2. Table of content
• Short history of the youth work in Finland
• The role of municipalities in youth work in
Finland
• The role of Lutheran parishes in youth
work in Finland
• Resources and education
• Youth Act, principles and guidelines
• Some theory on youth work
3. Municipalities were primarily acting as bodies that allocated
financial resources to the NGOs until the end of 1960’s
Municipalities started to create their own sphere of work in
the 1970’s. This was connected to wider societal changes,
such as rapid industrialization and urbanization (the so-
called ‘great move’ from the country to town).
The first youth club in Finland opened in 1957 in Helsinki,
to address the problems of boy street-gangs and concerns
about violence and anti-social behavior (Vesikansa, 1988:
32).
The policy question of how to react to the ‘youth problem’ in
urban settings found an answer in youth clubs, allowing the
achievement of spatial control (keeping young people away
from the streets in a controlled environment) and giving
young people opportunities to learn and adopt democratic
values.
4. In the 1960s, within the new suburban youth culture,
young people sought activities beyond those organized by
the Church or the NGOs, coinciding with the rapidly
changing social conditions of the time. This paved the way
for a great expansion of youth clubs, which primarily
happened between 1972 and 1995 (Kylmäkoski, 2006).
These establishments can be seen as a part of the building
of the Nordic welfare state, in which social institutions
function as key players in the vision towards securing
equality.
Youth clubs are still being built today, but the primary
focus is on renovating older clubs.
Today, the municipalities play the primary role in youth
work, and are responsible for implementing official policy.
5. In Finland, youth work comes under its own legislation; the Youth
Act 2017, previously named the Youth Work Act, which first came
into existence in 1972 (Youth Work and Youth Policy in Finland).
Youth work is governed by the Ministry of Education and Culture
and is viewed as a non-formal part of the educational system.
There are roughly 1000 youth clubs in 320 municipalities, and
their number has decreased from 1564 in 1989.
In total, youth work reaches approximately 25% of the youth
population (Myllyniemi, 2008), and it is estimated that 5-10% of
young people regularly attend youth clubs (Kiilakoski, 2011).
The target age group is 13-17 years of age. However, there are
considerable differences: some youth clubs admit children aged
as young as eight years, and some municipalities do not have an
age limit. There are no ‘youth houses’ or equivalent for young
people over the age of 18.
6. Finland has a professional training programme with routes
both in vocational training and higher education.
Most of the staff trained before the twenty-first century
have a higher secondary education degree.
In the twenty-first century, ‘educational inflation’, due to
training also being given in the polytechnics and
universities, has meant that youth work requirements have
risen and many municipalities prefer to employ workers
with higher education.
However, the situation varies. Some of the youth workers
are not trained as such, for example, they may have a
degree in social work.
Proximately 3,400 people have been hired by
municipalities (Nuorisotyö, 2012).
7. Municipalities invest about 170 million euros
(1 % of the budget of the municipalities)
yearly in youth work – about 16 % comes from
the government. About 1500 full-time
workers (1600 hours/year), tens of thousands
of volunteers and part-time workers.
Lutheran parishes invest 100 million euros,
190 million euros counting child work as well
(30 % of the budget of the parishes). About
1400 full-time workers in youth work (1600
hours/year), about 30 000 volunteers.
8. 1. DEMOCRACY PRINCIPLE: Youth work should strengthen the adolescents’
citizenship skills and help them become proper members of a community.
2. PEDAGOGY PRINCIPLE: Activities of youth work should support the growth of
young people. Youth work is not only a question of organizing nice activities
of entertainment as an end in itself. This principle separates youth work
form other free time services.
3. HEALTH PRINCIPLE: Youth work should work for healthy life. Both support
healthy and fight against unhealthy matters.
4. CULTURE PRINCIPLE: Youth work should take into account the aesthetical
needs of the young people and help them find ways to express themselves.
Therefore youth work should be aware of phenomena among adolescents
and support the typical ways of forms of activity.
5. SOCIO-POLITICAL PRINCIPLE: Youth work should prevent social problems.
Extra activities could be allocated for those needing support.
9. According to the act, the youth work and policy of a
municipality encompasses:
educational guidance of the youth,
opportunities for hobbies and space for activities,
information services and guiding,
supporting youth associations, NGOs and -groups,
physical, cultural, international and multicultural
youth activity,
youth environmental education,
adolescents’ workshop services as needed,
other activities suitable for the local needs and
circumstances
10. The new youth act replaced the youth act from 2006.
The purposes of the Act include support for young
people’s growth and independence, promotion of
active citizenship, social empowerment of young
people and supporting their growth and improving
their living conditions.
The definition of young people would apply to all
those aged between 7 and 29, but those below this
age bracket would also be taken into account when
being heard or encouraged to participate.
Act 2017 includes the possibility of creating a register
for youth outreach work and the possibility of
carrying out drug tests in youth workshops.
12. The emphasis is in the each person’s own growth
instead of education or the given goals of the
growth
Safe atmosphere is crucial
It provides peace of growth which is the key topic
It means doing something together, being together, wondering
together with both the peers and people of all ages
Development and growth will not happen by demanding and
in the flood of stimuli but only by supporting, enabling,
being in use and giving time.
Home is the most important growth environment for both
the children and the adolescents
Congregations are cooperating with the NGOs and other
societal organisations in education and growth
13. 5.5 million inhabitants of whom 78 percent are
members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of
Finland
Almost 90 percent participate in confirmation
work during the year they turn 15
2288 confirmation groups in 400 parishes
49 506 confirmands (2013), half of each gender (85 %
from the age cohort)
1295 joining the Church (2013) (541 boys and 1295
girls)
24 479 ( 7978 boys and 16 501 girls) participated in
the YCV training
16 226 (5386 boys and 10 841 girls) were YCVs in a
confirmation group
15. The confirmation time lasts for at least half a year
consists of evening and weekend meetings,
participation in the devotional service life of the parish
an eight-to-nine day long intensive period, which is usually organized
as a camp.
Each confirmation group usually consists of 25 confirmands,
one minister
one professional youth worker
one church musician or summer youth worker
6-10 young volunteers.
The volunteers are called “isonen” in Finnish
“a big one” but is a diminutive form, i.e. “a big-small” or “a
small-big”.
“the YCVs”, the term being an abbreviation of “young confirmed
volunteers”.
16. What is diaconia/ youth diaconia?
”Diaconia is the caring ministry of the church”
– Christian social practice/Christian Social Work
It is the Gospel in action.
It is expressed through loving your neighbor.
It is creating inclusive communities.
It is caring for creation.
It is struggling for justice.
17. Youth Diaconia - Creating
Community
Working for the inclusion of all age and ethnic
groups in community life
◦ focusing on people in the margin of the society
Promoting understanding and mutual respect on all
issues of diversity
Starting with the strengths of people and building
convivial relationships between them
18. The models of Youth Diaconia
Outreach work/“Seeking” youth work [residential youth work]
(“Etsivä nuorisotyö, Saapas”)
Individual counselling and group work like in the Engine Garages
Criminal work
Work among the pre-adolescents “SMS-service Tupu”
Work at schools (e.g. participating in the student service groups,
club work, work with the parents, camps)
Work in the internet and social media, digital youth work
Advocacy
19. SERVICE OPERATION BOOT (SAAPAS)
The history goes back to the early 1970s in the Keimola-rock concert
◦ Rain was pouring down while they were sleeping in tents and water started
sipping trough, but most youngsters did not feel it because alcohol had
blocked their senses, putting their health and perhaps even life in jeopardy.
◦ There was a demand for someone to provide first aid and
psychological support to those in need, and it was a group of parish
volunteers that gave a helping hand
◦ After this event the idea of helping drunken youngsters at concerts
and festivals started to grow.
◦ At the turn of the 1980s it was understood that the trained volunteers
may be used year-round special youth work in various positions
Nowadays over 20 voluntary groups are operating
throughout Finland.
20. Youth Diaconia in the internet and
social media
TUPU= SMS service for pre-adolescents
The church volunteers participate the discussions which already are going
on in the forums
21. Motor forge activity
To offer social support
◦ for unemployed adolescents
◦ young people out of further
education
◦ http://www.nuortenkeskus.fi/fi/toimi
ntaa/moottoripaja/moottoripajatoimi
nta/
◦ http://www.nuortenkeskus.fi/fi/toimi
ntaa/moottoripaja/motor+forge+acti
vity/
22.
23. Recent research in human development has indicated
that genetic messages interacting with environmental
experiences determine developmental outcomes.
The processes of actualizing genetic potential are
found externally within relationships.
Thus learning occurs through interactions between
the individual and the ecology of learning.
A bioecological model of learning & teaching depicts
the relationship between actualizing genetic
potential, bi-directional relationships, teaching, the
ecology of learning and enhanced learning outcomes
(Smith 2011, 2-3.)
25. Positive and sustained relationships
between youth and adults.
Activities that build important life skills
Opportunities to use these skills as both
participants in and as leaders of valued
community activities
Programs having these features may be
termed youth development (YD) programs
26. Competence: Positive view of one’s actions in specific areas, including social,
academic, cognitive, health, and vocational. Social competence refers to
interpersonal skills (e.g., conflict resolution). Cognitive competence refers to
cognitive abilities (e.g., decision making). Academic competence refers to
school performance as shown, in part, by school grades, attendance, and test
scores. Health competence involves using nutrition, exercise, and rest to keep
oneself fit. Vocational competence involves work habits and explorations of
career choices. Effective entrepreneurial skills may be one instance of
vocational competence.
Confidence: An internal sense of overall positive self-worth and self-efficacy.
Connection: Positive bonds with people and institutions that are reflected in
exchanges between the individual and his or her peers, family, school, and
community and in which both parties contribute to the relationship.
Character: Respect for societal and cultural norms, possession of standards for
correct behaviors, a sense of right and wrong (morality), and integrity.
Caring/Compassion:A sense of sympathy and empathy for others.
Resulting the 6th C - Contribution:Contributions to self, family, community,
and to the institutions of a civil society.
27. Diverse
motivation
Diverse
ideological
background
“I believe – this
makes sense…”
Youth
community
“I participate in
- I’m an insider”
“I belong - this
creates a sense of
personal meaning”
* Positive youth
Development 5 Cs
6th C=Contribution
to life world
* PYD = Positive Youth Development: 5 Cs=
Competence, Confidence, Connection,
Character and Caring/Compassion
28. Young volunteers start their activity with different
motivations
What makes them to be capable to work successfully
together?
They participate in the youth work community which
tolerates and understand the diversity
Sense of belonging makes participating and believing
with different motives and in diverse ways possible
The employees’ role is to concentrate on supporting
the motivation of volunteering, helping the
volunteers in forming a Community of Practice and
being of service to the volunteers spiritually
Learning and growing happens inside the triangle and it
leads to responsibility and action
29. Pedagogical love:
• A professional attitude towards adolescents and children
• An endeavour and effort to see every child and young
people precious, valuable and dignified (agape)
• Conscious action where everybody can develop
him/herself through work and exercise
Pedagogical relation according to Kansanen 2003:
= An endeavor to act for a child or an adolescent and to
support his/her growth as well as possible
• acting for a child,
• context relational
• interaction
• voluntarily
• temporary
• future oriented
30. Useful links
• Bibliography:
http://www.nuorisokanuuna.fi/sites/default/files/filedepot/julkaisut_201
0-2014.pdf
• Child Barometer survey in Finland (summary in English):
http://lapsiasia.fi/wp-
content/uploads/2016/11/LA_lapsibarometri_2016.pdf
• Youth Barometer survey in Finland:
https://tietoanuorista.fi/nuorisobarometri/
• in English: https://tietoanuorista.fi/wp-
content/uploads/2016/01/YouthBarometerHQ.pdf
• Ruuti: http://ruuti.munstadi.fi/en/events/
• Youth guarantee:
http://www.nuorisotakuu.fi/en/information/what_is_the_youth_guarant
ee
• OKM youth work in Finland: http://okm.fi/OPM/Nuoriso/?lang=en
