🇳🇴 Five municipalities join forces on a new shared digital service in Varanger
Varanger, Norway – June 5, 2026 – After several years of testing in Kirkenes, the next step is now being taken: a shared digital solution for Varanger will provide a better overview of what is happening locally—and make it easier for residents to participate and get involved.
For several years, Sør-Varanger Utvikling has developed and operated Kirkenes24 as a pilot for a new type of local information service. The experience has been clear: the need is significant, and the solution is actively used by residents, clubs, and associations alike.
“In every forum where quality of life and recruitment are discussed, we receive clear feedback that it is difficult to find information about what is happening in the local communities across the region,” says Christine Galschjødt, project manager for Varanger/sia.
This is something many people miss—from residents to visitors and newcomers—and especially young people, who are used to finding information digitally.
The goal has always been to scale the service beyond a single municipality. Now, five municipalities in Varanger are joining forces for the continued initiative under the name Varanger/sia.
“The need for a service like this does not exist only in Sør-Varanger. We hear the same request from our partners in most neighboring municipalities. That is why we are very pleased that Berlevåg, Båtsfjord, Nesseby, and Tana have joined the initiative. When we collaborate in this way, we gain the opportunity to invest more, develop better services, and at the same time share the costs,” says Galschjødt.
One shared gateway to what is happening locally
Varanger/sia will be a shared digital service that brings together activities, events, and local information in one place. The goal is to give residents one reliable and easy-to-navigate gateway to what is happening in the local communities—across the region.
“Varanger/sia will be a shared solution for the entire region. At the same time, each municipality will have its own local page, where users can add events to the activity calendar or publish articles in the news feed. The service will be free for everyone to use and will serve as a low-threshold offering for those who want to create activity or share information in their local community,” Galschjødt explains.
Collaboration across municipal boundaries
The project has been initiated, financed, and driven by Vestre-Varanger Bygdevekst, Vestre-Varanger Utvikling, and Sør-Varanger Utvikling. Another goal is to make it easier to collaborate across the municipalities in the region.
“One of our most important tasks is to strengthen the capacity for development in the municipalities and local communities of Varanger,” says Morten Andersen, Managing Director of Vestre-Varanger Utvikling.
“That also means making it easier for people to find one another, participate, and get involved. Varanger/sia will help foster greater inclusion, stronger communities, and closer cooperation between municipalities—because development is created by people who meet.”
A local alternative to global platforms
Although many people today use social media to find information, Galschjødt points to several challenges with such solutions.
“We have examined this more closely, and it is clear that although social media such as Facebook can be used, content can easily get lost among everything else happening on the platform. Ultimately, it is algorithms that determine what users see, which often means that events and posts are either not discovered or appear too late.”
“At the same time, it is a challenge that users do not have direct contact with the platform if something goes wrong—for example, if content is deleted or blocked. On Varanger/sia, people will be able to contact a real person and receive help in such situations.”
She also emphasizes that users can feel confident that personal data will be handled in accordance with Norwegian law and European regulations, and will not be used without consent. In addition, the solutions can be adapted to local needs—something that is far more difficult on traditional social media.
Open invitation to other municipalities
The goal is to launch Varanger/sia in autumn 2026, and to use 2027 to build a user base, provide training, and further develop the service in close dialogue with users.
“Digital services take time to establish,” says Galschjødt.
“People need time to get used to using them, and we need to adjust the solution based on the feedback we receive. This is not a sprint, but a marathon. We will also continue inviting more municipalities in Finnmark into the collaboration. If this sounds relevant to your municipality or your community, we encourage you to get in touch to learn more.”
Contact information
Christine Galschjødt
Project Manager and Communications Lead
Sør-Varanger Utvikling
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +47 922 21 533
For more information, visit Sør-Varanger.
Originally published on June 5, 2026 by Sør-Varanger Utvikling.
