Beschreibung der Einrichtung

Nordland is in area the second largest of Norways 19 counties. It is situated in the north of Norway, in the Arctic, and has about 240 000 citizens. Bodø is the regional capital city, with 50 000 inhabitants.
The supreme political body is the County Council with its 53 representatives elected every fourth year by the inhabitants at the County- and Municipal elections. The County Council convenes five times per year to decide on regional issues.
The County Government consisting of six representatives is responsible for the daily governing of the county.


Nordland County Council provides important services to the inhabitants of Nordland:
- Upper secondary education: 16 schools and prox 12 000 pupils and apprentices
- Bus and boat transport: 440 busses, 4413 km og county highway, 27 express boats and 22 ferries
- Regional planning and environmental issues
- Business development, innovation and international projects: 65% of export from Northern Norway come from Nordland (fish farming)
- Dental services: 54 dental clinics
- Public health issues
- Cultural experiences

FUN FACTS:
10 % of Electrical power in Norway is produced in Nordland (15 Twh)
• Saltstraumen is the strongest maelstrom in the world.
• The Svartisen glacier is Norway’s second largest glacier.
• The Nordland County flower is the Purple Saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia)
• Stetind in Tysfjord is Norways national mountain
• The Nordland version of the national costume has been voted Norway’s most beautiful national costume.
• Nordland County Council was awarded the National Entrepreneurship Award in 2008.
• Nordland is Norway’s largest fish farming county.
• 65 % of the exports from Northern Norway derive from Nordland county.
AND Nordland was awarded Most Youth friendly region in Europe by the AER in 2003.

The Chair of the County Council's office includes "Team Participation" that covers:
a)The secretariat for the County Council for people with disabilities
b) The secretariat for Nordland County Council for the elderly/senior citizens
c) The secretariat for the Youth County Council
d) Ombudsman for upper secondary schools and apprentices
all working both separately in terms of participation, but also cooperates in "Minding the gaps" as well "Nothing about us - without us".
Index or some keywords that represent the philosophy of our work : Engage, Affect, Learning from doers, Responsibility, Mind the generation gap, Universal design, Dignity, Youth, Freedom, Participation, Independence, Respect.

Our work is looked upon as being important when it comes to developing Nordland. As added value to education, culture, business, and infrastructure.

All councils meet 6-7 times a year, not only in the county capital Bodø, but also in the municipalities. The Youth County Council meet at weekends in order to avoid absence from school. They are given the possibility to give an opening speech when the County Council sets (5 times a year)

Once a year we invite two young people age 15-25 from each of the 44 municipalities in Nordland. Aim: to learn from best practice, to share, to define the youth strategies of Nordland and to elect a president, a vice president and members to the board of the Youth Council.

All councils meet with and communicate with municipal councils, and appear as “his masters voice” on behalf of the municipal level towards the County Council.
The tree councils of participation have an elected president. The presidents meet with the Chair of the County Council, the group leaders of the political parties represented in the Council, as well members from Team Participation. Aim: to debate on papers, matters for political discussion – to reflect in terms of the youth perspective, elderly, and people with disabilities.

Every other year the Youth Council, The Council for elderly, and the Council for disabled invite equivalent representatives from municipal councils to a “Mind the generation gap conference”. The next conference will take place in 2017. Topic not yet chosen.