Successful Preparedness Training for Youth in Finnmark

In 2024, the County Governor, the Armed Forces and the police in Finnmark joined forces on a pilot project to strengthen civil preparedness and resilience in the county that borders Russia.

A key measure in the project is to give young people preparedness skills, and with funding from the state budget, the pilot was launched in the 2025-2026 school year.

A total of 813 second-year pupils at all upper secondary schools in Finnmark have now had a week of preparedness on their timetable. 

Joining the three initial actors in the teaching are the Norwegian Civil Defence, the Red Cross, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) and UiT The Arctic University of Norway, as well as the school owner, Finnmark County. 

"The fact that we, as different actors in the total defense, have gained access to young people in this way is completely unique, and it is very important that knowledge about preparedness and resilience is built early," Colonel Tomas Bakke, Commander of the Finnmark Home Guard District 17, tells HNN.

"We have placed emphasis on giving the young people knowledge so they can orient themselves, skills so they can act, and attitudes so they can be critical and dare to act if the situation should require it," he continues.

Situational awareness and self-preparedness

On the first day of the preparedness week, the youth receive an introduction from the Home Guard to the current security situation, based on the open threat assessments from the Norwegian Intelligence Service, the Police Security Service and the National Security Authority.

The County Governor in Troms and Finnmark supplements this with an orientation on the total defense concept and how it functions in a crisis situation.

"Tuesday is a more practical day, when the Red Cross and the Armed Forces provide training in first aid when finding people who are unconscious or hypothermic," Bakke says and continues:

"The following day, the Civil Defence focuses on self-preparedness. The pupils receive a thorough review of what one should have at home in terms of food, water, medicines and equipment. The Civil Defence also provides information about evacuation and shelters."

"We find that the youth bring this knowledge home to their families and ask questions: Have we stored water and food for a week? Where are the escape routes in the event of a fire? In this way, the reach of preparedness competence becomes far greater," the colonel points out.

Critical thinking in the digital space

Day four of the preparedness week is devoted to digital judgement and source criticism.

"The police talk about online safety and journalists at NRK explain the role of editor-controlled media in crisis and wartime situations. Researchers at UiT also teach the pupils about how artificial intelligence and algorithms are actively used to influence attitudes and opinions. Broadly speaking, this day is about building up young people’s ability to think critically," says Bakke.

The week concludes with a reflection day, when the pupils review the input they have received together with their teachers.

Struck a chord

The response from the youth and the schools has been very good, according to the district commander of HV-17.

"We conducted a survey in which 93 per cent of the pupils report that they feel safer after the preparedness week. In addition, 95 per cent recommend that this week should become a permanent part of upper secondary school," he says and continues:

"Throughout this week, we convey serious messages, but the purpose is to inform the pupils - not to frighten them. That is why we have spent quite a lot of time designing the teaching together with pupil representatives and teachers, and we are very pleased that the programme has had such a positive effect."

"The schools’ overall impression is also very positive. At the same time, we have received feedback on some learning points and will improve the pedagogical approach for the next round."

Could become a national model

This autumn, a new cohort of pupils in Finnmark will receive preparedness training and it is likely that the preparedness week will be continued in the coming years.

"We recently had dialogue with State Secretary Kristine Kallset in the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security and received positive feedback on our application for funding for new school years," says Bakke.

The pilot could also become nationwide.

"We are very pleased to see that there is enormous interest in the preparedness course across the country, and in June the parties in the parliament agreed that the government should examine whether this model should also become national. Overall, we are proud to have created an arena that has been so well received," the colonel concludes.