Special theme: Young people’s participation possibilities on the local level in Germany and Finland

Fruits of Co-operation

Ella Parviainen, 16, high school student, Oulu
Milka Pietilä, 17, high school student, Oulu
Katriina Pylväs, 17, high school student, Oulu

In Finland young people have nowadays even better possibilities to get their voice heard and influence issues concerning them: importance of hearing young people has been noticed in different levels. Like Section 8 of the Youth Act states “the opportunity to participate in the handling of issues relating to local and regional youth work and policy must be provided for young people. Additionally, young people must be heard during the handling of issues concerning them.” Even though young people get easily feeling that they are heard, but not listened to.

Even if there are several channels of participation available for young people, most of the initiatives made by young people fall on deaf ears of the decision makers. This kind of problem is familiar both for the Finnish and the German youth. For example in the both countries youth have organized marches in order to increase the influence. Have this action really had any influence on the decision making? Surprise, surprise: not at all. For example in the City of Oulu there was an organised demonstration against the new winding hour schedule system in the high schools by the students.

The problem is not the missing participation structures but their low impacts. How the existing structures (for example the youth councils or the other action groups) can be turned to be really forceful? How the young people could get satisfied experiences of exerting influence? Good way to try to find answers to these questions is the ongoing co-operation between Finland and Germany, because same problems are possible to recognise in the both countries. The Project is on its early stage and the seedlings have just been planted, so all the fruits of co-operation are not yet fully developed. Even though there is a good harvest season to be expected.

Listen to us – we have something to say!

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