Being a student and a local politician

Helena Harborg is a student at NMBU, currently writing her master’s thesis in Nature Management, and the only student who is a permanent sitting member in the municipal council here in Ås, where she represents the Green Party (MDG). Tuntréet met up with her to talk about what it is like to be a student who is active in local politics. How did she get involved? How much work is it? What are some of the challenges? What has she learned from having this position? And does she have any tips for people wanting to go into local politics?

Journalist: Danique Wijnia
Fotograf: Eline Marie Alm
Fotograf: William Fredrik Bakke Dah

Helena’s journey into local politics

Helena has always been engaged in a variety of issues, but she tells us that her interests in social justice was sparked after a two-month visit to Guatemala and Argentina. This experience allowed her to see reality outside of the Norwegian bubble and made her more engaged than she already was. More than two years ago, she was approached by a choir friend from Noe Ganske Annet to be on the list for MDG in the local elections, just a couple of weeks before the list was to be posted. After some consideration, Helena’s intuition was saying yes, her main motivation being working for the environment, nature and spatial planning, and social justice. Surprisingly, she ended up being number 2 on the list and became a permanent sitting member in the opposition in the municipal council of Ås. It took some time to get used to the role, but now she finally feels like she is on top of it. Her time in the municipal council has been filled with working on different cases, some of which led to a bit of drama within the municipal board. In addition, she has written articles for Ås Avis and become more present in the media, which can be daunting.

The work and challenges

But how much time does it take to be involved in local politics? Helena explains that it all depends on how many committees you join. The committees, according to Helena, can be considered a place for political workshop, while most cases must be finalized in the municipality board. The municipality board has one meeting each month, and so does each of the different committees. Usually, there are also preparation meetings and the general preparation of reading the case files. This means that it takes Helena about three days of work each month to be a permanent sitting member in the municipal council.

Helena explained that being involved in local politics means that as a politician you try to find answers to really difficult questions. Stating that “Politics is prioritizing scarce resources”, and a downside of municipal politics is that you often have to say no.

She further explains that the municipality not having a lot of money means not a lot of wiggle room, which makes fairness difficult. In addition, being part of the opposition means that Helena and her party has very little influence, so their room for acting is small. Still, working together with the parties in charge can influence decision-making.

Lessons learned after two years in politics

Being more open-minded and expanding one’s social circle are things that Helena has learned from her time being involved in local politics. Wine evenings with the young people in the board have especially contributed to that. She has both made friends and worked together with people from parties that have very different opinions from hers. Helena also highlighted the importance of collaboration, especially in local politics and that this cannot be achieved without listening and discussing. Thus, you have to work together with those in charge and convince them.

“In the municipality council, we all have an understanding that, okay, we disagree on things, but we are all here because we want to make Ås better and do something good for Ås. So, we respect each other for that, and understand that we want the best, but we have different opinions on what’s best and how to get there.”

Helena also explained that she has grown as a person in terms of confidence, nuance, and setting boundaries. Throughout all of it, she has tried to remain close to herself and not put on a mask, like so many other politicians do. She highlighted that knowing what to say and being careful with one’s words are great skills to learn.

Helena’s goal is to encourage more students to become active in local politics, no matter the party: “We need more people in politics.” She wants to see more young people get involved and become part of the discussion, no matter what their opinions are. Within politics, but also globally, there is this culture to shut your ears as soon as someone has an opinion that differs from yours. The art of listening has gone out of fashion. Helena hopes that by having more students in local politics, it can foster more discussion within politics but also foster openness to different opinions within individuals’ personal lives. Helena believes that small scale changes on the municipal level can have big impacts in the long run and that students should be a part of that.

Helena’s tips for those wanting to get involved in (local) politics!

Join a political party and tell the local leader that you would like to get involved. Joining as a substitute would be the easiest way to get involved, according to Helena. Changes in the substitute lists for the different committees sometimes happen, and there might be a spot for you!
Public speaking is a large part of the job. If you are not comfortable with it, remember that practice makes perfect! The other politicians are, from Helena’s experience, understanding, mindful, and kind towards the new politicians.
It is smart to start now as a student before life gives you even bigger responsibilities, like kids and a full-time job. Starting is usually the hardest part, so climb that beginner’s mountain before your flexible student schedule goes away.
Do not be scared of making mistakes. “Politicians are also humans.” Be kind to yourself!