Interviews with Norwegians: Marion Whiteley, co-owner of ...

This article is one in a series of interviews with local businesses/organizations in Stavanger. The purpose of these interviews is to help the expat community have a peek into daily Norwegian business and lifestyle.

Interviews with Norwegians: Marion Whiteley, co-owner of Stavanger International Babysitter Service

Where are you from?

I was born in Liverpool, but I lived in Bergen most of my life. My mother is Norwegian and my father is British.

What brought you to Stavanger/ Norway?

My mother decided to come back to Norway when I was a baby. As I mentioned, most of my life was in Bergen but I also lived in San Diego, Paris and Calgary for my husband?s job, which is what also brought me to Stavanger.

How do you find it Stavanger?

It is a more international environment than Bergen. There is more of a variety of stores. You can meet unique people from all over the world here too.

Any tips for people settling into the area?

Drive around to get to know the area. Usually, when I move to a new place I drive and get lost and then put ?home? into the GPS to find my way back. In Norway, it is easier to meet people if you are outside with your kids or dog. For expats, meeting other expats is much easier than meeting Norwegians, they can be tough to get to know.

Can you tell us more about yourself?

I am married with 2 kids and 2 grandkids, at the moment. ?I used to work at the cultural department in Bergen planning festivals for a suburb of Bergen. I have worked with children for 10 years have my Masters in Business Management from BI. I have been out of Norway for 5 years and when we came back to the country, we came to Stavanger.

What got you into child care?

After talking to people at INN (International Network Norway), I realized childcare for expats was lacking. People had to turn down social invitations because of childcare needs could not be met in Stavanger. It makes the spouse even more isolated and some move back home prematurely because of that. I, too, have been in a similar situation when living abroad trying to find reliable childcare. I saw the need in the area and the business opportunity and decided to open SIBS, (Stavanger International Babysitter Service), along with my business partner, Solveig Schjelderup. Solvieg recruits and corresponds with the babysitters and personnel for the day park. She also was a registered nurse with experience in psychiatry. I take care of the customers, administration and the website.

What kind of services does SIBS offer and are they in English or Norwegian, or both?

The company officially opened in January and in mid-November the day park will open. The day park, held at the Madla Community House, is a place where parents can drop off their children and have them looked after while they run errands, meet with friends, or just need a break. For now, it is only open on Tuesdays from 9:00 to 13:00. The babysitting service is already open for business- you can book a babysitter online! SIBS is a new company, so we know the startup is essential. If interest is shown, we will open the day park on Thursdays too.

There are a few babysitters that speak Norwegian, but all speak English. Our babysitters are from all over the world. Our clients can put in requests for a specific sitter, or background they would like for them to have. ?Also, all of our babysitters have completed a first aid course that focuses on children.

How much does it cost for a babysitter? How much is it for the day park?

The client and babysitter decide what they will pay the babysitter, but we recommend 120 NOK per hour. Of course, this can be adjusted depending upon length of job and number of kids. The day park is 400 NOK per day, no matter how long the child is at the day park.

How can you be contacted?

You can go to our website, www.sibs.no, call me at 95 91 26 84 or email me at marion@sibs.no.? You can also contact my business partner, Solveig Schjelderup, by phone 98 10 94 14 or email solveig@sibs.no.

Source: http://www.stavangerexpats.com/interviews-with-norwegians-marion-whiteley-co-owner-of-stavanger-international-babysitter-service

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