- I have another job because my salary is not enough

Augustine Møller, pedagogue.

Why are you a pedagogue?

- Because I really like working with children. I grew up with my grandparents, and even though I had many siblings, I didn't live with them, so I always wanted to be with other children. That's why I like working with children. I have especially focused on those with special needs, such as parents or children who need extra support. For example, the neglected.

How do you experience everyday life?

- We focus on the child's needs. I work with young children, and of course they have a great need to be fed, put to bed and be close. The elderly have other needs.

- We can also see if there is a child with special needs, for example if they are behind their peers. Maybe the child has autism or ADHD. Since they are not diagnosed in the nursery or kindergarten, it only happens when they start school. It can be challenging to focus on a child with special needs and give them the necessary support.

Can you tell us about a day at work that shows how the lack of hands affects you and the children?

- In the nursery there are 12 children in the room, and then there are three staff members. We rarely lack staff, fortunately. Right now there are four of us in the room, together with a youth worker. It is really good. Of course we also experience staff shortages, as when there are only two of us, it can be very difficult to achieve everything. When the little children do not have their needs met, neglect occurs. It can be hard, and we try to use all our hands.

- It is being discussed whether there should be four employees in the rooms, so that if someone is sick, we will not be short. It is important that the children's daily needs are fully met, because they are our future, they are the ones who will carry it forward. There are many challenges in being a pedagogue, because you also have to be prepared for, for example, the child's development and various assessments. Like the child's portfolio, assessment forms, we can also work with those.

If you could change one thing about your work tomorrow, what would it be?

- I would immediately increase our salary. If you look at pedagogues in the Faroe Islands and in Denmark, there is a big difference in our salaries. We take on many responsibilities, but our salary is not appropriate.

- Since I am a single parent, my salary is not sufficient, so I work extra to put food on the table. Being a teacher is very demanding, and therefore the working conditions for teachers are not up to date. Of course, nothing can be changed immediately, but during our education we thought that our salary would increase significantly, but our salaries and those of social workers are not very different. It can be difficult to manage everything alone. I hope that somehow there will be a solution.