This question has been central to the establishment of the forum, which is designed to meet the need for new solutions that promote student well-being, belonging and participation. The forum also focuses on improving collaboration across sectors and roles. At the same time, it is about strengthening students' connections to the city, so that more want to stay after graduation. Volunteering plays a key role, as involvement in the local community not only provides social cohesion during the student period, but also creates lasting ties to the region.

The initiative has been developed by a working group with representatives from the University of Agder, the Student Organization of Agder, the Welfare Council, the Student Association of Agder and project staff from Student Well-being. The group has jointly formed a forum that will contribute to relationship building, sharing of insights and development of new initiatives – with the goal of creating lasting ripple effects. The forum will meet regularly and be in continuous development.

The Volunteer Forum is a meeting place and networking arena where key people from the student community, educational institutions, the Student Association and the public sector will work to:

• Share insights, experiences and needs
• Identifying challenges and opportunities
• Create joint initiatives and collaboration
• Building relationships and trust between actors

The forum will exist in parallel in Kristiansand and Grimstad to meet local needs. Although the structure and goals are common, there will be room to develop initiatives that are adapted to each campus and local community.

The first meetings of the Volunteer Forum were held in Kristiansand on March 11 and in Grimstad on March 12, 2025. Representatives from UiA, SiA, voluntary organizations, student associations and municipalities met here. Despite the fact that many work towards the same target groups, several had never met before. This made clear the need for a coordinating meeting place. The meetings were the starting point for a new collaboration across.

Here, the purpose and structure of the forum were presented – not as a ready-made recipe, but as an invitation to co-creation. The participants shared their experiences and perspectives, and were able to influence how the forum should function in the future. There was great engagement and a clear interest in contributing further.

• Need for low-threshold meeting places: The importance of open and informal meeting places in association life, without requirements for advance registration or membership, was highlighted. Such arenas are important for lowering the threshold for participation in volunteering and meeting new people.
• Better knowledge of each other's work: It became clear that the participants both need and want better insight into each other's work within volunteering. In particular, there was a call for more insight into student life here in Agder and how student volunteering works.
• Collaboration rather than competition: Several actors work towards the same target groups, and experience challenges related to a lack of overview and coordination. A desire was expressed for better interaction and more collaboration, rather than competition, between actors and organizations.
• The students' voice must be included: Participants emphasized the importance of involving students themselves in the development and implementation of initiatives. In addition, we must ask them directly what they need and provide space for their own initiatives.

It is clear that there is a great need for a common and coordinating meeting arena. The Volunteer Forum has already brought together actors with a common commitment to student well-being and social development. Now the way forward is about translating this commitment into concrete actions.

The forum will be further developed as an inclusive and targeted meeting place, with room for both small and large initiatives. It will be a place to build trust, learn from each other and develop common solutions. Among other things, it is planned to map support schemes, make initiatives visible and establish permanent contact points between student volunteering, the municipalities and the county council. The forum will also explore how the volunteering landscape can be communicated so that it becomes more accessible and transparent for students and student associations who want to explore their opportunities.

The next forum meeting is already being planned, and it is crucial that the players remain active and engaged for this to be successful. The forum will be an arena for both relationships, reflection and action – and contribute to making Agder an even better region to be a student in.