In this article, you'll find some suggestions for where you and your mentor or mentee can meet to hold your regular work meetings. This is not a complete list; it is intended only as inspiration.
In-person meetings
If you meet in person, you should find a place that’s pleasant and quiet so you can talk without being interrupted or overheard. Also keep in mind that the location should be conveniently accessible for both of you, and that neither of you should have to buy a drink just to sit there—unless both of you can afford it. We also recommend waiting to meet at each other’s homes until you’ve built a closer relationship where this feels safe and natural for both of you.
Here are some specific suggestions for places to meet:
Libraries
At the mentor's workplace
Coffee shop (if it's okay for both of us to spend a little money at each meeting)
Outdoors in a park or for walking meetings
Open cultural centers, community centers, etc.
Below, you'll find specific suggestions for meeting places if you live in either Oslo or Stavanger.
Digital Meetings
If you’re meeting online, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom are all good options. Just choose the one you’re most familiar with and have access to. Note: The free versions of these platforms have a time limit of 40 minutes to one hour. If you need more time, you’ll need to create a new meeting with a new link once the first one ends. A free alternative with no time limit is Jitsi.
As a general rule, we recommend holding meetings via video, but of course it’s also possible to have some meetings over the phone. Many people use this option for brief check-ins as needed.
Places to Meet in Oslo
The Headquarters (Øvre Slottsgate 3): Although we are unable to offer meeting rooms on our premises, the rest of the building is a great place to meet, with many different seating areas, long hours of operation, and its own café.
Kulturhuset (Youngs Gate 6): It has several floors, a cozy atmosphere, and places to buy coffee and something to eat.
Public libraries. On Deichmann.no, you can view a list of all 25 branches in Oslo and find the one closest to both of you.
Cultural centers. Oslo also has a number of cultural centers where it is often possible to sit and hold meetings.
Places to Meet in Stavanger
SiS Bokkafeen (Rennebergstien 30): The University / Student Union’s Bokkafeen is a fantastic place to meet up at Ullandhaug. However, there is also seating available in the building outside of the Bokkafeen itself if you don’t want to buy coffee.
Sølvberget Kulturhus, downtown Stavanger: You can sit at Renaa Express on the ground floor, at Frænd Café on the top floor, or in the library itself. You can also reserve meeting rooms at the library.
The Innoasis coworking space (Sverdrups gate 27) has a cozy café where you can hold meetings.
The Library in Sandnes (Elvegata 27)