Karin Lindgård

I enjoy working on social challenges. My background is in social sciences within the area of political science, history and public law. During most of my professional career, I have worked in the public sector, at the local level, the City of Oslo and national levels, The Housing Bank. I have had experience in project, process, program and line management since 2002.

The Housing Bank is an agency directly underlying The Ministry of Local Government and Modernization. It’s an agency assigned to ensuring a properly functioning housing market, increasing housing supply for disadvantaged groups and more green and universally designed housing and buildings in attractive locations.

My responsibility and my recent activities include working in long-term partnership with local governments in Regional Social Developments program. These programs aim to ensure that multiple disadvantaged have suitable housing, demographics changes, local environment qualities, and social sustainability. The focus has a class of 'wicked challenges' that cannot be addressed one at the time, in isolation or by adopting single points of intervention. In these programs, my team and I have to work across disciplines, sectors and levels focused on overcoming massive societal challenges. The main partner in Husbanken is the municipalities and together we work within both the public and private sector: NGOs, professional builders, social entrepreneurs, and knowledge sectors (research, university). Development of new knowledge, new solutions, and social innovation happens in concrete case/project in the field together with the field of practice.

Now, concrete development projects are related to refugees and the immigrants’ situation, growing ageing population and triggers of homelessness. Partners in this effort, beyond the municipalities are other public actors, responsibility of welfare policies, agency (health and care services, labor and social affairs, children/youth, social inclusion, and integration), agency for Public management (Difi), and Innovation Norway. Actors from professional builders, the voluntary sector (Tenants Association SOS Children’s Villages, Church City Mission) and others from the third sector as SoCentral, Young Foundation UK and British Council.

I live and work in Oslo, am in a relationship, and have a daughter of 18 who lives at home. Time with my  daughter, my partner and friends is a high priority for me, which give me joy and energy. I love being outdoors, cycling, go skiing etc., since it is a necessary break in between the big city life I usually live. I have a passion for music and in the context of interest in quality hi-fi. My favorite genre is Jazz and I like to go to jazz clubs and concerts.