general presentation of the youth department

Population of Helsinki 2013and youth work

Total population of Helsinki, 603 968

of which immigrants 73 608(12%)

Main target group ofyouth work

13–17 year-olds 26 251

Target group according toThe Youth Work Act

0–28 year-olds 205 751

Deputy Mayor forCultural and Personnel Affairs

Elected auditors

Deputy Mayor forCity Planning and Real Estate

Deputy Mayor forSocial Affairs and Public Health

Deputy Mayor for Public Worksand Environmental Affairs

City Council

City Board

Mayor

Audit Committee

Youth Committee

Youth Department

LocalServices

11 Local YouthWork Units

Klaari Helsinki

CentralisedServices

Social Youth Work

Cultural Youth Work

Civil Society Support

Youth Committee

Director

Administration

Human Resources

Finance

IT

Communications

DevelopmentTeam

Structure of the Youth Department

Ruuti – a new youth agencyVerke – National Development Centre For Online Youth Work

1 402 929 visits (2013)

10 111 members (2013)

Personnel 2013 461 employees

Budget 2014 30,3 million Euros

Youth Department in figures

The Youth Department supports youths in becoming active citizens.

Activities are directed at all youths in Helsinki, with the aim of encouraging them to find the forms of activity and recreational spaces that suite them best.

The Youth Department constantly updates its working methods by monitoring youth phenomena and changes in the living conditions of young people.

Mission

Room to be young, to be heard and to shine!For youths, Helsinki is a city that offers a wide range of experiences and the freedom to boldly be true to oneself. Local youths and the Youth Department together create their own unique urban culture.

Vision

Our values are

joy in living, listening to the voice of the citizens, ecology, an entrepreneurial approach, fairness, economy and safety.

“The Local Services Department

supports youths’ life

management and promotes a

spirit of community and social

participation among them.”Ordinance 9§

Local Services

A network of 11 Youth Work Units covering all of Helsinki.

The activities unit consists of 3–6 youth facilities. Approximately 50 youth facilities total. Opportunities for a broad range of recreational activities

including skateboarding, caring for domestic animals, moped activities and theatre, music and band activities.

Activities also in the summer: Fallkulla Domestic Animal Farm, Pihlajamäki Youth Park and summer activities at Vartiosaari.

248 employees. Projects in participation and democracy education

including Avara, Voice of the Young editorial board and volunteer training and support.

Klaari Helsinki – Youth’s Substance Abuse Prevention.

Local Services

Activities for Helsinki residents aged 10–17, with an emphasis on youths aged 13 and older.

Open activities on weekdays and weekends.

Small group and club activities.

Holiday activities: training courses, trips, camps, excursions.

Events.

Youth work online.

Opportunities for participation and influence.

Regional responsibility: activities in cooperation with youths, youth organizations, parents and guardians, partners, neighboring municipalities and other regional actors.

Local Services

The task of the Centralised Services is to empower young people and to support cultural youth work and the activity of non-governmental youth organisations and non-organised youth groups.

Centralised Services consists of

Social Youth Work

Cultural Youth Work

Civil Society Support

117 employees.

Centralised Services

Social strengthening of youths.

Interprofessional collaboration.

Early intervention (Itäluotsi, Koillisluotsi, Länsiluotsi).

Positive discrimination: influencing areas, youth groups and circumstances where the risk of exclusion is the highest.

Gender-specific group work for boys and girls (e.g. Girls’ Centre).

Adventure House, Night basketball.

Flexible basic education groups.

Specialized centres, e.g.:• work with immigrants and unemployed youths• traffic activities at the Tattarisuo traffic education centre and

Children’s Traffic Town in Laakso.

Centralised Services

Promote participation and empowerment through cultural youth work.

Specialised centres: Gloria Cultural Arena - the stage for young people’s own productions, Harju Youth Centre (music and art).

Youth Activity Centre Happi: Visual skills and arts, HattuMedia (media), Narri (theatre), Room for gaming, Participation Centre Avara, recording community Helsinki Freedom Records, Voice of the Young editorial board.

Annual events• Sound and Frenzy, contest for youth musicians and bands• JunnuVimma, contest for junior musicians and bands• Shine! Art and Music City Festival• Reaktori, an event during the early spring break from schools.

Cultural Youth Work

The most important task of the Office for Civic Activity by Young People is to promote and facilitate the work and activities of youth organisations and youth groups in the city and to promote social participation and youth influence in civil society.

The Youth Department’s services are used every year by over 400 youth organisations and youth groups, in which some 30,000 youths under the age of 25 are involved.

Office for Civic Activity by the Young

does preparatory work on matters pertaining to grants for youth organisations and youth groups

supports the development of the activities of youth organisations and youth groups by organising training

works to offer better opportunities for organisations to use youth centres and other facilities, manages the home centres of organisations and is responsible for the camps and training centres under the Youth Department

promotes ways of working that are in line with the principles of sustainable development.

Civil Society Support

The services include:

Grants 2013 (EUR 1,365,000 )• General grants• Operation grants• Grants for wages and compensation• Camp grants• Project grants.

Home centres for 18 organisations which arrange a broad range of activities.

Other services• Free use of Youth Department facilities• Bengtsår camp island• A copy shop and DTP workshop• A lending centre for AV and camp equipment• Environmental services at the Young People’s Nature House.

Organisation-led youth centres and partner centres• The Uusimaa district organization of Kaleva Youth Association, Helsinki

YMCA, Tapanilan Erä, Kalliola Settlement Youth Association, The National Organization for the Children – Helsinki, The Finnish Falcon Movement – Helsinki (district).

Civil Society Support

Ruuti – a New Youth AgencyRuuti is a new unique model providing young people with opportunities to influence and take part in the Helsinki city´s decision- making.

The aim of Ruuti is to give the young an opportunity to discuss and challenge matters they consider important with the city´s decision-makers. Ruuti offers the young a chance to influence decisions using traditional as well as cultural and artistic methods.

It is also possible to make an impact on the decision-making process through the internet and social media.

Ruuti is open to all young people. Only the core group has an age limit which is 13–17.

Channels:

RuutiExpo event and Ruuti.net (Ruuti on the internet)

yearly meetings with the city´s decision-makers and the Mayor´s meetings

open activity groups.

Verke – National Development Centre For Online Youth Work

Verke creates, produces and develops youth-oriented work and activities that can be performed with the help of the internet. In addition, the centre acts as an expert and support service by concentrating on increasing information and know-how related to its area of expertise.

The target groups of these operations are young people themselves as well as professionals in youth-oriented fields.

Functions and development areas:

youth-oriented work and activities online

multi-professional work online

gaming activities online

competence and skills development.

The activities of the centre are being developed through national and multidisciplinary cooperative work between the public, private and third sectors.

“The Administrative Department is responsible for the Department’s human resource and financial administration services, communication and public relations, IT services and supporting the activity centres under the Youth Department.”

Ordinance 9§

The department consists of the human resources team, the financial office, the IT unit, the communications unit and the development team.

36 employees.

Administration