Role of welfare services for participative citizenship in Finland Kati Närhi, Tuomo Kokkonen and Aila-Leena Matthies University of Jyväskylä, Finland Kokkola University Consortium Chydenius Research Project 2011 – 2014, Academy of Finland ” The role of welfare services in participative citizenship of marginalised citizens”

Objectives and data of the research To identify factors enabling or hindering participative citizenship and subjectivisation of the most non- participative citizens (unemployed men under the age of 30 years) in the field of welfare services. – What is the role of welfare services for participative citizenship of marginalised citizens? Textual analysis (level of politics): Governmental programs and strategy papers from two ministries responsible for social and labour market issues Focus group interviews of young adult service users and street level practitioners (policy level of services) Participatory action research together with young adults and local authorities/practitioners (social and employment services) to enable participatory services and self-defined action (level of action)

Main results: textual analysis (1) Participation and active citizenship can be interpreted either as creating a more democratic society or as a model of neo-liberal governance. The economical interpretation of participation seem to be dominant. – Work is seen as a criteria of participation in society. – Every citizen’s duty is to be as productive as possible from the perspective of the national economy. The new participatory and activation policies underline the rights of the citizens in general but often mean obligations for the citizens in marginalised situations. Active citizenship for marginalised citizens is defined as an individual obligation to be active in labour market rather than to be an active member and actively take part in decision making in society.

Main results: focus groups (2) Both service users and practitioners shared the experiences that – Workfare policies and strict guidelines of participation in labor market have increased faceless power of bureaucratic control – Standardized practices of welfare services are promoting passive forms of citizenship – Access to services has become more restricted and framed by increased contracting – There are no opportunities to make changes in the welfare services due to the pressure of bureaucratic discretion from the management level The system of welfare services define participation from the consumeristic perspective rather than understanding participation as a democratic tool to build voice, equality and participation into services. Potential for change in welfare services: the shared interests, new alliances and shared knowledge building between young adult services users, practitioners and local authorities.

Practical actions with young adults Action group building of young unemployed adults: ”we want to speak to decision makers about our situations and services” Participatory work shop to create ideas in developing the services Interaction (several discussion forums and panels) with practitioners, welfare managers and politicians Two videos about ”Life in a jungle of social security” Interviews in media (radio, TV, newspapers) Group prepared guide leaflets for young people about welfare system Involvement in social work teaching and acting as experts by experience in various occasions Visiting the Parliament of Finland 6/ 2014 Facebook group for informing their agenda on other young adults

Young adults’ agenda on improving services Change in attitudes: seeing citizens not only as an economic burden but as unique individuals with human dignity Simplifying the social security ”jungle” and legislation Better informing about services users’ rights and services Closer collaboration between bureaus/agencies One service center instead of E-services, ”a place one can ask anything” Low-threshold services Focus on individual life situations and service needs on time Taking service user seriously; ”more heart”; ”from human to human” -services More practitioners (resources) and meeting them “face to face”, ”walking beside me”

Conclusions (1) Participatory policies have their roots in ideals of equality and deepening democratic status of citizenship. In practice participatory policies are often implemented as a part of welfare state transformations through budget cuts and austerity policies. From the point of view of service users, social rights become more conditional. Welfare service system has a crucial role in either strengthening or weakening active and participatory citizenship in its practices. For a marginalised young adult to grow into a role of expert by experience requires a process of trust and recognition from the system of welfare services.

Conclusions (2) Need for a joint collaboration and public talk: Sharing different kind of knowledge about welfare services and collaborating in new alliances and further informing policy makers and media (raising the issue public) seem to be one strategy to enable changes in welfare service system. Challenges for social work practices? Options? 1.business as usual 2.radical protest against the system 3.‘intelligent adaptation’ in which practitioners use the complexity of the system in favor of their service users and service users become knowledge producers and partners in developing services.

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