"Working in an international group has taught me an incredible amount about communication, cultural sensitivity and the importance of being curious about other people’s experiences," says Signe Storeide.
Through BRIDGE 2026, she and four other students from the University of Inland Norway (INN) had the opportunity to take part in voluntary work in local communities alongside other European students.
The internships are offered through EMERGE, INN’s European network of eight other universities across the continent. The aim is to give students the opportunity to learn through international collaboration while also helping to address specific challenges in local communities.
"Hospitals treat the illness, while Barretstown treats the child"
In Ireland, Borghild Weeg, Helga Smestad and Aedan Soellaart volunteered at Barretstown. The organisation provides therapeutic recreation for children and young people living with or recovering from serious illness.
"I saw young people go from feeling unsure and like they didn’t belong to becoming more confident and feeling that they were part of the community. It showed me how important it is to create safe and inclusive communities," says Borghild.
The students were known as "CARAs" (the Irish word for friend) and accompanied the children as they took part in a range of activities, including climbing, canoeing, archery, horse riding, obstacle courses and creative activities.
I learned how much the small things matter, such as listening, offering gentle support and creating opportunities for children to succeed on their own terms.
Helga Smestad
Aedan, for his part, describes the experience as an important personal and professional learning opportunity. It was his first time working as a volunteer.
"I expected hard work, but I could never have anticipated the profound personal growth, intercultural learning and sheer joy that would come from stepping completely outside my comfort zone."
He particularly highlights Barretstown’s role for children who have spent much of their childhood in hospital:
"Hospitals treat the illness, while Barretstown treats the child."
Putting democracy into practice
In Banská Bystrica, several hundred kilometres away, Signe worked on democracy and citizenship.
During the first week, she took part in educational and intercultural workshops and team-building activities alongside international groups of students. The students then organised a summer camp for children and young people from a range of backgrounds.
The participants identified social challenges in their local communities and developed ideas for how these could be addressed.
"We supported the young people in exploring and brainstorming ideas around social challenges in their local communities. The ideas were then further developed before the young people created a final product addressing these challenges," says Signe.
For her, the international collaboration was also an important part of the learning experience.
How do you build a park that matters?
In Zvolen, Siri Margrethe Kjølhamar worked with the Slatinka Association on a land art project in a park.
The students were first introduced to the area’s history, ecology and the development of the park. They also took part in workshops on nature journalling and land art.
A key theme was an old river channel that once ran through the park. Although the river was later diverted, the old riverbed remains an area of importance for biodiversity.
“When we noticed that there were no benches in the park, we decided to incorporate seating into our project. We made three benches, each with its own theme: one for mindfulness and reflection, one for artistic engagement and one for ecological learning. All the benches were placed along the line where the old river once flowed, thereby connecting visitors with the site’s natural and historical significance,” says Siri.
The experience also provided opportunities for cultural exchange. Among other things, the students organised an intercultural evening where they shared traditions and experiences from their home countries.
“I’m really going to miss my land art group. They are all absolutely wonderful people,” says Siri.
Learning across borders
INN will continue to offer these opportunities through EMERGE every summer, with new opportunities announced in the spring.
This gives our students the opportunity to put their knowledge and skills into practice while addressing concrete challenges in society and working with people from different countries and cultures.
They gain first-hand experience of how international collaboration, volunteering and student engagement can contribute to learning – both for themselves and for the local communities they have been part of.
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