Be our guest too! 

On tuesday 14th of November 2023, Under Dusken published an article about the difficulties international students face trying to find their place in the student volunteering arena. We noticed that ISFiT was not mentioned in the article, which we found disappointing as one of the largest international initiatives in Trondheim. Including international volunteers has been essential to the outcomes of many ISFiT-festivals and can be for other organisations as well. ISFiT wants you to know: be our guest, too! 

International students bring a perspective no other student can offer. When creating a festival where students from all over the world are invited, having cultural sensitivity is key. Our international volunteers are a constant source of knowledge and also a reminder that the way we do things here in Trondheim, is not always the right way. If you are an international student, keep this in mind, because your mere existence in the Norwegian bubble is a resource, not only to ISFiT. 

In our experience, many organisations are afraid that inclusion of those that do not have Norwegian as their first language, will create distance because of language barriers. But all it takes, is a little effort, a few clicks into Google Translate or Chat GPT, and leaders who are willing to emphasize the importance of inclusion and diversity. Being able to work together, seeing language not as a barrier, but as a strength, is rewarding and builds resilient volunteers.

If you are a part of a student organisation in Trondheim, these should all be reasons why you would want international volunteers on your team. Some of the most engaged and resourceful volunteers in ISFiT23 were international students. The efforts are small, but the gains are so incredibly great. 

The theme for ISFiT25 is Power, and the goal of our festival is to understand power structures around us. By understanding the dynamics in the volunteering bubble and acknowledging the power that we as Norwegian-speaking students hold, we have the ability to make a difference to all students.

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