The Finnish Local Government Act obliges municipalities to hear their members and residents and develop their services so that they are more resident and custom orientated. According to the Constitution, children and young people are members of the municipality. They also have to be heard and given possibilities to participate.

Instead of founding a Youth Council in 1998 for a few dozen active young people, the decision was made to establish a system in cooperation with the Youth and Education Departments which encourages more young people to participate in decision-making.

School has a central position in The Voice of the Young in Helsinki Project because it reaches all children and young people. In 2005 the project included over 100 schools, altogether over 40 000 children and young people. The aim is that in 2006 the project will include all schools and vocationals institutions maintained by the city.

New student bodies will be elected in all of The Voice of the Young in Helsinki schools, including the primary schools. Each class elects two representatives for the student body board. The representatives act as negotiators and messengers between the class and the student body.

The pupils study the decision-making process in the student bodies. For example when the school rules are prepared, the board gives the classes a proposal of the rules. When the proposal for rules meets with general approval, the board presents them to the teachers and the school board.

Every project school participates in the Mayor's annual The Voice of the Young Meeting in which the decision on the distribution of the basic improvement appropriation for schools is made. The appropriation is part of the Education Department's Real Estate Unit's budget. The schools organize a Future Workshop in which the pupils in each class consider the improvement needs within the school environment. Each class chooses the best basic improvement proposal and two representatives to take the proposal further for the student body to consider. The student body board chooses the improvement project out of all the suggestions given by classes and elects two representatives for the Mayor's meeting.

Regional youth work
Youth clubs are also in the process of establishing internal democracy. Together with student bodies and local youth clubs young people implement projects regarding their local area's physical surroundings or their free-time or cultural activities. The aim is to develop some of The Voice of the Young local groups into regional committees in which young people in a few schools' student body boards and youth clubs get together. The committee's discussion topics could for example include youth club activities and budget, green belt areas and sports facilities in suburbs or projects on city planning.

Open Forums
The Voice of the Young in Helsinki Project annually organizes in four different parts of the city Open Forums in which young people can hold discussions with decision-makers and leading politicians. The aim is to familiarize young people with politics and acquaint them with the implementation of social matters. The desire is to support young people so that their opinions will be taken seriously in the administration and political decision-making. When young people have a feeling of participation their interest in social matters increases. The Open Forums are meant for students in lower and upper secondary schools and vocational institutions. The panel for decision-makers includes city councillors, mayors and other leading civil servants. In future the Forums will be more closely connected with such things as civil knowledge education at schools.

City of Helsinki Youth Department
Finland
http://www.nk.hel.fi/
Ms. Päivi Anunti (Trainer), tel. +358 50 559 1725

City of Helsinki Education Department
Finland
http://www.edu.hel.fi/
Ms. Leena Hiillos (Educational consultant), tel. +358 50 386 3470

01/12/1998

case

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Integration of social groups

Young people