Our board
Vanessa Marin Gundersen
Head of the board
Journalism student and former Pro
“I think Changefactory does an incredibly important job of collecting the views of children and young people under the age of 18, and facilitating the opportunity for young people to present this to students, professionals, bureaucrats and politicians. As a Pro in CF, I often saw that those who were supposed to make decisions on behalf of children in Norway, did not include children’s answers in these decisions. As a result, the decisions are often not accurate enough. I want to contribute to the board of CF precisely because CF helps to make decisions, made on behalf of children, more accurate, and so that children can then meet systems that they experience as safer and more helpful.”
Vanessa has been a Pro in Changefactory. She has experience giving presentations to students, professionals and politicians. She has participated in many dialogues with professionals and authorities, with the goal of ensuring that the help systems meet children in the safest and most accurate way possible. She has worked mostly on raising knowledge from children on the topic of mental health. She is now studying journalism.
Arne Kristian Myhre
Deputy Head of the board
Chief Physician at the Children and Adolescent Clinic, St. Olav’s Hospital
“Having met many children who have experienced violence, neglect and sexual abuse, I see a great need to improve the systems we have in place to prevent this from happening and to help and provide safety if it has happened. To achieve this, we need knowledge from the children who have experienced difficult lives, and that knowledge is what Changefactory does a very good job of bringing forward. It is an honor and a privilege to be part of and support this work.”
Arne is a pediatrician/chief physician at St. Olavs Hospital and an associate professor at NTNU, and has worked with social pediatrics for 33 years, both as a clinical physician and as a researcher. Social pediatrics is the part of pediatrics that deals with health care and forensic services for children where there is concern that they are exposed to violence, neglect and sexual abuse. He is a member of the Forensic Medicine Commission and in the period 2015 – 2017 he was part of the Child Abuse Committee that published the report “Failure and betrayal” (NOU 2017:12).
Leon Bell
Higher Executive Officer at the Norwegian Civil Affairs Authority and former Pro
“As a young person, Changefactory was the first place I encountered where I experienced that children and young people in all kinds of life situations were systematically taken seriously, both as individuals and as a group. Later, I have seen how CF’s methods for recruiting informants, as well as collecting and communicating the answers from children, are completely unique. This makes it an organisation that in an international context is at the forefront of exploring what it can truly mean to realize children’s right to participate in social development.”
Leon works with Enterprise and Agency Governance in the Norwegian Civil Affairs Authority. He was a Pro at Changefactory for many years, and later an employee. He is a legal sociologist at UiO and wrote his master’s thesis at the Norwegian Institute for Human Rights on children’s and young people’s participation and influence in national participatory processes. The project was awarded a prize from UiO:Democracy and Fritt Ord Foundation.
Cathrine Torp
Communications and Strategy Director at The Norwegian Institute of Public Accountants
“To create a better system that protects vulnerable children and young people, policy-making must be based on their own experiences and opinions. It is therefore crucial that children and young people are heard in both policy-making, the welfare system and in research. Changefactory does an invaluable job by giving vulnerable children and young people a voice and letting them set the terms. They also raise the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child higher on the agenda in Norway.”
Cathrine has over 30 years of experience in strategic communication from some of the largest companies in Norway such as Equinor, DNV and the Research Council. She holds a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Neuchatel, Switzerland, and teaches in the Executive Master’s program in Communication at BI Norwegian Business School.
Toril Taklo
Head of Department at Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
“I believe the work of Changefactory is so important and meaningful, and I want to contribute to its development in good and safe ways. The user perspective is crucial for the development of good services for children and young people. CF as an independent organisation has a unique position that our systems otherwise lack. The experience that the Pros in CF has is absolutely essential for the development of services for children. I want to contribute my expertise and experience to CF’s board because my knowledge and experience of working with children can be useful in CF’s continued work.”
Toril is a psychologist and specialist in clinical adult and family psychology. She has been the head of department in the mental health service for children and adolescents (PBU) at Helse Førde for over 10 years. Previously, she has worked in mental health service for adults and was the head of the Family Welfare Office. She has been a supervisor for a child welfare institution for many years, focusing on how to facilitate the development of children and adolescents in institutions in a safe and good environment.
Marit Ursin
Professor in interdisciplinary childhood and youth studies at the Department of Education and Lifelong Learning, NTNU
“The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child ensures children’s right to participation, and Changefactory is in a unique position to assist Norway in fulfilling this right. From research, we know that systematic participation is demanding, and we desperately need help to achieve this. That is why Changefactory – and every single Pro – is so incredibly inspiring and important! I want to contribute to the Board so that my research experience can be of use in this important work.”
Marit has been conducting research with children, young people and families for over 20 years, in different cultural and institutional contexts. Her work has often focused on different forms of marginalization, through street life and drug crime in Brazil, to child welfare, exclusion and racism in Norway. Marit has experience related to a number of methodological approaches, with a particular focus on children, rights and ethics. She teaches children’s rights and how to facilitate ethical and rights-based participatory processes with children and young people. In addition, she is editor-in-chief of the Nordic Journal Barn-Forskning om barn og barndom i Norden (Children-Research on Children and Childhood in the Nordic Region).
Åslaug Krogsæter
Former teacher, principal, municipal director, education director and process advisor in KS’s (The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities) elected program
“For over three decades since we ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, we have strived to fulfill the requirement that all children have the right to be heard and taken into account. I do not believe that this necessarily happens because we do not believe it is right. Traditions and conflicting interests often mean that adults’ perspectives and priorities take precedence. I strongly believe that the work and approach of Changefactory can help us change attitudes and find methods that make it easier to take the perspectives of children and young people into account in our educational institutions and in support services.”
Åslaug is an educator and has a master’s degree in organisation and leadership. She has been both a teacher and a principal, but in recent years she has worked in both state and municipal administration as director of education at the County Governor of Sogn og Fjordane (now Statsforvaltar i Vestland) and municipal director in Stad municipality. She therefore has extensive experience with how municipal services and administration meet the interests and needs of children and young people in kindergarten, primary education, child welfare and health and social services. In addition, she also has experience with how children and young people’s voices should be heard in the political system. She is now retired, but holds various positions, including in the Supervisory Board for the Correctional Service and as a process guide in KS’s electoral program.
Steffen Iversen
Former professional fotball player
“I think the work that Changefactory does is absolutely fantastic. CF helps change the lives of many young people, including those who may not have received the care and support they needed. Through my work with young people, I know that many experience injustice. This is why it is very important that all young people feel that they matter and that no one is left out. Changefactory works towards making young people who have had trouble feel safe in a better way. I think this work is very important.”
Steffen is a former professional footballer who has played in Norway and abroad. He has played for clubs such as Rosenborg, Vålerenga, Tottenham, Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton. He has also played many international matches for Norway. After he retired as a football player, he worked for many years as a football expert for C More, TV2 and Adresseavisa. He has also worked with people who struggle with drug addiction on a street team. Today, he works with young people as a social worker.