PROJECTS ENCOURAGING ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP AND YOUTH PARTICIPATION Kirsi Uusitalo Eija Kauniskangas

ALLIANSSI PROJECTS ENCOURAGING ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP AND YOUTH PARTICIPATION Valtikka – youth participation on web Assessing the participation possibilities of young people

WHAT IS VALTIKKA? Youth participation on web Aim is to inform about politics, encourage to participate and offer a platform for discussion e-democracy, participation, empowerment, citizenship education for young people (ages ) target groups: young people AND school teachers important interest groups: young people, youth councils, municipalities, member organisations of Allianssi, especially political youth organisations, schools, teachers etc..

EXAMPLES AND BEST PRACTICES Content divided into three categories: –Basic information local, regional, national, European levels Possibilities to participate Teachers’ materials –Actual information news & theme sections –Interactive parts calendar, e-cards, discussion board, polls, news letter, actual competitions

Youth elections 2011 Linked to the parliamentary elections of Finland School tours and political debates in schools (in co-operation with political youth organisations) Voting in shadow elections Web-based voting machine for young people and students A small PR campaign for active voting

Project, in which the young people are taken with to evaluate the basic services of their municipality as a part of evaluation of basic services. Co-operation with Ministry of Education, Local Community Association, The Union of Finnish Youth Councils, Youth Research Network, State Provincial Offices and National Coordination and Development Centre of Youth Information and Counselling Services PARTICIPATION POSSIBILITIES OF YOUNG PEOPLE

AIMS To create new methods for young people and youth impact groups to participate and make an impact in decision making To help municipalities to follow Youth Act, specially its 8§ (hearing the young people in decision making) To receive reliable information of basic services of municipalities from youth point of view To test the dialogue based evaluation method created to be used in hearing of young people in practise To assess if it is possible in future always connect the assessment of young people to evaluation of basic services of municipalities

METHOD: EVALUATION DAY I: Evaluation -Young people (representatives of youth councils, student councils, youth houses, youth associations, or just ”young people”) Evaluation and discussion of basic services in their municipality II: Preparation -Young people preparing questions for decision makers -Decision makers evaluating basic services with same methods as youngsters III: Dialogue between young people and decision makers - Written report to all participants.

SOME RESULTS The municipalities are in very different levels in hearing young people. There is also big differences between the awareness of young people in municipal matters. Young people appreciated the possibility for dialogue and felt they have been heard. Decision makers were suprised that young people can and wish to have an impact. In some municipalities the basic services have started to improve according to the wishes of young people.

Thank you!