Uloba

Uloba – Independent Living Norge SA is a Norwegian cooperative association founded in 1991 by disabled people, for disabled people. It is the only BPA (brukerstyrt personlig assistanse, or user-controlled personal assistance) provider in Norway that is owned by disabled people themselves. The organisation is part of the international Independent Living movement and is a member of the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL). Its headquarters are in Drammen, Norway. Uloba's core activity is to enable its members to cover their assistance needs by establishing and leading their own assistants. It delivers user-controlled personal assistance (BPA) and acts as the employer for assistants employed by members in user-controlled assistant schemes. Uloba provides training, guidance, administrative resources and leadership tools to its members. In 2023, Uloba had 6,876 employees. Beyond service delivery, Uloba is a political actor working for the rights of disabled people. According to Atle Møen, professor at the University of Bergen, Uloba has been the most important political actor in establishing the principle of BPA and securing it as a statutory individual right from 2014. Uloba contributes to political processes, hearings in the Storting, and advocacy work. It was represented in the BPA committee appointed by the King in Council on 20 September 2019, which resulted in NOU 2021: 11 'Selvstyrt er velstyrt'. Uloba also publishes the magazine Selvsagt, is a member of Fagpressen, and organises the annual Stolthetsparaden (Pride Parade) in Oslo, first held in 2008, as part of the Independent Living Festival. The Stolthetsprisen (Pride Award) is awarded annually to a person or group that has made a special effort for equality for disabled people. The organisation also manages the Bente Skansgård Independent Living Fund and hosts the annual Skansgård Lecture.

Uloba (Uavhengig Liv Oslo BA) was founded in 1991 by Tone Norli, Vibeke Marøy Melstrøm, Leif Sylling, Knut Flaaum, Bente Skansgård and 12 other disabled people. It is a Norwegian non-profit organisation established as a cooperative (samvirke), owned and run by disabled people themselves based on the idea of peer support (likemannsarbeid). Uloba is part of the international Independent Living movement working for equality for disabled people, and is a member of the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL). The organisation's purpose is to enable its members to cover their assistance needs by establishing and leading their own assistants. This is done through the delivery of user-controlled personal assistance (BPA). Uloba has employer responsibility for members' personal assistants and provides members with necessary training, guidance, administrative resources and leadership tools. In 2012, the organisation came under strong criticism for violations of the Working Environment Act and failure to pay assistants. The money had been returned to the municipalities, so Uloba itself covered the missing payments. This led to extensive work, and in 2013 Uloba obtained a collective agreement with Fagforbundet effective from 1 January 2014. Uloba works with input to politicians, hearings in the Storting and advocacy work. Uloba was represented in the BPA committee appointed by the King in Council on 20 September 2019 to review and propose improvements to the user-controlled personal assistance scheme. The committee's work resulted in NOU 2021: 11 'Selvstyrt er velstyrt — Forslag til forbedringer i ordningen med brukerstyrt personlig assistanse', presented in December 2021. According to Atle Møen, professor at the University of Bergen, Uloba has been the most important political actor in establishing the principle of BPA and getting it established as a statutory individual right from 2014. In 2023, there were 6,876 employees in Uloba. Uloba is a member of Fagpressen, Norway's oldest press organisation, and publishes the magazine Selvsagt annually. The editor-in-chief is Helge Olav Ramsted. Stolthetsparaden, also called the disabled people's pride parade, is an annual parade organised by Uloba. It was first held in 2008, goes through the streets of Oslo and is part of the Independent Living Festival, a celebration of disabled people's struggle for equality and freedom. Stolthetsprisen is awarded annually to a person or group that has made a special effort to create equality for disabled people. The award has been presented during the Independent Living Festival but also on the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December. Uloba also manages the Bente Skansgård Independent Living Fund and hosts the annual Skansgård Lecture.

• 2023

  Uloba had 6,876 employees.

• 2021

  NOU 2021: 11 'Selvstyrt er velstyrt' presented in December, resulting from the BPA committee's work.

• 2019

  BPA committee appointed by the King in Council on 20 September; Uloba represented.

• 2014

  BPA established as a statutory individual right in Norway, with Uloba as the most important political actor according to Professor Atle Møen.

• 2013

  Uloba obtained a collective agreement with Fagforbundet effective from 1 January 2014.

• 2012

  Uloba criticised for violations of the Working Environment Act and failure to pay assistants.

• 2008

  Stolthetsparaden (Pride Parade) held for the first time.

• 1991

  Uloba founded by Tone Norli, Vibeke Marøy Melstrøm, Leif Sylling, Knut Flaaum, Bente Skansgård and 12 other disabled people.

The only BPA provider in Norway owned by disabled people themselves, rooted in the Independent Living movement and peer support.

• BPA (user-controlled personal assistance)

  Delivery of user-controlled personal assistance, with Uloba as employer for members' personal assistants.

• Selvsagt magazine

  Annual magazine published by Uloba; member of Fagpressen. Editor-in-chief: Helge Olav Ramsted.

• Stolthetsparaden

  Annual pride parade for disabled people, first held in 2008, part of the Independent Living Festival.

• Stolthetsprisen

  Annual award to a person or group for special efforts for equality for disabled people.

1. 1Uloba official websiteuloba.no
2. 2Uloba on Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Uloba on Wikipedia (Norwegian)no.wikipedia.org