Norway's government found itself grappling with the integration of Ukrainian refugees into Norwegian society in the aftermath of the conflicts in Ukraine. Significant efforts have been made by both the Norwegian government and local municipalities to address this issue. While progress has been made in providing places in Norwegian language courses, the challenge remains with regards to employment opportunities and new job openings.
This issue raises concerns about the future of Ukrainians residing in Norway. Hence, it is time to consider proactive measures, not only on the part of the government but also by the Ukrainian community themselves. Alexander Kolesnik, the founder of the public initiative Andre Liv, believes in the potential for Ukrainians to create new job opportunities by initiating small-scale private projects.
"Recently, the idea struck me to establish a service-oriented enterprise catering to residents of Sortland and its surrounding areas. This could involve winter snow clearing, maintenance of green spaces, and assistance with other domestic tasks for local inhabitants. Regardless, we should not shy away from trying new ventures and focus on how we can enhance the lives of people in our community. We should also express gratitude as the municipality has done a great deal for us as refugees, providing us with the opportunity to live and learn," Alexander shares.
"It would be beneficial to establish a new platform where such ideas can be discussed openly," he suggests.
The Andre Liv initiative team will endeavor to create such a platform and assist in realizing new ideas aimed at generating employment opportunities and fostering integration of Ukrainian refugees into Norwegian society.
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