Line Steen Bygballe

Short presentation

I am a PhD student in ethnology and have a master's degree in applied cultural analysis from the University of Copenhagen and Lund University.

My PhD project is part of the socio-technical development project EMOVE, where the Center for Humanistic Health Research, together with Technoanthropology (AAU) and the IT company Kople is developing a new IT system that makes it easier for NGOs to match the right volunteers with the organisation's target group or tasks. The IT solution aims to create a tool that can give the volunteers and the organisation more time for their core tasks and human contact.
In a time when the need for volunteers can suddenly increase significantly, as seen during the European refugee crisis in 2015, the corona pandemic and the war in Ukraine, it is crucial that NGOs have robust systems and can safely carry out their work. Here, the IT system can help facilitate the work of the organisation and the volunteers.

It requires a broad knowledge of civil society and voluntary practices to develop a system that works and is used as intended. The PhD project must ensure that the social and human aspects are considered in all system development phases. Via ethnographic methods, I will explore and map how the matching of volunteers and voluntary work takes place in NGOs that work with vulnerable target groups in both Denmark and Europe at a time when more softer welfare tasks are outsourced to civil society.

My focus is on NGOs that (collaborate) with vulnerable citizen groups, and the project aims to investigate the potential of including technology to allow a more diverse group of people to participate in voluntary activities.
 

Primary research areas
My current research deals with volunteerism and social movements in civil society in relation to social and health issues among vulnerable citizen groups.
In addition, I am engaged in the following research areas:

• Volunteering
• Social movements
• Civil society
• Minority groups
• Ageing
• Senior working life and late career
• Mental health
• Migration
• Europe

CV

2020-2021: Research assistant, Elderlearn – is volunteering for all seniors?

Saxo-Institute & Center for Health Research in the Humanities (CoRe). Doing ethnographic research in the socioeconomic company “Elderlearn” among elderly people and foreigners learning Danish. Project leader: Astrid Jespersen.

2020 (jan.) - 2020 (aug.): Research assistant, Senior Practice - Mental Health in work life among seniors. Saxo-Institute & Center for Health Research in the Humanities (CoRe). Assisting research within the production and finance industries among senior staff focusing on mental health. Project leader: Aske Juul Lassen.

2018-2019: Qualitative consultant and manager, MEGAFON Consulting and Research

Project manager and consultant on qualitative projects. The specific tasks have included the completion of research, preparation of reports, and presentation of results. Primary clients within the public sector and private sector. E.g. udenrigsministeriet, Sundhedsstyrelsen, DR, CMB Metro, Gribskov Municipality.

2018: Research assistant, Helping Hands research network

Saxo-Institute & AMIS, UCPH. Assistance on initial research and fieldwork among volunteers supporting refugees in civil society in the Danish-German border region. Project leaders: Marie Sandberg & Dorte Jagetic Andersen

2017-2018: Project officer, Gemeinschaft

Project for Copenhagen Municipality, on the perception of dirt in Copenhagen, ethnographic methods, anthropological theories.

2016-2017: Education Project Assistant, Oxfam IBIS

Assisted Oxfam IBIS's education work in connection with research in educational areas, political activities and public events.

2015: Project assistant, the Danish Disabilities Organisations & Danish Refugee Council. Conducting the final part of the 3-year development project “Project Double Minority.”

2014: Intern, the Council of Ethnic Minorities

Secretariat service for the Council for Ethnic Minorities and ad hoc tasks for the Office for Integration and Democracy.