Page 66 - MY Book - My Voice

Dikemark Reception CenterDikemark Reception Center is an ordinary reception center with single adults and families waiting for their case to be processed, or for a place to stay if they already have been granted asylum in Norway.When I arrived at Dikemark for the rst time, it took some time to gather people that were interested in joining the drawing workshops. Many of the residents have become passive and apathetic, spending their days just waiting in their rooms.I presented the My Book, My Voice-project at a Wednesday open lunch for all the residents. I showed photos of other workshops and mingled with the residents.After a couple of weeks, a group had signed up, and we started a weekly gathering that was goingto last for three months. During that period, 12 people joined the group; their age was between 20 and60 years. It was a mixed group of people, coming from ve di erent countries: Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Sri Lanka, Guinea, Eritrea and Somalia. Some was highly educated, one was illiterate. One of the participants received the rejection of his application in the middle of a workshop and disappeared from the reception center, to avoid being caught by the police. Another stopped coming because of mental health problems. Some passed by and joined us ones or twice.The motivation to participate varied: Some of the participants wanted to develop their drawing skills, and others came because of the social aspect, or because they were eager to tell about their di cult situation. I therefore designed the workshops to meet di erent needs.Some of the participants spoke English, some spoke Norwegian, and with all the languages known within the group, everybody could be understood in one of the languages spoken by the group members.The series of workshops were organized thematically. One day we would focus on drawing houses, any house or the building housing the reception center. Then we would discuss, “what makes a house a home?” “Is the reception center your home?” Another subject could be trees. We would draw trees, and later talk about memories or experiences connected with trees, in general or a speci c tree. One day the theme for the workshop was old age. We used photos of old people as reference for drawing, and later the discussion circled around di erences in how di erent cultures treat their old people and what it would be like to become old in Norway.For the participants, living in an uncertain situation, the weekly workshops become an anchor in daily life and create some kind of routine. It also gives an opportunity to be seen and heard and to strengthen the relations within the group to create a sense of belonging.Most participants collected their drawings and texts and created a book. The drawings and texts collected in the book is a documentation of what we had been through the three months the project lasted. It also gives an idea of the di erent aspects of being a resident at a reception center.The project ended with an exhibition of drawings and completed books. The exhibition was arranged on the UN World Refugee Day in June in cooperation with the reception center. They mark the day every year with speeches and invited guests. The event was visited by the Secretary General of Norwegian People’s Aid, Liv Tørres, and the mayor of the municipality of Asker, neighbors, friends and residents.The following ve pages: photos of drawings and workshops, Dikemark 201564