MÄN Karlstad is one of MÄN’s 21 local chapters, and one of the busiest. Over the past year, they have had an upswing in member activities as well as local reach.
In addition to public campaigns, the chapter has also organized lectures at the university and, with the help of an Arabic interpreter, held discussion groups with fathers born outside Sweden. They have also participated in the Pride Parade and hade three articles published in the local newspaper.
In collaboration with a student association and the municipality of Karlstad, MÄN Karlstad organized two lectures with the author Alexandra Pascalidou, promoting her book "Var är papporna?” (in English: where are the fathers?). MÄN Karlstad also organized two lectures in collaboration with Sisu (a study association for sports), featuring ice hockey personalities Maria Rooth and Erik Granqvist.
– We have been invited a lot to speak about MÄN’s ideas and how we work. Many people are interested in who we are and what we do. We have also been invited by the county administrative board to participate in various networking meetings, which has opened new doors and created many contacts, says Lars Näsström, chairperson of MÄN Karlstad.
No Activity Requirements
Despite a busy schedule for the chairman and other members, there are no requirements on how active you must be as a member.
– Everyone contributes as much as they want to and have the capacity to, this is important. There are no activity requirements; rather, you do what you think is important. A key to our success has been that we use the networks we already have. Several of us have political connections, which has helped open some doors. We also have very good contacts with both the county administrative board and the region, says Lars Näsström.
MÄN Karlstad’s 5 Tips to Make a Difference in the Community
Keep member activities going. Hold frequent meetings. Members need to feel a sense of belonging for the organization to succeed. Engage everyone, not only board members.
What works for others may not work for you. Base your activities on local conditions.
Use the networks you already have access to. Spread information about MÄN through these. Try different approaches.
Contact local media. Share news tips, write opinion pieces and letters to the editor.
Seek financial support. We have received grants from the region for various projects and initiatives. This made our work much easier.
