Active citizenship and entrepreneurship In Finland Opinions in Sotunki senior high School, Vantaa
Dec 25, 2015
The Council
• The decision-making authority
• Decides the services the county offers
• Appoints the municipal manager and the municipal executive board
• Elected by the residents in free elections every 4th year
• The voting rate last year was only 58,6%
THE SERVICES OF THE COUNTIES
• The education – schools and cultural services
• Children`s daycare and other social services
• Social support
• Medical and dental care
• Environmental protection
• Promoting employment in their area
City of Vantaa:
• 67 councillors
• The voting rate was lowest of the country: 50,9%
• The biggest parties are Finnish social Democratic Party and The National Coalition Party
• The municipal manager is Juhani Paajanen
Opinions in SotunkiIt is important and interesting to know about the decisionmaking in the
counties (1-5)1. 2,72 2,593 2.875
I am satisfied with the level of health services in my county1 3,32 3,223 3.75
I am happy with the level of leisure time services in my county1. 3,12 2,883 3.375
I am going to vote in the local election of 20081 52%2 62,9%3 75%
• Current youth council is third in succession.
• It consists of 30 members, all fourteen to eighteen years old
• The council has monthly meetings
• The meetings are open to everyone
The idea of the youth council:
• To improve the youth’s role in the decisionmaking
• To politically activate the youth
How the youth council works:• Co-operation with the pupil councils in schools • Regional co-operation • Work groups and projects
Targets and purpose:
• To teach youth to take part into the county decisionmaking and give them opportunities.
• The youth council can give town administration initiatives about any subject
• The youth council has a representative in board of free time activities, board of education and in all seven regional boards of Vantaa.
Opinions of our pupils:I know at least one member of the youth council1. yes 52% 2. yes 50%3. yes 48,1%
The youth council can make a difference (1-5)1. 2,52. 23. 2,37
I have knowledge of how the youth council works (1-5)1. 2,12. 1.8753. 2,3
Basic information• 200 seats• Eight parties, three big and five smaller :
- The center party (right)- SDP (left)- National coalition party (right)
- The left union (left)- The Greens (left)- The swedish speaking party (right)- The christian democrats (right)- Finnish party (right)
• The chairman of the parliament is Paavo Lipponen (former prime minister)
• The parliament has the supreme power in Finland
The elections:• Members of parliament are elected in
general elections once in four years.
• There are fifteen election districts.
• The amount of seats per district depends on the amount of population
• All eighteen year old citizens can vote in parliamentary elections
The duties of the Finnish parliament:
• Makes laws
• Approves the national budget
• Elects the prime minister
• Supervises the government politically
• Ratifies any international treaties made by government
• Decides about war and peace together with the president
How many important tasks of the parliament can you name? (1-5)1. 1,92. 2,223. 2.875
I find the decisions made by the parliament interesting 1. 2,22. 2,563. 2.35
Are citizens able to make a difference via members of the parliament1 2.62 2,673. 2.75
I am planning to vote in the next parliamental election 2007 1. yes - 44%2. yes - 70,4%3. yes - 75%
General Information
• There are about 220 000 entrepreneurs in Finland.
• Business and economy has grown well after year 1995, about 3-4 % in average.
• The Finnish economy has now recovered from the great depression of early 1990’s
• Each year about 2200-2300 companies are formed
• Companies are small, most of them employ 1-9 people.
• In 2003, there were about 575 Big Companies with over 250 employees.
• Average age of entrepreneurs is much higher than the age of employees
• Only 5% of working age people are Entrepreneurs, while in many other European countries the figure is about 10%.
Obstacles to enterpreneurship:
• Fear of risks, high taxation
• At paid job you can lose your job but as an enterpreneur you can lose everything
• Social security for unemployed is better than in many other countries.
• Forming a company is difficult because of the bureaucracy
Entrepreneurship – important?Do you think entrepreneurship is important• 1st graders 3.70 / 5• 2nd graders 3.93 / 5• 3rd graders 4.25 / 5
Are there any entrepreneurs in your family?• 1st 59 %• 2nd 40,8%• 3rd 12.5%
I’m interested in business and it is possible I become an entrepreneur • 1st 2,7 / 5• 2nd 3.04 / 5• 3rd 2.75 / 5
I think I have sufficient knowledge to become an entrepreneur (1-5)* 1st 2,3• 2nd 2,26• 3rd 3.375
European parliament in short
• There are 732 Members of European parliament (MEP).
• The latest MEPs were directly elected in the 25 Member States in June 2004.
• The MEPs represent the 457 million citizens of EU, and they are working together to build a better European home for us.
The Finnish MEPs in EP
• There are 14 MEPs from Finland, five women and nine men:
• Four of them work in the Christian democratic party
• One is in the Greens• Five are in the Group of Alliance of Liberals
and Democrats for Europe• Three are in the Socialist party • One represents the Confederal Group of the
European United Left.
The tasks of EP
• Approves EU’s budjet
• Nominates the members of European commission.
• Takes part to the legislation process with Council of EU.
• Ratifies the treaties signed by the Union
Voting
• People choose the members of European parliament once in five years in general elections.
• During the first election in 1996 the voting rate in Finland was about 60% but it has sunk to 41% in 2004.
• All the 14 finnish MEPs are elected from a single constituency.
How much do you think you know about the EU parliament? (1-5)1. 1.72. 2.53. 1,93
Can you name any Finnish MEPs?1. No 67%2. No 37.5%3. No 63 %
Are you interested in how the EU works? (1-5)1. 2,32. 2.1253. 2,19
How many tasks of the EU partliament can you name? 1. 1,42. 1.8753. 1.67
How much effect do you think the decisions made by the EU have (1-5)? 1. 3,22. 3.8753. 3,6