1. Introduction
Leander has committed himself as a journalist for ChildPress for the second consecutive year. He is what we commonly refer to as gifted, possessing an above-average IQ, a quick learner, and often displaying a greater social understanding than his peers. Leander believes that the conditions for gifted children in Norway
2. We are meeting the mayoral candidates for a debate at the Library, organized by ChildPress
Leander introduces his thoughts to Arendal’s mayoral candidates. During this exchange, certain ideas come to life among the politicians, and they realize that they need to delve deeper into these matters with Leander! So, right here, an overwhelming show of support for Leander’s cause begins to emerge. ChildPress Ordførerdebatt from
3. Former Minister’s Encounter with Leander Highlights Urgent Issues in Education
We commence our search for potential allies and receive a tip that former Minister of Education, Jan Tore Sanner, will be at Sam Eydes Square in a few minutes. We decide to head there. Upon arriving, we manage to catch him for a brief moment, though he’s clearly in a
4. Leander and Amalie’s Viral Interview with Norway’s Chief of Defense at Ukraine Event
We took a brief break from our project to attend the “Ukraine: The Road out of War” event. Here, Leander and Amalie had the opportunity to conduct an exceptional interview with Norway’s Chief of Defense, Eirik Kristoffersen. Their video quickly went viral, garnering thousands of views. A former editor and
Fun time!
As the evening draws near, we gather for a meal at a restaurant, joining several other members of the ChildPress team. Leander is eager to recharge, for he has an exciting plan ahead—he’s heading to the cinema to watch “Oppenheimer” (an impressive feat for a 10-year-old). It’s a well-deserved break
6. Leander’s Quest to Be Heard by the Adults
The day is still young, and our journey continues: We have a scheduled meeting with TV 2 and Elevkanalen, where we meet Fiona Sand right after our interview with UNICEF. Leander is deep in thought today and is starting to feel a bit frustrated that the people we meet aren’t
8. Svein Harberg
We manage to connect with Svein Harberg, Vice President of the Parliament, who also has several years of experience as the Mayor of Grimstad, where Leander is about to start at the junior high school. We engage in a lengthy and insightful conversation with Harberg. Here, they both agree that
9. Henrik Aasheim and Mathilde Tybring Gjedde
The Meeting with Svein Harberg opened doors for Leander to be heard. We decide that Henrik Aasheim is the right path to pursue now. We call Henrik, and he answers promptly but informs us that he doesn’t have the time. After a brief conversation, we call him back, explaining the
10. Progress on Leander’s Advocacy Journey: Meeting with Former Prime Minister Erna Solberg in the Works!
Following the meeting with Aasheim, mayoral candidate for Arendal Høyre, Linda Øygaarden, reaches out. She has brought Leander’s case to the highest echelons within the Høyre party. She initiates the process of arranging a meeting for Leander with Erna Solberg, the former Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway for
11. Leander’s Busy Morning: A Chat with the Minister of Education Before His First Day of Middle School
Leander is starting middle school today, at the tender age of 10! Therefore, he has to meet Minister of Education Brenna over FaceTime on his way to school. He’s a busy and hardworking young man! Time is short with Brenna, and they don’t get into the main topic as Leander
12. FRIDAY
Friday is here, and we eagerly gather for the Super News debate, a debate for children featuring all the party leaders. We meet a range of politicians during the debate.
13 Leander Gains Political Support as Mayoral Candidate Promises Action
Leander encounters an enthusiastic politician, Inger Brokka De Reuiter, who is the mayoral candidate for SV (Socialist Left Party) in Arendal. She has been thinking about Leander since the Party Leader Debate on Monday. In their conversation, she warmly shakes Leander’s hand and promises to take up his cause. On
14 Leander’s Exclusive Meeting with Former Prime Minister Erna Solberg
Leander has secured a private meeting with none other than Erna Solberg, with an hour allotted for their conversation. Leander stands there, brimming with anticipation, as he watches hundreds of children and young people cheer and shout when Erna exits the Super News debate. It takes a bit of time
15 Leander’s Advocacy Gains Momentum
After the meeting with Erna, things start to pick up momentum. A new meeting is scheduled, this time with County Mayor Arne Thomassen. Now, it’s time to address the Education Act! We will come back to this. The phone is constantly buzzing with people eager to speak with Leander and
16 Leander’s Inspiring Meeting with County Mayor Sparks a Path to Legal Change
After school, Leander eagerly arrives at the office where he is scheduled to meet County Mayor Arne Thomassen, a highly popular and experienced politician and leader. It’s election season, and he travels for hours each day, with a jam-packed schedule. But for him, Leander is the top priority, and any
17 In the days that follow, Leander engages in conversations with numerous local politicians, and each one pledges to support his cause.
“NRK Sheds Spotlight on Gifted Children’s Cause: Leander and County Mayor Take on Education Legislation” Norway’s national broadcaster, NRK, brings Leander’s cause to the forefront. They create a significant piece on gifted children and how he, along with the County Mayor, is working towards amending the Education Act. NRK puts
Youth Participation
1. Introduction
Leander has committed himself as a journalist for ChildPress for the second consecutive year. He is what we commonly refer to as gifted, possessing an above-average IQ, a quick learner, and often displaying a greater social understanding than his peers.
Leander believes that the conditions for gifted children in Norway are unacceptable, and he is determined to take action. Monday morning marks the beginning of our quest to find individuals who can assist Leander in raising awareness of these issues.
According to the Education Act (insert link to the legislation), it is explicitly stated that gifted children who learn quickly do NOT have the right to special education.
In addition to seeking out the right decision-makers, we will also investigate what politicians know about gifted children and whether they are aware of this provision in the legislation. The results may surprise you.
The hunt is now underway!
2. We are meeting the mayoral candidates for a debate at the Library, organized by ChildPress
Leander introduces his thoughts to Arendal’s mayoral candidates.
During this exchange, certain ideas come to life among the politicians, and they realize that they need to delve deeper into these matters with Leander!
So, right here, an overwhelming show of support for Leander’s cause begins to emerge.
ChildPress Ordførerdebatt from ChildPress on Vimeo.
3. Former Minister’s Encounter with Leander Highlights Urgent Issues in Education
We commence our search for potential allies and receive a tip that former Minister of Education, Jan Tore Sanner, will be at Sam Eydes Square in a few minutes. We decide to head there.
Upon arriving, we manage to catch him for a brief moment, though he’s clearly in a hurry.
Leander becomes somewhat upset by his responses, feeling that he wasn’t speaking with him but merely at him, sensing a lack of willingness to truly listen. “Take it up with your teacher,” Sanner told Leander. This remark provokes Leander, and we delve deeper into his thoughts and emotions.
Here, we gain a more comprehensive understanding of how deeply this issue affects him. We sit down for a conversation. “Talk to us kids. If it were that easy to address with the teacher, I wouldn’t have to be here, shedding light on what I’m doing so openly. No, this man was completely out of touch,” Leander expressed.
4. Leander and Amalie’s Viral Interview with Norway’s Chief of Defense at Ukraine Event
We took a brief break from our project to attend the “Ukraine: The Road out of War” event. Here, Leander and Amalie had the opportunity to conduct an exceptional interview with Norway’s Chief of Defense, Eirik Kristoffersen. Their video quickly went viral, garnering thousands of views.
A former editor and senior executive at NRK commented on Chief of Defense Kristoffersen’s Facebook page, stating, “These were the best questions posed by a Norwegian journalist since the Ukraine War began!”
Additionally, we managed to secure a brief interview with Anniken Huitfeldt, which, though concise, offered some valuable insights.
Fun time!
As the evening draws near, we gather for a meal at a restaurant, joining several other members of the ChildPress team. Leander is eager to recharge, for he has an exciting plan ahead—he’s heading to the cinema to watch “Oppenheimer” (an impressive feat for a 10-year-old). It’s a well-deserved break for him, and we’re all looking forward to some quality relaxation! 😊
5. Insights from UNICEF and Minister of Labor and Inclusion
6. Leander’s Quest to Be Heard by the Adults
The day is still young, and our journey continues:
We have a scheduled meeting with TV 2 and Elevkanalen, where we meet Fiona Sand right after our interview with UNICEF.
Leander is deep in thought today and is starting to feel a bit frustrated that the people we meet aren’t truly listening to him. The responses we receive from those on the street and in our conversations are empty and unsatisfying.
We decide to grab a bite to eat and sit down for a delicious Chinese buffet with Frida, Amalie, and Fiona.
Around the table, we engage in a lively discussion, during which Fiona shares insights about Elevkanalen.
Leander’s frustration is growing, and it’s evident that this issue deeply affects him; he wants to be taken seriously. Before our next interview with Health Minister Kjerkol, we must sit down and have a chat.
This conversation is crucial; while we are scheduled to meet Health Minister Kjerkol, the discussion we need to have now takes precedence.
Leander offers me a glimpse into his world, a world where he feels older in his thoughts and ideas than he appears on the surface. He is angry because he feels that adults talk over him. “Talk to us, children; not about us!” he passionately asserts.
We decide to take a more systematic approach.
We settle in at Kanalplassen and begin making calls. We try to reach the Minister of Education, but she is unavailable. We are informed that there is someone who knows a great deal about this issue. Henrik Aasheim is the right person to discuss this with, according to Brenna’s advisor, in an SMS to us.
7. We participate in the Democracy Parade and the opening of Arendal Week for Youth.
8. Svein Harberg
We manage to connect with Svein Harberg, Vice President of the Parliament, who also has several years of experience as the Mayor of Grimstad, where Leander is about to start at the junior high school.
We engage in a lengthy and insightful conversation with Harberg. Here, they both agree that there should be a maximum number of weeks between applying for support and receiving a response. Waiting a year for a child of school age is far too long, and none of us can afford to wait for this. These children need help promptly.
Svein Harberg generously provides us with Henrik Aasheim’s private mobile number, a move that Leander appreciates, although he’s still not entirely convinced that he is being heard.
9. Henrik Aasheim and Mathilde Tybring Gjedde
The Meeting with Svein Harberg opened doors for Leander to be heard. We decide that Henrik Aasheim is the right path to pursue now.
We call Henrik, and he answers promptly but informs us that he doesn’t have the time. After a brief conversation, we call him back, explaining the situation thoroughly, emphasizing the importance of speaking with him. Okay, he rearranges an appointment to accommodate us and invites us to meet him and Mathilde Tybring Gjedde at Clarion Hotel Tyholmen at 4:00 PM.
Leander becomes genuinely excited and happy to speak with Henrik Aasheim. You can watch the interview here.
Henrik and Mathilde genuinely take Leander’s thoughts and his personal story seriously. They acknowledge that things shouldn’t be this way, and they express gratitude to Leander for raising this issue. They pledge to work towards bringing about a change. They emphasize the importance of ensuring that students like Leander are well taken care of. During their time in government, they dedicated significant efforts to improving the school experience for students like him. They promise to follow up on Leander’s case, and he feels heard by them, displaying great enthusiasm during the interview
You can watch Leander’s response to the meeting in this video.
10. Progress on Leander’s Advocacy Journey: Meeting with Former Prime Minister Erna Solberg in the Works!
Following the meeting with Aasheim, mayoral candidate for Arendal Høyre, Linda Øygaarden, reaches out. She has brought Leander’s case to the highest echelons within the Høyre party. She initiates the process of arranging a meeting for Leander with Erna Solberg, the former Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway for 8 years. Now, things are truly starting to unfold! Leander is overjoyed by this development!
11. Leander’s Busy Morning: A Chat with the Minister of Education Before His First Day of Middle School
Leander is starting middle school today, at the tender age of 10! Therefore, he has to meet Minister of Education Brenna over FaceTime on his way to school. He’s a busy and hardworking young man! Time is short with Brenna, and they don’t get into the main topic as Leander wants to discuss funding for school books with her. After all, it’s Arendal Week, so what better way to start the day than with an interview before the school day begins!
Later in the Day…
Leander’s first day of school turns out to be a great one. There are no more interviews scheduled for the day, but we thoroughly enjoy the Party Leader Debate in the evening – the highlight of Arendal Week.
Behind the scenes, there is a lot of hard work being done for Leander’s cause, and inquiries are pouring in.
Everyone wants to get involved and help Leander! “Wow! This seems promising,” says Leander. “This is turning into something really significant!” he exclaims.
A happy boy goes to bed content, eagerly anticipating the big day ahead tomorrow.
12. FRIDAY
Friday is here, and we eagerly gather for the Super News debate, a debate for children featuring all the party leaders.
We meet a range of politicians during the debate.
13 Leander Gains Political Support as Mayoral Candidate Promises Action
Leander encounters an enthusiastic politician, Inger Brokka De Reuiter, who is the mayoral candidate for SV (Socialist Left Party) in Arendal. She has been thinking about Leander since the Party Leader Debate on Monday. In their conversation, she warmly shakes Leander’s hand and promises to take up his cause.
On the same day, Inger submits an interpellation to the Mayor for the City Council, demanding answers within 7 days.
14 Leander’s Exclusive Meeting with Former Prime Minister Erna Solberg
Leander has secured a private meeting with none other than Erna Solberg, with an hour allotted for their conversation.
Leander stands there, brimming with anticipation, as he watches hundreds of children and young people cheer and shout when Erna exits the Super News debate. It takes a bit of time because there are long lines of people eager to take a selfie with the popular politician.
Leander’s eyes light up with joy and pride as Erna approaches him, takes him by the hand, and leaves the area with a camera in tow. It’s a proud moment for all of us.
Leander engages in a lengthy and substantive conversation with Erna, during which he truly opens up about his experiences. You can witness the outcome of this discussion in the interview here:
Haagen Poppe, who himself was a gifted child (a local politician for Høyre), also participates in the meeting alongside mayoral candidate Linda Øygaarden.
15 Leander’s Advocacy Gains Momentum
After the meeting with Erna, things start to pick up momentum. A new meeting is scheduled, this time with County Mayor Arne Thomassen. Now, it’s time to address the Education Act! We will come back to this.
The phone is constantly buzzing with people eager to speak with Leander and support his cause. Fiona from TV 2 diligently documents the situation. She closely follows us and is passionately engaged in his cause.
Now, everyone wants to talk to Leander.
We visit the various party booths to investigate what different political parties know about gifted children in schools, whether they are aware of the specifics in the Education Act, and what they plan to do to improve the rights of gifted children in schools.
The findings are not surprising. They know very little about this:
You can watch the interviews where Leander visits the party booths; this will be documented:
Arendalsuka has come to a close for now, the booths are being dismantled, and Leander’s cause has had a truly remarkable beginning.
This is where it all begins. I mentioned we would return to the meeting with the County Mayor; it’s scheduled for Monday.
We gather with the rest of the ChildPress team to celebrate. There’s good food, laughter, and a lot of joy…
16 Leander’s Inspiring Meeting with County Mayor Sparks a Path to Legal Change
After school, Leander eagerly arrives at the office where he is scheduled to meet County Mayor Arne Thomassen, a highly popular and experienced politician and leader.
It’s election season, and he travels for hours each day, with a jam-packed schedule. But for him, Leander is the top priority, and any other commitments must take a back seat.
They have a fantastic meeting that concludes with an agreement to jointly advocate for changes in legislation. This sets in motion a plan.
17 In the days that follow, Leander engages in conversations with numerous local politicians, and each one pledges to support his cause.
“NRK Sheds Spotlight on Gifted Children’s Cause: Leander and County Mayor Take on Education Legislation”
Norway’s national broadcaster, NRK, brings Leander’s cause to the forefront.
They create a significant piece on gifted children and how he, along with the County Mayor, is working towards amending the Education Act.
NRK puts Minister of Education Tonje Brenna on the spot, pressing for answers.
They note that she avoids directly addressing NRK’s questions regarding Leander’s plea to amend the Education Act.
At the same time, she assures NRK that she wants to meet with Leander alongside Thomassen to discuss the proposed legislation.
The story gained widespread attention in national media, including newspapers, television, and radio broadcasts.