Strengthening Robust’s work for children and young people in Stovner

Kavli Trust has awarded NOK 4 million to Kirkens Bymisjon for the project Robust Stovner – scaling through deepening and local anchoring. The funding will help further develop a low-threshold counselling service for children, young people and families in the district, while also developing a model for how preventive mental health work can be embedded in schools and local services.

Robust is a counselling service where children and young people can receive support quickly, without referrals or long waiting times. Conversations may focus on anything from loneliness and family conflict to concerns related to school and friendships.

Robust Stovner has previously received support from the Kavli Trust. The initial grant made it possible to establish the counselling service in the district and provide children, young people and families with a place to turn when worries and conflicts become difficult to manage alone.

The initiative is part of Ferd’s Oslo initiative, where non-profit organisations, schools and public services work together to strengthen living conditions for children and young people across several districts in Oslo. Experiences from Stovner will contribute to developing new forms of collaboration – helping more children receive support earlier.

Close collaboration with schools

Robust works closely with local schools to reach children and young people in their everyday environments.

Vestli skole and Haugenstua skole have already entered into long-term partnerships with Robust. In the next phase, Tokerud skole will also join the collaboration, enabling the service to follow pupils from primary through lower secondary school.

Through counselling, guidance and competence-building, teachers and school staff receive support in how to meet children who are struggling.

Building competence across the local community

The counselling service is only one part of the initiative. The project will also contribute to building competence within local public services.

Among other activities, Robust will organise six breakfast meetings each year where schools, healthcare services, NAV, child welfare services and other local stakeholders can meet to share experiences and strengthen collaboration.

When people who work with children on a daily basis come together in this way, support can become more coordinated and holistic.

A model that can be used elsewhere

Stovner is a diverse district, but also faces significant socio-economic challenges. Many children grow up in low-income families with limited resources, which can affect wellbeing, health and educational outcomes.

The experiences from Robust Stovner will therefore be systematised into a model showing how low-threshold counselling services and competence-building can be integrated into local services.

The long-term goal is for the model to be adopted in other districts and municipalities as well.

“Many children and young people struggle without it necessarily being visible on the surface. That is why it is so important to have services that are accessible where children already are – in their local communities and everyday school life,” says Ingrid Paasche.

“Robust Stovner demonstrates how collaboration between schools, local services and non-profit organisations can help prevent mental health challenges and strengthen children and young people’s ability to cope with life.”

About the project

• Kirkens Bymisjon has been awarded NOK 4 million for the project Robust Stovner – scaling through deepening and local anchoring during the period 2026–2027.
• The project aims to prevent mental health challenges and school dropout among children and young people through a low-threshold counselling service and strengthened collaboration between schools and local services.
• Robust offers counselling for children, young people and families in Stovner district two days a week, without referrals and with short waiting times.
• The project works closely with Vestli school, Haugenstua school and Tokerud school to support pupils and strengthen wellbeing and learning environments.
• Teachers, youth workers and other school staff receive training and guidance in supportive conversations with children and young people.
• The project organises six annual breakfast meetings where schools, healthcare services, NAV, child welfare services and other local actors meet to share experiences and develop collaboration.
• An important part of the work is systematic transfer of knowledge and competence to local services, helping ensure that the methodology becomes a lasting part of the support system for children and young people.
• Experiences from the project will be used to develop a model for how preventive counselling services can be integrated into schools and municipal services and implemented in other areas.