Director of Youth Affairs Tommi Laitio´s presentation on how youth work collaborates with others in Helsinki

1. How can youth work
collaborate?
- Case Helsinki
Director of Youth Affairs Tommi Laitio
Twitter @tommilaitio

2. Is our task:
1.Professionals running professional,
clearly defined services
2.Making the municipality a great place
to be a young person?
Only the first one can be done alone.

3. ”Capabilities approach starts with a very simple
question: What are people actually able to be and
do?”
- Philosopher Martha Nussbaum
The moral significance of individuals’ capability of
achieving the kind of lives they have reason to
value.
-Economist Amartya Sen
Joint theoretical framework helps in having a shared goal
with other services. In Helsinki the capabilities approach.
• Good life is active life, using one´s skills for the sake
of one´s community.
• Wellbeing without agency is not sustainable.
• Choice is an end as well as a means to an end.
• Young people´s experience of their capabilities
is reliable information.

4. Shared knowledge leads to shared work.
In Helsinki Young People´s Wellbeing Report

5. There are multiple
options for the role of
local youth work.
In Helsinki:
•Knowledge on young people´s lives
and needs
•Building, supporting and guiding youth
groups; responsible roles for young
people
•Method for young people to influence
their neighbourhood
•Leisure and after school activities
•Targeted support
•Support and guidance regarding
the future
•Support for civil society

6. Joint theory and youth-led
data leads to shared
priorities
• Organisation-driven
goals -> youth-driven
goals
• Joint priorities for the
following years:
– Antiracism
– Independence skills
– Positive interactions

7. 2,3 million euro participatory design project
on migrant work together with a private
foundation and other departments.
Participatory budgeting: 7000 young people
plan and vote on initiatives for their
neighbourhood together with schools.
Summer job voucher for all 15-year-
olds together with employment
services.
One-stop service point for youth on
health, education, employment and
leisure.

8. Recipe for joint work for youth
1. Shared theory of good life and
theory of change.
2. Shared database and
interpreting it based on the
theories.
3. Translating city priorities for
the staff and partners.
4. Dialogue on differences with
other professionals.
5. Reframing youth work from
providing services to improving
the city for young people.
6. Clear definition of the role of
youth work.
7. Positive initiatives with new
partners:
1. Young people in elderly care homes
2. Young people producing events for
museums
3. Young people´s ideas improving the
city for everyone

9. Tommi Laitio
Director of Youth Affairs
City of Helsinki, Youth Department
Hietaniemenkatu 9B
PL 5000, 00099 City of Helsinki
tommi.laitio (a) hel.fi
tommilaitio.munstadi.fi
ruuti.net
twitter: tommilaitio

10. Tommi Laitio
Director of Youth Affairs
City of Helsinki, Youth Department
Hietaniemenkatu 9B
PL 5000, 00099 City of Helsinki
tommi.laitio (a) hel.fi
tommilaitio.munstadi.fi
ruuti.net
twitter: tommilaitio