees. • Positive progress in quality of life surveys in the years to come.