The City of Äänekoski listens to its young people – 25 euros for youth participatory budgeting

The City of Äänekoski is organizing a youth advocacy week and four discussion events will be held for young people next week. The advocacy week is part of the City of Äänekoski's efforts to promote the well-being of young people and to implement participatory budgeting for young people. The city is once again allocating 25 euros directly to activities that meet the wishes of young people.
Four discussion events will be held for young people during the influence week. The events during the influence week will be held on Tuesday, January 21.1.2025, 15, from 20-22.1.2025 p.m. at the Spot Youth Center and at the Suolahti and Sumiainen youth facilities. On Wednesday, January 15, 20, from 12-18 p.m., the discussion will be held at Konginkanga. The evenings are aimed at all young people aged XNUMX-XNUMX from Äänekoski and current users of the youth facilities. A light snack will be served at the youth facilities.
On Thursday, a discussion event will also be held at the Wahlman House from 15 to 17 p.m. This event is aimed at young people aged 18-29.
The week of influence is part of the City of Äänekoski's efforts to promote the well-being of young people and to implement participatory budgeting for young people. Discussions are led by youth workers with young people, and wishes and ideas are recorded.
– Young people get to bring up things that would promote their well-being and the city wants to hear these ideas. We implement wishes together with young people, choosing and according to possibilities. Young people are also asked what does not promote their well-being and increases insecurity, for example, and what changes young people need. The idea is that the wishes come directly from the young people themselves without intermediaries and prior censorship, Family Center and Youth Service Manager Petri Oinonen says.
The ideas of the young people are gathered together and the implementation is discussed again together with the Äänekoski Youth Council. This way, the voice of the young people is genuinely heard and implemented.
In addition, the city of Äänekoski will conduct a survey for all 7th graders during the advocacy week.
Participatory budgeting is a significant investment in young people
Äänekoski is a true city of young people. The city of Äänekoski spends 25 euros annually in line with the wishes of young people. The city of Äänekoski is a pioneer and trend setter in this. The city directs 000 euros directly to activities in line with the wishes of young people.
– Our goal is that every young person has the opportunity to participate in a variety of leisure activities, regardless of their family situation, Oinonen says.
– The City of Äänekoski's youth participatory budgeting has been developed for a couple of years now. It all started with the fact that in 2023 there was youth disorder, substance abuse, vandalism and disorderly conduct, and we wanted to influence that. We brought the young people together to discuss and received additional funding for the young people's wishes.
In 2023, a visit by an expert with experience was carried out on the topics of violence and intoxicants, as well as many of the wishes of young people related to school and school meals.
In 2024, work continued and the city implemented, among other things, improvements to the skateboard area, free movie nights for young people, bowling, ice hockey, and excursions.
– Now that the 2025 hearings are being held right at the beginning of the year, we have a whole year to make our wishes come true. In addition, the wishes of young people have already been taken into account in the city's cultural offerings this year.
For more information:
Family Centre and Youth Services Manager, Petri Oinonen, 0400 115 190, petri.oinonen@aanekoski.fi
News published, modified 14.1.2025 at 14:43