Counsellor at Blå Kors Steg for Steg

– What are your main duties?

–My duties are many and varied. To mention a few, I provide recovery based counselling to people experiencing substance abuse challenges and/or with experience of prison, establish and keep in contact with the Norwegian Correctional Services and other stakeholders in the area of substance abuse, and I also arrange and carry out events and seminars.

Additionally, I help to coordinate voluntary work, promote Blå Kors Steg for Steg’s services, lobby politicians and identify and apply for possible grants and project funding to operate and develop our services.

– What do you like best about your job?

– Lots of things! First of all, that it is so varied and flexible. The multidisciplinary team I’m part of has a relatively flat hierarchy, which means we are all involved in shaping the overall service.

The opportunity to work with people is also important to me. I particularly like working with recovery as an approach – an approach that focuses on minimising the distance between the person seeking help and the person providing help.

I also really appreciate the fact that my superiors are very interested in keeping up to date on what is happening in the relevant field and that they prioritise staff skills development. A little while ago we were at a conference on ‘The sexual offender: judged and condemned?’ – it was a really interesting but also demanding topic.    

– Out of everything you learned at the Faculty of Humanities and the Centre for Gender Research, what has been most useful to you in this job?

– The most important thing is that the education is multidisciplinary. Many of the people I meet in my job are struggling with marginalisation and stigma, while others find themselves in a more privileged position. Substance abuse and crime know no social boundaries, but they also impact people differently. Hopefully, I meet people with understanding and respect for their unique position regardless of class, gender, ethnicity, orientation, functional level and age. I try to be mindful of the various challenges and resources that exist in the different positions, on both a human and a social level. I have to say that having critical theory in your toolbox is definitely both interesting and constructive when you meet different institutions, individuals and in multidisciplinary cooperation.

Besides this, many of the subjects from my studies are directly relevant to the work I do, such as, for example, ‘men and masculinities’, ‘feminist ethics’ and the criminology subjects.

– What are your best tips for new students who are thinking about job opportunities after their studies?

– As far as finding a job after your studies is concerned, it is important to find a position that you really want because it gives the application an air of genuine commitment. Treat your application and CV the same way as you approach an important project in your studies. Remember that a good application that stands out from others takes time! Carefully read what they are asking for in the job description and be clear about how you as a person, with your education and work experience, are relevant for the employer. It may be a good idea to get input on your application from others. Finally, I recommend following up your application by calling the employer to emphasise your particular interest and relevance.

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