Influencing of children and youth

The Tampere Children’s Parliament (TLP) was established in Tampere in 2001 as a influencing channel for children in lower comprehensive school. Its aim is to make the opinions of children of lower comprehensive school age heard in decision-making in Tampere and to teach children democracy and influencing skills by means of their own age-level methods. The activities are inclusive and child-centred, in other words, the ideas originate from the children themselves and they are handled operationally in ways that are suitable for the children’s age.

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The Tampere Youth Council is a group of influencing young people that strives to improve the position of young people in Tampere as well as their opportunities to influence and engage in hobbies. The Youth Council takes initiatives and makes statements on youth issues, organises events for young people in the city and brings young people's voices to the city's decision-making process. The Youth Council consists of 30 members and 10 alternates aged between 13 and 18. The Youth Council has a two-year term of office and is non-partisan and non-religious

Read more about Youth Council

Actors is a WhatsApp group that brings together young people interested in making a difference. The group provides young people with information about places and opportunities to influence: surveys, workshops and events. Young people can take up topics that interest them according to their own schedules. The group runs throughout the school year and is open to 13-19 year olds. 

The Digi-panel is a new way of involving young people, consisting of a group of young people who have a written discussion on a specific topic over a given period of time. The themes vary in each council. The debate takes place on Digiraati.fi, a participation platform being developed by the Ministry of Justice. 

Young people participate in the debate under a username. Discussion moderators are also involved in the debate, their task is to keep the debate going and to ensure that the discussants respect the principles of a safer space. 

The debate is not open to the public. Only members of the panel and the moderators can participate and see each other's lines. 

At the end of the debate, a summary of the debate, i.e. the final report, will be published on the Digiraati.fi website. The public summary will not include the names of the debaters and will not identify any of the participants. 

The Digi-panel discusses topical or socially relevant issues on which young people want to be heard. The summary of the debate is passed on to experts or decision-makers who can use the material for planning, development or decision-making, for example. 

The Masseista mahiksia concept operating subsidy supports activities intended for children and young people in Tampere. Operating subsidies are distributed using participatory budgeting methods. A total of 51 000 euros will be allocated to activities that children and young people can organise themselves. The grants will be awarded in two different calls, one for the Massiday and one for a continuous call.

Read more about Masseista mahiksia -concept
 

As a result of the participatory budgeting vote, the South Tampere region will be allocated 40 000 euros for activities for young people and children in 2023. This is called Etelän massit. Etelän massit  is intended to fund community and safety activities organised by children and young people. The call for applications will start in January 2023. 

Read more about Etelän massit
 

Influencing days is a concept using game based methods to inspire and encourage young people to make a difference. The aim is to strengthen young people's participation in society. It enables young people to interact with decision-makers and to gather their thoughts and ideas to support decision-making by different bodies, such as the municipality. In Tampere, Vaikuta! days are organised for 4th and 9th graders and Tredu Santalahdentie students. 

4th-graders’ influencing day 

Since 2010, Tampere has organised influencing days for 4th-graders. The aim of the days is to teach 10-year-old children democracy skills and different ways of exerting influence and to provide information about their home city and its services using functional methods. The exhibition-type influencing days are organised during the school day, and the pupils participate in them with their teachers’ registration, by class.

9th-graders’ influencing day

9th-graders’ influencing days are organised twice a year, in autumn and spring. Tampere's secondary schools take turns to participate every couple of years or so. The aim of the day is to give young people the opportunity to have influence on topical issues that need to be developed, offered by different actors in the City of Tampere, and to inspire them to make a difference. Influencing days are organised for schools either through a virtual remote team game in the Seppo.io app or as a live event in the youth cultural centre Monitoimitalo 13. 

Influencing day in Tredu

Influencing days are also organised in cooperation with Tredu Santalahdente students 1–2 times a year.

Lessons about influencing  are offered in secondary schools and secondary education. The lesson will focus on youth participation, encourage young people to find their own ways and introduce them to current places to get involved. It looks at what it is to be an influencer, what young people are like as influencers, what they would like to influence and what different channels are available in the city. We can also add other topics or topical issues to the package if you wish. The lesson lasts 45 minutes.

The Youth Services' Inclusion Team organises a training day for teachers who supervise student bodies in Tampere at the beginning of each school year. The day includes training on student body activities, peer work in workshops and sharing good tips and methods.

The City of Tampere Youth Services' Inclusion Team organises inclusion network meetings. Inclusion network meetings invite actors and bodies working on youth inclusion. The network is a place where experiences are shared, current issues are discussed and people can learn from each other. The network meets about four times a year.

The city needs to involve young people in developing the city and there are many issues where it would be good to have young people's perspectives. 

If you and the organisation you represent have any opportunities for young people to get involved - please get in touch. 

Let's plan together how best to reach young people.