THE ROLE OF A CITIZEN IN FINLAND - (Early, Maarit, Sonu, Fabrizio, Delia, Taru, Ola)

1. The Role Of Citizen In Finland
Delia, Ola, Fabrizio, Maarit, Sonu, Taru, Early
Citizens’
rights and
responsibili
ties
Who is a citizen or
what is
citizenship?
Rights and
Responsibilities
Becoming Finnish
Citizen
Improve
Opportunities for
full Citizenship

2. Who is a Citizen?
Is it someone living legally in a Country?
Someone whose parent are citizen of a country?
Is it someone born in a country?
Someone married to a citizen?
Someone who has been naturalized?
Someone who is adopted by a country citizen?
Do all citizens has voting right?
Does naturalized citizens has full citizenship?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizenship

3. What is Citizenship?
A key aspect of the duty of a citizen is to take the responsibility to provide for
themselves where they can, to avoid state dependency and to be in paid
employment if at all possible.
The status of a person recognized under the custom or law as being
State of being a citizen of a state, by birth or naturalization. Also called
nationality.
A citizen is a participatory member of a political community.
Citizenship is gained by meeting the legal requirements of a nation, state, or
local government.
A nation grants certain rights and privileges to its citizens. In return, citizens
are expected to obey their country's laws and defend it against its enemies.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/government/civics.htm

4. Finnish Citizen’s Rights
The right to vote and be voted for
Right to participate in all level of government
Right to reside in Finland and be tried in Finland
Right to obtain Finnish passport
Right to EU citizenship
Right to vote and be voted for in EU elections
The right to refuse extradition to another country
http://www.infopankki.fi/en/living-in-finland/as-an-immigrant-in-finland/finnish-citizenship/the-rights-and-obligations-of-finnish-citizens

5. Finnish Citizen’s Obligations
The obligation to participate in national defence or assist in the
cause.
Compulsory conscription (asevelvollisuus) applies to all men over
18 years of age.
The responsibility to observe Finnish laws even when outside
Finland.
 A Finnish citizen can be convicted in Finland for an offence
committed abroad.
http://www.infopankki.fi/en/living-in-finland/as-an-immigrant-in-finland/finnish-citizenship/the-rights-and-obligations-of-finnish-citizens

6. Becoming Finnish Citizen
Identity Criterial (via valid passport)
Age limit requirement (18 years)
The residential period requirement (5 years without interruption or
7 years after age of 15. For Nordic citizen 2 years without
interruption.
Integrity requirement having no punishable act or offense.
Payment obligations (have paid any applicable taxes, fines,
student loans, hospital fees, and other such payments)
Means of livelihood or support requirement
…contd
http://www.migri.fi/finnish_citizenship/applying_for_citizenship

7. Becoming Finnish Citizen
Sufficient language skills requirement:
1. Language proficiency certificates – The National Certificate of
Language Proficiency (YKI), and Civil Service Language Proficiency
Certificate,
2. Basic education certificates,
3. Upper secondary school certificates,
4. Vocational qualification certificates,
5. Certificates issued for higher education in Finland-degree certificate or
maturity test certificate,
6. Demonstration of proficiency in sign language in Finnish and Swedish
http://www.migri.fi/finnish_citizenship/applying_for_citizenship

8. SOLUTIONS TOWARD FULL CITIZENSHIP:
The problem is one of “invisibility and
namelessness” – it is a relative lack of power
to represent themselves as complex human
beings and to contest negative stereotypes

9. SOLOUTIONS MAY INCLUDE:
The demand for positive images
The search for multiculturalism and acceptance of different
rituals
The adoption of anti-racism and anti-exclusion
The politics of representation

10. Marginalized Citizen
Marginalization of young people has been associated with poor health,
decreased subjective well-being and limited opportunities for social
participation, among other negative outcomes.
According to Myrskylä (2012), there are around 51,300 Finnish youths
aged 18 to 29 who are marginalized. In 2010, this was 5 per cent of the
total age cohort.
Myrskylä's analysis shows that almost a quarter of marginalized young
people is an immigrant.
Myrskylä, P. 2012. Hukassa: Keitä ovat syrjäytyneet nuoret? Helsinki: Finnish Busines and Policy Forum

11. How To Improve Opportunities for The
marginalized Citizens
Marginalization and deprivation increase stress levels and hinder
opportunities to participation economically, socially and psychologically.
Marginalized people can utilize various coping strategies to attain more
control in their lives and relieve stress
Coping strategies can aim at changing the social environment to be less
threatening, attaining a new social position
A person’s capacity to access new economic, cultural, social and
psychological resources influences the availability of coping strategies to
reduce stress.
http://mikkonen.kapsi.fi/archive/2013-Chapter_14_-Mikkonen_FINAL.pdf

12. Coping Strategies at the Material
level
 Coping at the material level refers to the means by which marginalized
young people and immigrant use to gain more financial resources or
material goods.
 Social assistance
 Social benefits
 Student benefits
 Disability pension
http://mikkonen.kapsi.fi/archive/2013-Chapter_14_-Mikkonen_FINAL.pdf

13. Coping Strategies at the Psychological
Level
 Seeing people as fundamentally equal
 Self-sufficiency
 Seeing new opportunities
 Downward social comparisons
 Hope and belief in the future
http://mikkonen.kapsi.fi/archive/2013-Chapter_14_-Mikkonen_FINAL.pdf

14. Coping Strategies at the Social Level
 Social support from a social worker
 Social support from colleagues
 Social support from friend’s parents
 Mental health counselling
http://mikkonen.kapsi.fi/archive/2013-Chapter_14_-Mikkonen_FINAL.pdf

15. How To Improve Opportunities For Full
Citizenship
 Find innovative ways to increase educational attainment and decrease
school drop-outs.
 Support legislation and wider policies that increase the youth employment
rate and the quality of working life.
 Have an environment that is enabling citizens to be participative actors
within education and paid work.
 Maintain a political commitment to ensure equitable welfare and health
services regardless of wealth, gender or domicile.
…contd
http://mikkonen.kapsi.fi/archive/2013-Chapter_14_-Mikkonen_FINAL.pdf

16. How To Improve Opportunities For Full
Citizenship
Language and cultural integration
Knowledge of rights and services that are available
Research and study different avenues of social assistance for the excluded
Outreach to get in contact with people, groups, or communities most at risk to exclusion
Macro level legislation and policies that interact on the micro level
Coping strategies can aim at changing the social environment to be less threatening, attaining a
new social position
A person’s capacity to access new economic, cultural, social and psychological resources

17. Social Level Solution
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT – There is a “problem”
INTERVENTION – Public/Private/3rd sector decides policy to address the “problem”
IMPLEMENTATION – Mechanism engaged to combat the “problem”
OBSERVATION – Anticipated outcomes are specified which indicate a degree of improvement
with the “problem”

18. Social Level Solution
Case Study Example: High Youth Unemployment
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT – realizing school drop-outs are more at risk for future marginalization
and negative life consequences
INTERVENTION – government policy to work with various institutions in order to provide
alternate options for school drop-outs supplemented by social benefits
IMPLEMENTATION – utilizing programs, workshops, job training to educate and provide work
experience to school drop-outs
OBSERVATION – Decreasing school drop-outs and youth unemployment, social benefits are
linked to the active participation in to the vocational training.

19. References
 Myrskylä, P. (2012). Hukassa: Keitä ovat Syrjäytyneet Nuoret? Helsinki: Finnish Busines and Policy Forum
 Juha Mikkonen (2014). Coping Strategies Among Marginalized Youth in Finland. Accessed 05/12/2016.
http://mikkonen.kapsi.fi/archive/2013-Chapter_14_-Mikkonen_FINAL.pdf
 Ward Whipple (2016). What is the Definition of Citizenship. Accessed 05/12/2016.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/government/civics.htm
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizenship
 The City of Helsinki Infopankki. Finland in your Language. The Rights and Obligations of Finnish Citizens. Accessed 05/12/2016.
http://www.infopankki.fi/en/living-in-finland/as-an-immigrant-in-finland/finnish-citizenship/the-rights-and-obligations-of-finnish-citizens
 Finnish Immigration Service (2016_. Applying for Citizenship. Accessed 05/12/2016.
http://www.migri.fi/finnish_citizenship/applying_for_citizenship
 Wikipedia. The free encyclopedia. Citizenship. Accessed 05/12/2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizenship
 Barker, C. (2012) Cultural Studies Theory and Practice, 4th ed, 473
 Heron, E. and Dwyer, P. (1999) Doing the right thing: Labour’s attempt to forge a new welfare deal between the individual and the state.
Social Policy and Administration, 33 (1): 91-104