The city of Lahti is the legal representative of Kanuuna, which is a Network of directors of youth services in the 27 biggest cities in Finland and that will be the acting partner in this project. About 60% of youth in Finland below 29 years of age live in the Cannon (Kanuuna) cities. About 80% of the volume of municipal youth work (far more extensive than youth work carried out by youth organizations in Finland) is carried out in the cities of the Kanuuna network. The Network was established in 2007 and is supported by the Ministry of Education and Culture. Its main activities are:
- to support peer learning in youth work and youth policy:
- convenes the directors of youth services in two annual 2-day meetings to discuss current issues
- runs thematic networks of youth workers specialized in (1) multicultural youth work, (2) youth work at the school and (3) quality assessment.
- administers a website gathering information on meetings, seminars, reports, research, blogs and links to member youth services etc.
- gathers statistical indicators on its performance
- organizes training in quality assessment and facilitates regional peer auditing
- is in charge of research and development projects on topical youth questions (see below)
- active member of the InterCity Youth network, dedicated to promote peer learning in Europe
- to carry out research and development projects:
- a R&D project on “open youth work” and “multicultural youth work” 2009-2011 (see the English summary on Kiilakoski&Honkasalo&Kivijärvi 2011
- a R&D project on “Youth work and the school” 2012-2014 (see Kiilakoski 2014)
- a R&D project on “Youth work with +16 year old youth” 2014-2016 (in process)
- to function as an advocate and expert of youth work and young people
Despite the Finnish specificity of ‘municipal autonomy’ the Kanuuna network is an active advocate of young people and youth work in relation to local, regional and government youth policies and decision making, including youth acts and government youth programs. Towards this end it cooperates with following other actors of the youth field: Finnish Youth Work Development Network (consisting of Youth Researchers, Youth NGOs, Youth worker education institutes, church youth work and Kanuuna), The Finnish Youth Cooperation – Allianssi (Allianssi ry),
the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities (Kuntaliitto), the Finnish Youth Research Network (Nuorisotutkimusverkosto) and the Humak University of Applied Sciences.
With a view to the dissemination of the results of the project in Finland, Kanuuna network is the key actor: The youth directors have the habit of frequently meeting twice a year, the network has a well-known web site, it is experienced in e-publications and the Directors of municipal youth services are the crucial persons to cascade down the project experience in local practices.
From Kanuuna network, The city of Helsinki and Lahti are taking part in the project.
www.lahti.fi
www.hel.fi
www.lahti.fi/palvelut/nuorisopalvelut
Additional material:
Presentation about youth work in Lahti, click here.
Ruuti a framework to enhance young peoples’ political activity & participation in Helsinki, click here.
Presentation about “Ungdomscentralen” Helsinki, click here
Presentation of the project “En bra fritid” ( A great leisure time)
Presentation about the youth work in the City of Helsinki by director Tommi Laitio