Nordjobb - a summer one can spend in the Nordic cultural cauldron

However, starting from this year, EU citizens who speak one of the Nordic languages are also welcome to apply. The applicants most often are students who by means of their Nordjobb visit  get their eyes opened to the entire Nordic region as their future labour market. The goal of the project is not only to increase the mobility between the Nordic countries: an important part of the exchange is that the young participants of the programme get acquainted with the Nordic languages and the culture of the hosting country as well.

Spare-time programme

Without any doubt, the spare-time programme is something the makes Nordjobb quite special on the summer job market.  The leisure time activities do not only provide the young participants of Nordjobb with the opportunity of getting acquainted with the culture of the hosting country but also of meeting new friends from all the corners of the Nordic region. The activities can be anything from mountain climbing and taking part in cultural activities to frequent meetings over a cup of coffee and language courses.

The programme includes introductory courses in Scandinavian languages and/or the language spoken in the hosting country. It goes without saying that in the context of Nordjobb all the communication takes place in Scandinavian, so that the participants of Nordjobb have lots of opportunities to get used to all the variations of the Nordic languages. The ones who find it difficult using Norwegian, Swedish or Danish can certainly count on becoming much better at the end of their visit.

Nordjobb is coordinated by the Nordic Secretariat in Malmö, and each of the countries has a local project administrator. The main funders are the Nordic Council of Ministers and the association Föreningen Norden. Every year circa 8000 persons submit their applications to Nordjobb, and circa 20% of them are offered a job. Applications are submitted electronically, via Nordjobb's homepage. When an employer submits his requirements to Nordjobb, the project co-ordinators in respective countries try to find the applications that match these requirements. Since the very start of the project in 1985, some 15.000 young people have enjoyed their summer in this way.

What sort of work?

The most common work is nursing in Sweden and Norway, but there are chances of getting more exciting working experience as well. An example of a very special Nordjobb place of work is a tiny youth hostel Kristianshús located on the remote island of  Mykines in the Faeroe Islands. The population of the island amounts to a dozen people, but at the same time the island is a popular destination among tourists owing to its striking nature and the rich variety of birds. One of the four participants of Nordjobb who had the opportunity to work there in the summer of 2010 was Celinn Daviknes from Norway. She describes her impressions as follows:

On the birds island Mykines in the Faeroes

Why did you apply for Nordjobb?

I applied for Nordjobb because I wanted to work abroad. Having a place to stay at was a big advantage, as well as all the excursions where one could meet other young people from the Nordic countries who found themselves in the same situation.

How did you react to the job offered by Nordjobb?

I was very happy when I was offered a job, and I did not have any doubts about what I should answer, especially because the Faeroe Islands was the only place in the Nordic region I was most eager to go to, and also because the job could provide me with quite a relevant experience, as this is something I would like to work with later in my life as well.

What was your first impression of Mykines?

I was quite impressed with the striking beauty of its nature. Before I went to the Faeroe Islands I had seen quite a lot of pictures but they couldn't be compared at all to what I saw in reality.

How was the spare-time programme? Have you experienced anything special? 

I think that the leisure-time programme was quite superb. When I started to work on Mykines, I couldn't unfortunately take part in all the excursions and activities, but of all the activities I did take part in, I immensely enjoyed a road trip to the Northern islands. I was also very happy about being able to take an introductory course in the Faeroese language, it was very useful for my work in the youth hostel in Mykines.

What was the best thing about living and working in Mykines?

I am very happy that I could stay with a Faeroese family in Mykines because this gave me a unique opportunity to experience life in one of the most isolated parts of the Islands. Another advantage of working here was being able to take a walking tour of what I consider being the most beautiful island of the Faeroes every day, before or after the work. I have also enjoyed working with tourists who come to visit the island. I think that this is actually the best summer job I have ever had!

What are you going to take home with you from this summer trip as a Nordjobb trainee? Have you learnt anything special?

I have learnt so much more about the Faeroe Islands and the Faeroese culture and its nature (birds, whaling etc.) which was considerably more than I had expected when I left. I owe most of this knowledge to the family I was staying with, but also to the activities and the trips we took together with the Nordjobb group. I have also learnt to understand quite a lot of the Faeroese language (a language I had never heard before I came here), because I met quite a number of Faeroese people at work; and I would actually like to continue studying the language also when I come back home.                                                                     

Taking part in the Nordic cooperation

However, the goal of Nordjobb is not only to function on the local basis. Participants of Nordjobb are reminded of the opportunity to take part in the Nordic co-operation, inter alia, via the respective Nordic associations in their countries. For example, the Swedish participants of Nordjobb are offered a free one year membership in the Youth Section of the association Föreningen Norden. Thus the project functions as a natural channel of entrance for numerous ambassadors of Nordic culture and Nordic co-operation.

Jacob Mellåker
Verkætlanarleiðari Nordjobb Føroyar / Project co-ordinator Nordjobb in the Faeroe Islands
foroyar@nordjobb.net
Nordjobb

Nordic House in the Faeroe Islands (NHFÆR)