Lived Space and Support as Interrelated Phenomena in the Context of Young People with Mental Health Problems

The Norwegian welfare system due to human rights is in charge of providing necessary supportof life to every citizen in terms of a safe place to live, the opportunity to education oremployment and meaningful life accomplishments. We explore how public sustenance isexperienced by a group of young receivers of public support. The article is one of three substudiesdrawing on empirical material from in-depth interviews with 14 young adults withmental health challenges and experiences from being partly or fully out of school or work. Theinterviews reveal that in particular three aspects of support are significant to the young. Theseare personal and shared space (e.g., supportive personal and professional relationships), theopportunity of a safe home, and the prospect of not being trapped for a lengthy time in theirproblems (an effective ‘standstill’ or suspension of agency of life), but be part of the “world outthere.” Could public support provide some temporary or permanent help with regard to thesebasic aspects of life? We explore in this article the potential interrelatedness between space andsupport in a hermeneutic phenomenological manner with basis in experiences from four of theyoung in the study. David, Mia, Oda and Simon (all pseudonyms) each in their way, describemoments where support and space seem to be existentially and experientially interconnected.We wonder if analysis of the two phenomena can inform our understanding of the qualities thatcharacterize what we might call a ‘supportive’ environment within public welfare.