The Research Project Re:Structure Receives NOK 16 Million from the Research Council to Prevent Youth Marginalization

DESIGN RESEARCH: The Research Council of Norway has awarded NOK 16 Million to Re:Structure, a research project focused on exploring how structural changes in municipal services for children and young people can prevent marginalization. 

The Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO) will lead the project, partnering with three major municipalities––Bærum, Asker, and Trondheim––as well as KS, NTNU, NORCE, Oslo University Hospital, Minotenk, and Mental Helse Ungdom .

- The aim of the project is to develop a framework and actionable approaches for municipalities to proactively work on social inclusion as a way to address youth marginalization, says Josina Vink, Associate Professor at AHO and the project’s research lead. 

What societal challenges does the project address?

Youth marginalization is one of the most pressing challenges for the sustainability of Norwegian municipalities' health and care services.

About 10% of young people aged 15–29 in Norway are not engaged in education, employment, or training. This contributes to loneliness, mental health issues, and social exclusion.

"Growing numbers of young people are experiencing loneliness and mental health challenges that require specialized services. At the same time, resources for providing these services are increasingly limited. This trend will intensify in the coming decades," warns Brynhild Farbrot. She is Director of Upbringing in Bærum Municipality, which will coordinate the municipal partners Asker, Bærum and Trondheim.

How will the project help address these challenges?

Re:Structure seeks to develop methodologies for designing municipal services that prevent youth marginalization.

“Youth marginalization is typically addressed through individualized measures aimed at reintegrating young people into the mainstream. Re:Structure takes a different approach, treating marginalization as a structural problem that requires new ways of designing mainstream municipal services. We will work together with marginalized youth and municipal staff to explore how services can be designed in ways that prevent marginalization before it occurs,” says research lead Josina Vink.

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Schematic illustration of Re:Structure’s alternative approach. The aim of the project is to develop a framework and actionable approaches for municipalities to proactively work on social inclusion as a way to address youth marginalization​.

How will the project be conducted? 

The project employs a participatory design methodology. In this approach, marginalized youth, municipal employees, and researchers will collaboratively identify and experiment with how social structures can be transformed.

"Social structures refer to shared norms, attitudes, and ways of thinking. These shape how services are designed, and the influence of services in society at large.” explains Audun Formo Hay. He is a specialist in community psychology, currently completing a PhD in design at AHO, and works in Bærum Municipality. 

”Our prior research shows that long-term changes in services require supporting people to make these structures visible and altering them.” 

The project is organized into five work packages, including identifying marginalizing structures together with youth, designing interventions to alter these structures, and evaluating whether these interventions successfully prevent marginalization. NTNU, NORCE, and Oslo University Hospital will contribute research expertise to these efforts.

In all aspects of the project, youth experiencing marginalization will act as co-researchers and co-designers. Participants will be recruited locally in each municipality, with support from Minotenk and Mental Helse Ungdom to ensure appropriate and meaningful involvement.

“We want to participate in the project because it focuses on the perspective of young people regarding what leads to marginalization,” says Philip Rynning Coker, Special Advisor at Minotenk. “To tackle social exclusion as a structural issue, we need to involve those who are excluded.”

How will the knowledge be utilized by municipalities?

Re:Structure aims to develop knowledge that is transferable to other municipalities. To facilitate this, a learning network supported by KS, will be established. The network will facilitate learning across various municipal actors.

“The project has the potential to challenge current innovation paradigms in the municipal sector. It can also help shift how services are designed and delivered,” says Kirsten Viga Skretting, Special Advisor at KS. 

“Learning together in this project will help our member municipalities strengthen their efforts to address marginalization, which is one of the key issues the municipal sector faces.” she concludes.

Text: Audun Farbrot, senior advisor communications at The Oslo School of Architecture and design (AHO)