It all began when the European Union published its new youth strategy for 2019–2027.

The National Agency for the EU youth programmes within the Finnish National Agency for Education EDUFI wanted to implement the strategy in the youth and education sector by listening to young people themselves. We asked young people in Lahti to design a method in the form of a game that would make it possible to learn about the youth strategy in a fun and participatory way.

Planning of the tool was started in the beginning of 2019.

Young people reflect on the values of the Youth Strategy

We started our work by studying the themes and values of the Youth Strategy. The 11 youth goals of the strategy became the focus of the project. The team discussed them and studied them using creative methods.

We also interviewed youth work professionals with reference to the youth goals. Through these discussions, we were able to find out how the values could be realised and how they could work in everyday youth work.

The final concept is a result of cooperation

The young people in the team were doing a work trial in Lahti theatre workshop. They were divided into two teams. The first team focused on the design of the methods and the game. The other team began to design the visual look of the concept, including the game characters and posters representing the values. The whole concept was developed based on the experiences of the young people, the ideas of youth workers and creative brainstorming.

Towards late spring 2019, we tested the methods with the employees of Lahti Youth Services and with an external group from outside the youth work sector. We also went to Brussels to present the concept in the beginning of June.

During 2019, the Finnish National Agency for the EU youth programmes used the game in its work and took it round Finland presenting it in various youth events. In the beginning of 2020, the whole concept will be finalised and will be available in Finnish, Swedish and English.

Contributors

  • The theatre workshop of the Youth Services of the City of Lahti, Finland
  • Facilitators Auli Wallenius, Lauri Keskiväli and Anttoni Kosonen
  • Laura Mellanen, artist, visual design
  • The Finnish National Agency for the EU youth programmes (Finnish National Agency for Education EDUFI)

The young people who contributed to the work:

  • Mona Ellea
  • Ida Halko
  • Ilona Harjapää
  • Nea Holopainen
  • Ella Maisala
  • Jenny Orpana
  • Elsa Polkutie
  • Irene Rajala
  • Tuukka Rajanen
  • Julius Riikonen
  • Daniele Sandin