Vulnerable young people not engaged in work, education or training constitute a user group regarded with increasing concern in Europe. Set in a Norwegian context, this article investigates what the users themselves considered to be the most important help towards employment. The article is based on an action research approach and comprises data from a variety of sources, such as research circle method. A key finding is that relationships are the most crucial factor for the users. Long-term contact and persistent and inquisitive helpers are especially important. The meaningful relationship is not limited to the one with the professional helpers; it also includes the relationship between the users. Based on an action-oriented research approach, the article calls for more research that listens to the users' voices. SAMANDRAG Sårbar ungdom utanfor arbeid, utdanning eller aktivitet er ei brukargruppe som blir sett på med aukande uro i Europa. Artikkelen undersøkjer i ein norsk kontekst kva brukarar sjølve erfarer som den viktigaste hjelpa på vegen mot aktivitet. Artikkelen byggjer på ei aksjonsforskingsstudie, og omfattar data frå ulike kjelder, mellom anna forskingssirkel. Eit sentralt funn er at relasjonen er mest avgjerande for brukarane. Saerleg viktig er langvarig kontakt, uthaldande og utforskande hjelparar. Den betydingsfulle relasjonen er ikkje avgrensa til relasjonen med dei profesjonelle hjelparane, men inkluderer òg relasjonen mellom brukarane. Med utgangspunkt i aksjonsforskingstilnaerminga, etterlyser artikkelen meir forsking som lyttar til brukarane sine stemmer.

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The article focuses on social educators’ reflections on their own professional practice in encounters with people with intellectual disability receiving services. Drawing on Interpersonal Process Recall, a video-assisted method, together with a focus group interview, the study explores the experiences from in-situ encounters of five social educators employed in a Norwegian municipality. The key findings are that they view relationship-building as integral to their work, they grant primacy to the ideal of autonomy and they strive towards realizing this in their daily work. The study however displays how these emphases might lead to dilemmas, especially between the wish to support the service users’ self-determination and the urge to protect them from harm. Of special note was how the service users’ increasing use of social media was perceived as a particular challenge for social educators, who were left with an experience of being unable to protect.