Study Visit: Street Work Study Visit – Cooperation and Practice

Location: Jyväskylä and Helsinki, Finland

Dates: 16-20 June 2016

Number of participants: 20

Street Work Study Visit – Cooperation and Practice

Street Work Study Visit will give the participants an insight to some practices that rely on encountering young people where they gather, outside the youth houses. Participants take part in the real real youth workers in real situations of their work.

Street Study Visit – Cooperation and Practice is the second part of a street work study visit that took place in Istanbul, Turkey in spring 2015.

The SSV will take a very practical approach to the youth work on the streets. It gives methods to encountering young people on the street and conflict mediation. Participants will pair up with local youth workers in real life situations and see concretely what the outreach youth work is like on two different towns – Jyväskylä and Helsinki – in Finland.

Objectives:
– learn and share good practices in outreach youth work and street work
– familiarise with methods of street mediation and safety procedures in encountering groups of young people on public areas
– reflect on their own practices in outreach youth work

The programme will give a brief presentation of Erasmus+ Youth in Action and participants can contemplate, if The Programme can be used in their work.

The study visit may lead to new partnerships and future projects, but it is not the aim of the activity. The study visit will focus on practical experience and development of skills.

The core organisations who will offer practical experiences are:

1) Aseman lapset ry. (The Children of the Station): The NGO uses many innovative youth work practices that vary from multi-professional work to a youth house in a bus that can be brought to where it is mostly needed. Walkers Café is a safe place to enter, without the need to buy anything. They work on outreach youth work, street mediation and prevention of street violence. The units of Jyväskylä and Helsinki offer an opportunity to take part in their work. The organisation works with young people under 18 years of age.

2) The Youth Work of The Lutheran Work of Finland, Jyväskylä Parish: The church youth work has carried out an intervention project Saapas for decades. It is a project that involves in taking care of intoxicated or drunk young people on the street, offering a possibility to talk and tell their problems to safe adults. They train and work with volunteers and also work online. The project works with young people under 18 years of age.

3) Synkkis Project of City of Jyväskylä Youth Services: The project brings approachable adults to the places where young people hang out. It aims to offer possibilities to discuss with adults, oversee public festivities, intervene and help. They train and work with volunteers.

4) YMCA Helsinki Yökoris Project (Night Time Basketball): The awarded Yökoris Project offers young people sport, music and dance possibilities right there where they gather. In the summertime Hietaranta Beach is a popular place for youth to hang out, Yökoris brings along a DJ and basketball equipment and offer an alternative way to spend weekend time. Playing is free and everyone is welcome, diversity of cultures and equality are key elements of the work.

5) City of Helsinki Social and Health Care Department / Contact Work: The service works on the streets, shopping centres and other public places and actively look for people who are in the need of help. They offer information and guide inhabitants in need to the City of Helsinki services that can take care of them. Contacts can be of any age and the aim is to guide the customers to receive the support that belongs to them.

Other organisations working with alcohol/drug abuse of young people, conflicts between mainstream Finnish and ethnic/cultural groups, minorities, immigrants and asylum seekers will be contacted in order to offer diverse opportunities to see work in practice. The final list of organisations will be provided later.

Participant profile:
– over 18-year-olds
– professional or voluntary youth/social workers
– interest in developing skills in outreach youth work
– interested in sharing practices
– interested in acquiring practical experience on the outreach work with Finnish professionals
– with relevant background to similar work at their own country

The study visit will take place in two different towns in Finland. Jyväskylä is situated in Central Finland, approximately 3 hour drive away from Helsinki. Participants are asked to arrive directly to Jyväskylä on Thursday June 16, before 7 p.m.

On Saturday morning the group will be transported by bus to Helsinki, where the rest of the study visit will take place.

Click to access Programme_Street_Work_Finland.pdf