Team Meeting in Bodø
The SelfCare project team recently met in Bodø, Norway to share insights and progress from their work with vulnerable groups across Sweden, Ireland, and Iceland. The meeting marked the end of the project’s first year and set the stage as the project enters its second year. The meeting concluded with participation in the NPA 25th anniversary ‘Connecting the Dots’ conference, celebrating achievements and exploring future opportunities.
Left to right: Niclas Forsling (Region Vasterbotten, Sweden, Lead PI), Guðrún Þórsteinsdóttir and Björg Thordardottir (Iceland team), Lisbeth Kjellberg (Swedish team), Prof Liam Glynn (Principal Investigator Ireland)
The international NPA SelfCare project team held their biannual in-person meeting in the beautiful location of Bodø, Norway from September 30th to October 2nd 2025. Project Lead Niclas Forsberg and Lisbeth Kjellberg (Sweden), Professor Liam Glynn and Monica Casey (Ireland), Gudrun Thorsteinsdottir and Björg Thordardottir (Iceland) discussed the key findings from our interviews with the Ukrainian refugees in Ireland, elderly living remotely in Iceland and the Sami population in the north of Sweden including similarities and differences. Through the Interreg Volunteer Youth (IVY) initiative we will now have a new member, medical student Keely Matsusaki, joining the team in the University of Limerick in Ireland.
The SelfCare project has completed the first of three years and has made significant progress in mapping and evaluating culturally sensitive self-management initiatives in the partner regions. The mapping of services provided more information and provided better knowledge of what is available for each of the groups to move towards requirements and potential solutions.
Each partner presented the digital solution or initiative that appeared most relevant to their local context. We discussed the strengths and limitations of these options, explored various possibilities for adaptation, and considered how they could contribute to our shared goal of improving access to culturally sensitive self-management support. This exchange helped to align our joint strategy while broadening our understanding of what can be achieved through the SelfCare project.
The results of our scoping review have now been compiled and will inform the design of upcoming co-creation workshops in each of the partner’s countries. These workshops aim to identify practical ways to improve access to self-management resources and culturally appropriate care through digital tools. SelfCare will develop a cultural appropriate service model within health and social care for our target groups.
Professor Liam Glynn also coordinated a team development exercise to strengthen co-operation and collaboration which was enjoyed by all. We were joined at lunch by Christopher Parker, Programme Manager for Project Development Support at NPA Secretariat, who has given us excellent guidance in the project development and who is always available for support.
Left to right: Christopher Parker (Programme Manager for Project Development Support at NPA Secretariat), Professor Liam Glynn and Monica Casey (Ireland), Björg Thordardottir and Guðrún Þórsteinsdóttir and (Iceland), Lisbeth Kjellberg and Project Lead Niclas Forsling (Region Vasterbotten, Sweden)
The next two days were well spent at the NPA 25th anniversary ‘Connecting the Dots Conference looking both backwards at all that has been accomplished and forward to future possibilities.
