The research group focuses on various initiatives, measures, and the development of services that contribute to residents' participation in everyday life and work, promoting health, quality of life, and physical and social activity among different population groups. This also includes measures for good local community development, including the preservation and facilitation of public meeting places and recreational areas. Participation and co-creation with residents and users are central to the initiatives.

The research group has high expertise in quantitative and qualitative methods, as well as extensive experience in the development and evaluation of various initiatives to illustrate how these contribute to health-promoting local community development.

• Co-creation, innovation, and planning

  Co-creation of various initiatives, measures, and services, as well as cross-sectoral collaboration, is emphasized as central in addressing complex public health and societal challenges, including an increasing proportion of elderly people, social inequality in health, physical inactivity, and mental health issues. Furthermore, co-creation between municipalities and external partners, as well as between the public and private sectors, can contribute to innovative solutions.

  We research how various actors experience taking part in co-creation and participatory processes, and how such processes can contribute to planning and adapting measures and services in both public and private sectors to meet the needs and desires of residents and users.

  The group also evaluates the importance of implementing various measures and services, and how such measures and services can contribute to health-promoting local community development.

  Ongoing projects and focus of interest

  • Co-creating public health
  • Utilization of Youth Committees
  • Development of sustainable food systems

• Service development

  Good public and private services, initiatives, and activities for people in vulnerable life situations contribute to better quality of life, maintain functions and health for these groups, and provide a basis for participation in society and perceived citizenship.
  
  The research group examines the significance of the care and living environment that these services offer, as well as the content of the services for the users. This provides a basis for developing the content and quality of the services.

  Ongoing projects and fokus of interest

  • Daycare on farms for people with dementia
  • Animal-assisted interventions and services for various user groups
  • Success stories among women with substance abuse disorders
  • Citizenship among individuals with substance abuse- and pyschological disorders

• Linda Nesse, MarianneThorsen Gonzalez, Geir Aamodt, Marit Borg, Tommy Sjåfjell & Ruth Kjærsti Raanaas (2022) Promoting recovery and citizenship in collaboration with residents in supported housing: a prospective comparative study, Nordic Social Work Research, DOI: 10.1080/2156857X.2022.2072379
• Raanaas, R.R., Valvåg, E. & Nesse, L. (2022). Recovery-Oriented practice among staff in supported housing for people with co-occurring problems. The significance of social interactions and the organizational climate in the workplace. Tidsskrift for velferdsforskning, 25, 1-15.https://doi.org/10.18261/tfv.25.4.4
• Nesse L, Gonzalez MT, Rowe M, Raanaas RK. Citizenship matters: Translating and adapting the Citizenship Measure to Norwegian. Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. 2022;39(3):262-278. doi:10.1177/14550725211018604
• Nesse, L., Aamodt, G., Gonzalez, M.T., Rowe, M. and Raanaas, R.K. (2021), "The role of occupational meaningfulness and citizenship as mediators between occupational status and recovery: a cross-sectional study among residents with co-occurring problems", Advances in Dual Diagnosis, Vol. 14 No. 3, pp. 99-118. https://doi.org/10.1108/ADD-08-2020-0018
• Bjøntegaard, H.Ø., Sverdrup, S. & Raanaas, R.K. (2021). Ungdom og deltakelse i psykisk helsefremmende arbeid. Psykologi i kommunen.
• Hvitsand, C., Raanaas, R.K., Gjøtterud, S. & Nicolaysen, A.M. (2022). Establishing an Agri-food living lab for sustainability transitions: Methodological insight from a case of strengthening the niche of organic vegetables in the Vestfold region in Norway. Agricultural systems, 199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2022.103403
• Taranrød, L., Kirkevold Ø., Pedersen I., Eriksen S. (2023) The transition of care from farm-based daycare for people with dementia: The perspective of next of kin, International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well- being, 18:1, 2228047, DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2023.2228047
• Ellingsen-Dalskau, L., Pedersen I., (2022). Turning the ordinary into the extraordinary – Experiences of providing farm-based day care for people with dementia. Wellbeing, Space and Society. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wss.2022.100119
• Pedersen, I., Ellingsen-Dalskau, L., Patil, G., (2022). Characteristics of farm-based day care services for people with dementia – mapping the stakeholders’ views. Wellbeing, Space and Society. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666558122000021?via%3Dihub
• Taranrød, L., Pedersen, I., Kirkevold, Ø., Eriksen, S. (2021) Being sheltered from a demanding everyday life: experiences of the next of kin to people with dementia attending farm-based daycare, International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 16:1, 1959497, DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2021.1959497
• Finnanger-Garshol, B., Pedersen, I., Patil, G., Eriksen, S., Ellingsen-Dalskau, L., (2021). Emotional well-being in people with dementia –A comparative study of farm-based and regular day care services in Norway. Health and Social Care in the Community.
• Jøranson, N., Olsen, C., Calogiuri, G., Ihlebæk, C., Pedersen, I. (2021). Effects on sleep from group activity with a robotic seal for nursing home residents with dementia: a cluster randomized controlled trial. International Psychogeriatrics 33, 10
• de Bruin, S., Hassink, J., Vaandrager, L., de Boer, B., Verbeek, H., Pedersen, I., Patil, G.G., Ellingsen-Dalskau, L., Eriksen, S., 2021. Care farms: a health promoting context for a wide range of client groups. In: Nature, Physical Activity and Health. Editors: Mike Rogerson, Eric Bryme and Jo Barton, University of Essex