Speakers
Description
The Omni model was developed in collaboration with the field of practice, as a response to a lack of tools for analysing what happens in schools with unsafe physical and psychosocial learning environments.
We who contribute to this symposium are all situated in Sápmi, and working in and with diversity is a central part of our work.
Omni means all-encompassing, and in cases related to bullying, we find that the cases are often complex and all-encompassing. Having a comprehensive understanding of the learning environment and good tools in the work of promoting safe and good learning environments, is therefore crucial for a good result. A comprehensive understanding that can help ensure early intervention, cooperation and dialogue between all parties.
The Omni model is a tool for creating common understanding and language related to children and young people's learning and upbringing environment. The Omni model is based on systemic thinking, and is linked to an understanding of bullying as social processes gone astray (Søndegaard, 2009)
The Omni model is constantly evolving, and now ranges from kindergarten to upper secondary education, and an Omni model has also been developed for sports.
To succeed in this work, it must be practice- and location-based. Everything starts with looking at oneself in the mirror and continuing to do so.
In this symposium, we will present the background thinking for the Omni model, some of the tools, an example of how the model is implemented in a municipality, and some thoughts on contemporary challenges.
Keywords
Cultural approach, practical tools, norm breaking behaviour, bullying behaviour, sustaining factors, collective capacity
Additional field for symposia
Presentation 1
Title: The Omni model - how complex theory on bullying can be simplified and made accessible across age groups, roles, and educational levels.
Jon Halvdan Lenning, Anti bullying ombud in Troms County and Gøril Figenschou, Anti bullying ombud in Finnmark County
Abstract: Omni means all-encompassing and the starting point for the model is that everything is connected from kindergarten, primary school to upper secondary education, but also together with what happens later in life. What happens in the family, in the village, in the district, in the neighbourhood, nationally and globally has an impact on the learning environment for children and young people in kindergartens and schools.
In this part of the symposium, we will say something about the research and methods that led to the Omni staircase which became the start of the start of the work on the Omni model. The start took place in collaboration between a school in Tromsø municipality and Mobbeombudet in Troms and Finnmark. The cooperation originated in a single case, which the parties gradually felt became extensive and complex.
"The magic happened when we introduced the idea of placing the collective experiences of children, parents, and practitioners into a negative staircase—a staircase leading toward increasingly greater challenges. Using this explanation, we could identify the specific efforts needed at each individual step, with the overarching explanation serving as a foundation for understanding, analysis, and concrete actions."
The Omni model is professionally grounded in, among others, Bronfenbrenner's ecological development theory, which emphasizes that children's development occurs through interactions with various contexts and environments, as well as in the research by Søndergaard and Rabøl Hansen on bullying and the role of community in the lives of children and youth.
Presentation 2
Title: The Omni staircase – both a result of research and a response to needs.
Lasse Knutsen, Anti bullying ombud in Nordland County and Anita Lervoll, Secondary Education ombud in Troms County
Abstract: The Omni model refers to the social system surrounding a group of children and youth. It helps us see and understand how an upbringing environment functions and what happens when tendencies toward norm breaking behaviour arise.
The Omni staircase helps us understand how a social environment gradually can develop in an undesirable direction. It describes step-by-step changes in norms, relationships, behaviour, and the importance of the qualities of the community in a group:
Step 1: Safe community – The goal is a positive environment with good relationships, clear routines, and predictable structures. Everyone in the group feels included and cared for.
Step 2: Norm shifting tendencies – Children test boundaries as a natural part of their development.
Step 3: Normalization of norm breaking behaviour – norm breaking behaviour starts to be accepted as "normal."
Step 4: Bullying behaviour – Bullying becomes established when unacceptable behaviour is legitimized, often with excuses for why some are treated poorly.
Steps 5-6: Legitimation of bullying – Parents and staff may unconsciously contribute to maintaining bullying patterns by accepting or understanding negative narratives about children as "socially challenging."
Step 7: New norm-shifting – If challenges are not addressed, norms may shift further, and the group enters a new negative spiral.
The Omni step model shows that adults have the responsibility to intervene and restore a safe, inclusive environment by being present and setting clear boundaries while also explaining and guiding to maintain structure. Adults must consciously confront and stop norm breaking behaviour to protect vulnerable individuals. It is always the adults' responsibility to build safe and good communities.
Presentation 3
Title: Culture, locality, recognition and current affairs - implementation. The important keys for implementation in Fauske municipality
Elisabeth Maarnes, Omni consultant, Fauske municipality, and Tonje Koskinen, legal advisor, RKK Salten.
Abstract: Implementation process and key factors. In our municipality, we have developed a comprehensive three-year plan for implementing the Omni model, structured around key elements to ensure sustainable and effective change. A strong foundation within the organization is considered essential to achieve successful implementation, where cultivating a shared understanding of the adult role and establishing a strong we feeling are central goals. This approach minimizes individual practices and fosters cohesion, which is crucial for reaching our long-term objectives.
For successful implementation, we emphasize strong leadership support at all levels, including political endorsement. This approach also requires dedicated resources, time, and a well-defined prioritization framework aligned with our implementation plan.
Our implementation plan includes several critical components, Project Management, Current Status, Goals, Measures, Responsibility Allocation and Quality Assurance and Adjustments.
The core of our plan is the Omni model's seven-step framework, emphasizing competency building through a non-linear, concurrent process. The key components are:
1. Theoretical Framework: Understanding the Omni perspective
2. Regulatory Competence: Ensuring compliance and best practices
3. Value Foundation: Aligning with our organizational values
4. Omni staircase In-Depth Study
5. Analytical Competence
6. Action Competence
7. Follow-up, Practice, and Maintenance: Sustaining the implementation over time
This structured yet adaptable approach allows for continuous progress and alignment with our municipality’s objectives.
Presentation 4
Title: The contemporary challenges in modern upbringing environments - an empirical analysis of sustaining factors in troubled learning environments.
Ann Tone Håkonsen, consultant learning- and upbringings environments, Tromsø municipality
Abstract: This presentation addresses an analyse of the contemporary challenges within the upbringing environment in schools in Tromsø municipality. The analyse identifies and categorizes maintaining factors that contribute to these challenges into six key areas: frame factors, classroom management, particularly vulnerable students, arena competence and school skills, trust and parent collaboration, and behaviour. Each category outlines specific factors observed in various schools, emphasizing the complex interplay of influences affecting the learning environment. The approach is based on the idea that efforts and measures should be directed towards prioritizes sustaining factors, which enables the undesired state in some environments. The findings advocate for enhanced cooperation among educators, parents, and community members to effectively address these challenges and promote safer, more inclusive school environments. To reach the goal of creating learning environments of high quality, we have to direct measures against the whole upbringing environment, with all the included arenas, to prevent an unwanted development as described in the Omni staircase. The presentation concludes by stressing the importance of proactive strategies and systematically work to identify and direct measures against important risk factors in an early state, to foster positive educational experiences for all students.
5. Discussant
| Please indicate what type of scientific contribution it is | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Please also indicate what kind of contribution it is: | Mixed |
