Her kan du lese informasjonsbrevet som venter på Bryan når han har sett filmen. Brevet befinner seg i likhet med filmen i Vancouver hvor også Bryan oppholder seg til 23.oktober.
Dear Bryan!
I hope you enjoyed the film!
You probably wonder:
1) What is this project house Marit is founding in Oslo?
2) Why does Marit want me to be her Honorary Moral Supporter?
3) What does the role as an Honorary Moral Supporter involve?
4) How do I proceed when I’ve decided to say yes?
Read on and I will tell you all about it!
1) What is the project house Igangsetterne (“The Start Up’ers”)?
Igangsetterne/ “The Start Up’ers” is a project house establishing in Oslo this autumn. At this house teenagers can develop and work with their own projects. The purpose is to create healthy, strong youngsters who participate in society. By offering guidance and a healhty environment for projects we aim to contribute to personal development, strong sense of achievement, and future career opportunities among kids 14 – 20 years old.
We want to offer the frameworks for kids so they can come up with projects that are meeningful and innovative for themselves and others. The projects will be within entrepreneurship, music, culture and arts.
We are especially interested in supporting youngsters who struggle in school because their resources often consists of practical and social skills rather than theoretical. We want to help them grow strong, help them away from unhealthy environments, and encourage them to create a better future for themselves. We believe it is fully possible! For example might a 17 year-old diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD be an outstanding crative thinker even though he’s having difficulties reading school books. He might have a good eye for improvements in his neighbourhood, and f.ex make a project on bettering the safety for girls walking home at night.
Who is behind this project house?
At the moment we are two people working full-time to establish the project-house in a humble part of Oslo. It’s me, Marit (36) and Tim (29). There is also a bunch of peolpe working voluntarily for us. We are closely connected to the private school Prosjektdesign / “Project Design” (www.prosjektdesign.no) where Marit has a degree in project management. Igangsetterne/ “The Start Up’ers” build on 20 years of experience from a similar environment in Denmark; Frontløberne/ “The Frontrunners” (www.frontloeberne.dk). Prosjektdesign and Frontløberne are connected in several ways throgh visionary people.
Who am I, Marit?
On the formal side I’m a 36 year old occupational therapist specially trained for mental health care. I have worked as a therapist with group therapy for 10 years. I also have education and experience in guiding young people, project management and arts and crafts. I’m very much into music, culture and helping people grow through challenges. I want everybody to live life in a strong and colourful way!
On the unformal side I’m very much into rock’n’roll music and concerts! I love jumping around in the crowdy mosh and sing my lunges out. I also get quite a kick out of experiencing arts, and I like doing all kinds of sports whitch involve a ball!
Igangsetterne/ “The Start Up’ers” right now
At the moment we are meeting with politicians, sponsors and funds to raise the money we need to make the project house run through 2010. Right now The Minister of Justice and the Police are our best friends! We are renovating premisis in the basement at Prosjektdesign, and making contact with kids at different hang-out spots. In November we will be doing an exciting project whith the current students at Prosjektdesign. They will be helping us recruit youngsters to take part in a big event for recruiting even more kids! We will be going on a studytrip to Denmark to visit the Frontrunners to be inspired. And! We will also be taking 2 young rockbands with us to give them an opportunity to perform at several locations in Denmark! Everybody is extremely excited to go!
2) Why am I chosing you as my Honorary Moral Supporter?
When I was a teenager myself my biggest dream was to meet you! I made it into a project to find a way to make this happen, and when I was 21 you actually invited me to be your guest of honour on stage for 1, 5 hour!! It took me a lot of courage and creativity to get there, and the experience made me understand that everything is possible when you put your heart into it. My dream today is to help young people grow in a powerful and creative way. I want to inspire the kids involved in my project with stories like how I met you. I need to set healthy, powerful examples to make them become curious and fearless, and start reaching for their dreams. Just like you’ve been doing through your whole life!
I also think your personal history, your concern for society and your work for bettering the lives of others makes you a very interesting person. Paired with your extreme creative and relational talents I find you very, very inspirational. Even though you’re not that familiar to the kids I know they’re holding their breath right now because I’ve contacted you. They get that you’re special to me, and they’re eager to know why.
I think you’re also a very good example of a kid who dropped out of school but became successful anyway because you worked hard, cooperated well with others and followed your dreams. I work with the same kind of reckless kids, and they need support to regain faith in themselves and in their dreams.
3) What does the role Honorary Moral Supporter involve?
Your role as my Honorary Moral Supporter is to be my personal, official moral “sponsor”. The job is easy and can be done wherever you might be on the planet; To think of me and my project with a friendly mind - just like I sometimes think of you, smile, and hope you’re doing fine. I trust in the strenght of good thoughts between people!
I don’t want any money from you, you don’t have to show up at workshops or events, you don’t have to tell anyone about Igangsetterne/ “The Start Up’ers”. Unless you want to you don’t have to come see me or chat with me on Twitter/ Facebook/ MySpace etc – but of course I would be more than happy to meet you when you’re visiting Norway!
How will anyone notice that you’re my Honorary Moral Supporter?
You will be presented as my Honorary Moral Supporter on our soon to be finished website. On one page we are creating a community to honor our Support Crew. These are the supporters closest to our hearts - the ones who support or project with more love than money. All the people who think of us with enthusiasm, hope and kindness will be presented on this webpage, and will be able to communicate with each other to create their own projects.
I would like to present you on the front page of this community, with a picture and possibly one or two sentences where you comment why you show interest in my work/ the project Igangsetterne (“The Start Up’ers”). There will be a link to the story on why you’re such a huge inspiraton to me.
The other members of the staff will have similar Honorary Moral Supporter presentations.
(I hope Phil Collins is agreeing to be Tim’s!) With time the number of young members of Igangsetterne/ “The Start Up’ers” hopefully grows very large. I’m planning to encourage all of them to get their own Honorary Moral Supporter to support them with inspiration and good thoughts!
4) How do you proceed when you have decided to say yes?
If you have the time you’re welcome to call me at 0047 - 934 20 439 (Norway). If you’re too busy you (or your manager) can send me an e-mail at igangsetterne@gmail.com. If you have any questions or special demands please let me know. I’m sure we can make an agreement we both can be proud of!
Lots of love!
Marit E.Skyllingstad
Project manager of Igangsetterne/ The Start Up’ers
Phone: 0047 – 934 20 439 (Norway)
E-mail: igangsetterne@gmail.com
Mailing address: Hammergata 18 B, 0465 OSLO, NORWAY.
Lots of love also for Steve Parsons and the fantastic Classic Rock 101! Thanks for helping out!! You’re the foxiest radio station on Planet Earth!