Youth

Youth centres offer young people possibilities to spend their leisure time in an environment based on educational guidance and activity. The facilities also provide opportunities for youth associations and other organisations to organise activities. The purpose of cultural youth work is to bring meaning, experiences, participation, a sense of community and successes to young people’s leisure time through culture and art. The purpose of sport youth work is to guide and encourage children and young people to engage in exercise on a voluntary basis. Forms of activity in sport youth work include, for example, sport experiments, game clubs, excursions to places offering sport activities and the already traditional hiking trip to the wilderness of Lapland.

Outreach youth work can help, for example, when a young person drops out of studies or needs support with issues related to housing, livelihood, management of everyday life or health. Outreach youth work is intended for young people aged 15–29 and is voluntary and free of charge. Youth workshop activities are intended for young unemployed people aged 17–28 with the purpose of improving young people’s employment opportunities. Special youth work is targeted at young people who need special support. Its purpose is to help and support young people in problematic situations and other turning points they may encounter in life, through youth work methods.