Social investment in children and youths by Stefan Nybom, Emmy Sundin
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he living conditions of children are strongly influenced by how successful society is in its efforts to give all children equal opportunities, regardless of their family background. In 2011, the city of Umeå decided to invest significant resources (14 million euro) in children and youths. The money is put on a special social investment fund, and spent on preventive activities. The idea of social investment is that society, through early intervention actions for children and youths, will be able to avoid later widespread suffering and costs. “The things we don´t do today, we will have to do tomorrow, probably at a much higher cost.” Until today, eight social investment projects have started. One example is ‘Back to school’ project that will develop methods allowing children, regardless of mental or social problems, to get enough support to have a normal school situation. Social investment benefits children and youths up to the age of 25. Projects that specifically promote prevention activities for younger
children are prioritized – e.g. children who in early years have difficulties coping with school. If you leave school without a grade, there is a great risk that later in life you will fall into unemployment or various forms of physical and mental illnesses. The connection to the objectives in the EU2020 strategy and the BSR strategy is obvious with common key words, like less drop-outs from school and in the long-term increased labour productivity. Closely linked to the social investments bid, the city of Umeå runs the BSR Local Platform on Social Development project. It aims at strengthening the social dimension in the Baltic Sea Region in the next EU programme period 2014–2020, and at promoting local level participation in the BSR strategy. The project will identify the network of actors interested in social issues, prepare project applications for the next EU programme period, and participate in and arrange thematic conferences. This two-year project, starting in September 2012, is supported by the Swedish Growth Agency and as such is considered as a way to realize the EU2020 objectives and BSR Strategies.
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Stefan Nybom, Emmy Sundin stefan.nybom@umea.se; emmy.sundin@umea.se
Youngsters’ Voice in Vaasa by Urim Kavaj, Janina Klockars
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aasa in western Finland has had its youth council since 2008. Every year 23 youngsters are selected from schools and youth services in the city. Every member has also a personal substitute. Members are between 13 and 22. The Youth Council is well known to youngsters and other citizens. It has arranged many face to face meetings with the decision makers during which the young were able to express their opinions on matters of their interest. Youth council members have also the right to participate in and speak before the main boards of Vaasa. That is an excellent way to get a young person’s opinion in the matters concerning them before any decisions have been taken. The Youth Council also arranges different kinds of events to young people living in Vaasa. One of the main tasks for Vaasa Youth Council is the local traffic and making it work better in the city. Young people use buses a lot but there are not enough shifts or late night buses available. Also, the prizes are higher than, for example, in many cities in the southern Finland. The situation has slightly improved over the years but there is still a lot of work to do! This year’s biggest event is the Citizen Jury for young people in the Vaasa Region. The jury is to listen to the young people and their thoughts or ideas on how to develop the region. There are youngsters from eight municipalities taking part in the Citizen Jury that will take place in Vaasa by the end of October 2012. Youngsters are there finding ways and solutions to create even better Vaasa region, the region that will be as a vital and good place to live as possible. The Vaasa Youth Council really tries to make young people’s voice heard in the city. The members try to get as many ideas from youngsters as possible and to influence things that are not working or things 22
that need to be considered. It is important for the members of the youth council to make Vaasa even more comfortable city to live in.
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Urim Kavaj, Janina Klockars urimkavaja@hotmail.com; janinaklockars@hotmail.com