School youth work in 2025 – in Finland and beyond.
Welcome to an international School Youth Work Seminar in Mikkeli! The seminar offers an opportunity to learn more about youth work in schools and educational institutions.
Youth work has the potential to promote and support young people’s well-being, equality, and inclusion. Over the last decade, youth work has become an increasingly important part of European policy, and many efforts have been made at national, regional, and local levels to raise the role and recognition of youth work in communities. Alongside traditional forms of youth work, youth work in schools is becoming more widespread. However, different countries have different starting points for implementing youth work and other possibilities for making it an integral part of everyday school life.
During the two-day seminar, you will have the opportunity to take part in both presentations and workshops on youth work in schools. You will hear from experts on the subject, including research and practical experience of day-to-day work from those working on the field. The seminar is organised by the YWIS project, Juvenia – Youth Research and Development Centre together with Xamk Community Educator training.
Working language of the seminar is English.
Please enroll here before 25.2.2025
PROGRAMME
Wednesday 12.3.2025
Mikpoli, Patteristonkatu 2 Mikkeli
9.30 Welcome & opening words
Marita Mattila, Project Manager
Veronica Hellström, RDI Specialist, Xamk, Juvenia
9.45 A new period of action
Nuoska, Centre of expertise on youth work in schools and educational institutions
10.15 School-based youth work in Finland – contexts, practices and outcomes
Antti Kivijärvi, Senior Researcher, Finnish Youth Research Society
11.10 Practical Future Coaching: Helping Youth to Envision Positive Futures
Antti Rantaniva, Project Manager, Xamk, Juvenia
12.00 Lunch in Talli (own expence)
13.00-16.00 Outdoor activities promoting wellbeing in three different workshops designed by
Tommi Pantzar and Lassi Pöyry, Xamk Community pedagogy lecturers & students
Local snacks served outdoors
18.30 Dinner (own expense)
Tertti Manor https://tertinkartano.fi/en/home/
Transportation provided from the city of Mikkeli (Hotel Vaakuna)
PROGRAMME
Thursday 13.3.2025
Mikpoli, Patteriston katu 2 Mikkeli
9.30 Opening of the day
Marita Mattila, Project Manager
Veronica Hellström, RDI Specialist, Xamk, Juvenia
9.35 Building Sustainable Societies through Educational Commons (Greece)
Yannis Pechtelidis, Professor of Sociology of Education, University of Thessaly
Angeliki Botonaki, Researcher and practioner, University of Thessaly.
Naya Tselepi, PostDoctoral Researcher The Greek Centre of Sociocracy.
Stelios Pantazidis, Adjunct Lecturer, International Hellenic University
10.15 School youth work – Case Saaremaa, Estonia
Eve Aasa, Youth Worker, Saaremaa Youth Work Center
Liis Kaal, Youth Worker, Salme Basic School & Saaremaa Youth Work Center
Liise Kukk, Activity Leader, Lümanda Basic School
Arti Allmägi, Youth Worker, Kuressaare Educational School
10.50 Youth-oriented support – strengthening communication between youth, home and educational institutions at the upper secondary level,
Hanna Laitinen, Youthwork coordinator, The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare
Helinä Juurinen, RDI-specialist, Xamk, Juvenia
From project: Triangle – Building Family Cooperation in Schools from Youth-Centered Perspective
11.20 School youth work – Case Mikkeli
Jemina Liukkonen
Liina Lempinen
Taru Hämäläinen
Ville Kuva
Aapo Pennanen
Youth workers from Youth Services in the city of Mikkeli
11.45 Young people’s thoughts and experiences of school youth work in Saimaanportti unified school, Mikkeli (video)
Antti Hynninen, Youth worker, Youth Services in the city of Mikkeli
12.00 Lunch in DeXi (own expence) & Catwalk of recycled fashion from YWIS project countries
Workshops & coffee
13.30-16.00 Workshops of school youth work in D-building with coffee and refreshments
There will be three different workshops, where all participants join:
-Does school kill creativity?
Jani Lastuniemi, Drama director, Youth secretary, Youth Services in the city of Mikkeli.
– Democracy education– the Finnish way
and
– Strenghtening the sense of community – how does it work in schools?
Sirpa Räikkönen, Xamk Community pedagogy lecturer & students
After seminar programme
Friday 14.3.2025 9.30-12.00 Saimaa Stadiumi, Raviradantie 22b, 50100 Mikkeli
YWIS Lab for school youth work.
Planning and preparing possible partnerships within Erasmus+ -programs. Networking possibilities with YWIS partners from Portugal, Greece and Estonia.
Facilitated by Finnish National agency for education/Programme specialist Mauri Uusilehto.