When did you become part of our employee community engagement program, Team Arm, and what motivated you to take on the role?
My first contact with Team Arm was because of Movember, a campaign that I have been a part of since my first year at Arm. I became the Movember Captain in 2017 and 2 years later I was given the opportunity to become the Team Arm Champion for my office. I liked the Team Arm community around the world and the dedication everyone put into supporting their local communities. And over the years, together we managed to make a difference and provide support and relief in many international crises like the pandemic, immigrants crisis and others.
Do you remember your first volunteering experience?
My first volunteering experience was with a sustainable development NGO in Romania which was driving several reforestation programs aimed at stopping desertification in several areas of Romania. I worked with them for about two years and in that time, I really understood the value of volunteering work and how much potential you can find in a small community if a good idea and a common goal exists.
What is the culture around volunteering and charitable giving like in Norway? Is it a normal and expected part of life?
Traditionally Norway has been split in small communities over a large geographical area. People are used to working together to better their livelihood. It is still very common that activities for kids (sporting or cultural) are mainly driven by volunteer work from parents so that membership fees are kept very low and no kid is denied membership because of financial restrictions. In a corporate environment, things become a bit more bureaucratic which means that sometimes we can’t be as flexible as we would wish when organizing something for our colleagues.
Is there a non-profit or cause that you particularly care about?
The Movember Foundation is still very important to me. Among our local partners I would like to mention two NGOs: Matsentralen (the local food bank) and Hjelp mæ å hjelpe (Help me to help). Their work in the local community offering support for underprivileged families is inspirational and very needed, especially during the pandemic when so many people found themselves in dire times.
What has been your most positive experience with Team Arm to date?
It is hard to pick one. Every campaign that I was part of has exceeded expectations in one way or another (through the involvement of my colleagues, the impact we managed to make, or the feedback I received). The gift collections we do around Christmas time I consider the most rewarding simply because they are targeted towards young children that otherwise would not have received a gift for Christmas.
Do you have any words of advice for someone who has not volunteered before and isn’t sure where to start?
Simply start. Pick something that is simple in terms of the skills required and go do it. Once you experience that feeling of putting a smile on someone’s face by simply offering a helping hand there is no turning back. And when you notice that your example is followed by others and together you can really make an impact you will get hooked forever.