The University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development Howland Symposium Friday, May 8, 2009

1. The University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development Howland Symposium Friday, May 8, 2009 A European Perspective on Youth Work Concepts, Policies and Practices Dr Lasse Siurala, Director Department of Youth City of Helsinki

2. Dr. Lasse Siurala, Director of Youth, City of Helsinki • Curriculum vitae • - Researcher, acting associate professor of economic sociology at the Helsinki School of Economics (1975-1995), docent (1995-) • Director of Youth, City of Helsinki (1995-1998, 2002-) • Director of youth, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France (1998-2001) • Married: two sons, one daughter • Non-formal learning: First President of Finnish Karate Federation, Finnish Champion (1974) • Recent publications: • EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK FOR YOUTH POLICY. Council of Europe, Council of Europe Publications 2006, Strasbourg • NON-FORMAL LEARNING AS AN EDUCATIONAL APPROACH, in Dorin Festeu and Barbara Humberstone (eds.) Non-formal education through outdoor activities guide. Buckinghamshire 2006, UK • A EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK FOR YOUTH POLICY: WHAT IS NECESSARY AND WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE? Diskurs Kindheits- und Jugendforschung 4-2007 • NON-FORMAL EDUCATION IN FINLAND, René Clarijs (ed) Leisure & non-formal education, Prague 2008

3. Youth Rights – basis for youth policy development • United Nations; • Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) • Council of Europe: • Youth Policy recommendations of the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly • Declaration of 8th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for youth (Oct 2008): ”The Future of Council of Europe Youth Policy: AGENDA 2020” • European Union: • White Paper: “A New Impetus to European Youth” (2001) • A Youth Strategy 2010-2018

4. Youth Rights – basis for youth policy development • Most national youth policies in Europe share following objectives: • promoting youth participation • understanding youth as a resource • - improving the recognition of non-formal • learning • enhancing inclusion of all young people • supporting cultural diversity, tolerance and • integration of ethnic youth

5. Youth Rights – basis for youth policy development An EU Strategy for Youth 2010-2018 – Investing and Empowering Creating more Opportunities for youth in education and employment Improving Access and full participation of all young people in society Fostering mutual solidarity between society and young people

6. Youth Rights – basis for youth policy development Creating more Opportunities for youth in education and employment Complementary to formal education, non-formal education for young people should be supported to contribute to Lifelong Learning in Europe, by developing its quality, recognizing its outcomes, and integrating it better with formal education. An EU Strategy for Youth 2010-2018 – Investing and Empowering

7. Youth Rights – basis for youth policy development Improving Access and full participation of all young people in society Encourage healthy living for young people and physical education, sporting activity and collaboration between youth workers, health professionals and sporting organizations Ensure full participation of youth in society, by increasing youth participation in the civic life of local communities and in representative democracy, by supporting youth organizations, promoting e-democracy and by developing quality standards on youth participation, information and consultation. An EU Strategy for Youth 2010-2018 – Investing and Empowering

8. Youth Rights – basis for youth policy development Fostering mutual solidarity between society and young people Prevent poverty and social exclusion breaking its intergenerational transmission by mobilizing all actors involved in the life of youth. Support youth volunteering. An EU Strategy for Youth 2010-2018 – Investing and Empowering

9. Finnish Youth Act 72/2006 • The Government shall adopt a youth policy • development programme every four years. • 2. Youth work and youth policy are part of the local authority's responsibilities. • 3. The local youth work and youth policy shall comprise educational guidance, facilities and hobby opportunities; information and advisory services; support to youth associations and other youth groups; sportive, cultural, international and multicultural youth activities; young people's environmental education; and, when needed, youth workshop services or other forms of activity suited to the local circumstances and needs.

10. A minimum package of opportunities and experiences: Citizenship learning • - the practice and recognition of skills and competences developed in non-formal learning • - support system for youth organisations and other youth groups • - youth information and counselling services • - opportunities for intercultural learning (mobility support, youth exchange, voluntary work abroad) • - support to young people’s own cultural productions • - access to new technologies and net-based youth services • - measures to guarantee the access of disadvantaged young people to citizenship learning and participation • opportunities for participation • Lasse Siurala: A Framework for European Youth Policies, • Council of Europe, Strasbourg 2006

11. A proposal for a package of opportunities for the local level (Ministry of Education, Finland, 2003): • financial support to youth organisations and non-organised youth groups • premises for young people • a municipal youth worker • employment workshops for young people • a youth information and counselling point • after-school activities for young people at compulsory school • outreaching youth work • free access to internet • instructive hobbies • summer camps

12. The policy program for the well-being of children, youth and families was launched by Prime Minister Vanhanen's second Cabinet (2007) as an intersectoral effort to ensure the attainment of the Government’s key objectives. It is divided into three areas; - a child-oriented society - well-being of families - prevention of social exclusion Development Programme for Child And Youth Policy The Youth Policy Development Programme is prepared according to the Youth Act (72/2006) under which the Government shall adopt a youth policy development programme every four years. The programme includes national youth policy objectives and also outlines those for regional and local authorities related to, for example, education, employment, health, active citizenship, social empowerment, housing, and entrepreneurship.

13. STRUCTURES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF YOUTH POLICY - FINLAND Ministry of Education Minister Responsible for Youth Youth Department Advisory Council for Youth Affairs Youth Department, City of Helsinki Allianssi – umbrella organisation for national youth organisations (National Youth Council) European Youth Forum - a platform made up of 99 National Youth Councils and international youth NGOs from across Europe: “Defending the interests of young people in Europe” Helsinki Team – umbrella body for youth organisations (about 300) in the City Youth Forums of the Young People at the City

14. ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS— NON-FORMAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND INTEGRATED YOUTH POLICIES A tentative definition formal education: institution-based, structured, hierarchically and chronologically graded, teacher/trainer-centred education which emphasises objectivity of knowledge, memorizing and aims at certification. informal learning: learning in everyday life which does not aim at certification but where a diversity of actors each with their own intentions impose meanings on the learner. non-formal learning: learner-centred and practice-based learning process which emphasises intrinsic motivation, social context of learning, and the usefulness of knowledge, and aims at identity growth, social change and integration into society. Learning is voluntary, involves conscious educational aims and may be credited. Lasse Siurala: Non-formal learning as an educational approach, in Dorin Festeu and Barbara Humberstone (eds.) Non-formal Education through Outdoor Activities Guide, Buckinghamshire 2006

16. RECOGNISING NON-FORMAL LEARNING: YOUTHPASS

17. HELSINKI CITY YOUTH SERVICES Objective: Promoting active citizenship and empowering youth Stucture: Department of the City Resources: • 55 Youth Centres, Youth Information Centre, Media Centre, Cultural Centre, Domestic Animal Farm, Theatre, Nature House, House of Craft and Visual Arts, Traffic Education Centre, Youth Centre for Girls Only, indoor skating hall, 21 outdoor skate parks, two camping islands, residential education centre, Virtual Youth Centre, cultural events & contests, etc. • School leave activities • 300 municipal professional full-time youth workers • Support system for Youth Organisations • Free for a membership card • Budget 29 Me (~37 Mil $)(2009)

18. ”Youth work in the Internet” Helsinki City Youth department as the national center to develop: • a virtual youth centre • Youth work in IRC Gallery • pedagogical use of net games • problems of youth: support and prevention in the net • Supporting social communities in the net • Partners: • Ministry of Education, Ministry of Social and Health, • Lappeenranta University of Technology • Sulake Corporation • 22 municipalities

19. PROMOTING ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP • Democracy education • Support to youth organisations • Enhancing cultural citizenships • Youth work on the net • Promoting youth welfare

20. PARTICIPATION MEASURES • Open Forums, annual debates between youth and the decision makers in four city districts • Mayor’s Forum, annual process where all school children in the city decide on a budget for the improvement of school environment and school atmosphere • School Councils • Youth Centre committees, deciding on the activities of the centre • Local Action Groups, 11 city district action groups • Participation in city planning • Discussion forums on the Internet

21. LEARNING ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP SKILLS: LORD MAYOR’S YOUTH MEETING Future Workshops in classes: How to improve school environment? Agreeing on the class proposal: Debates, voting Proposal of the class to the school council Debates, voting LORD MAYOR’S YOUTH MEETING Presentation of the projects of the schools Debates and voting Implementing the projects at the school

22. THE ESPOO YOUTH COUNCIL • Elected for a 2-year term through general elections (at schools) • 30 + 30 deputies • The team of the chairs • A Board • Regional representatives • Representatives to the boards of the City administration • PR-department • Secretary General Ira Hietanen

23. Main achievements • Initiatives on: saving energy at schools, compulsory visit with the school psychologist, snacks to schools, indoor skateboard hall, more activities in Northern Espoo, a children’s parliament to Espoo, better services for handicapped youth, more power to school councils, more night-time bus lines, the quality of school food to be improved • Events organised: Skate board festival, Flee market, Young Cine, Seminars for school councils, Bus schedule action day, Independence Day festivity. Ira Hietanen

24. QUALITY ASSESSMENT IN YOUTH WORK Quality Assessment at Helsinki City Youth Dep. Point of service: Use: development of point-of-service youth work Approach: Customized to youth centre activities, camps, small-group activities and youth participation Evaluation type: self-evaluation and “external peer” evaluation. Young people as evaluators–format under construction Management: CAF (Common Assessment Framework) Youth Organisations: Applied version of EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management)

25. The degree of emphasis on youth participation has corollaries to youth policy thinking: • ►The meaning of being young: A guided passage to adulthood or a phase of its own • (adult guidance vs autonomy)? • ► The role of young people’s own organisations? • ► Tokenistic or true participation? • ► Youth as a problem or youth as a resource? • ► problem-oriented or opportunity-focused policies: emphasis on early prevention or targeted • intervention?

26. ”A Society which does not invest in its youth, is not investing in its future”