Wahlman's house is now working for young people
"We are building this city for young people"
In the culturally historically valuable Wahlman house, work is now being done for the future, i.e. the young people of Äänekoski. The city's own personnel moved into the house at the beginning of the week. In the same place, the people of the searching and mobile youth work, youth workshop activities and services promoting integration are now working. The teaching and education department is really grateful for the new, wonderful facilities where work is now being done for the young people of Äänekoski.
- The house is in a wonderful location and very beautiful and respectful of its time. We use it in our work in that spirit and valuable cultural heritage elections, education and training director Niina Rautanen says.
- We have decided that we will build this city for young people. Now this is a concrete example of that. Investing in young people is already visible in our schools, and here it is even more visible. It can be said that the Wahlman house is now Young people's house, the mayor Matti Tuononen toteaa.
Investing in young people and their services
The move of different actors of the city of Äänekoski under the same roof is an excellent reform in terms of increasing cooperation and developing services for young people.
- I see here the integration of our industry and new opportunities. We can serve our young people even better, also in terms of integration, Rautanen says.
- From the young person's point of view, one essential change is that in the future there will be several services under the same roof, and the young person will not have to go to different places. Navigating from one service to another is smoother when you work within the same walls. We also know each other better, and the adults around the young person are familiar and safe. Trust in actors and operations is better this way, family center coordinator Petri Oinonen says.
On the upper floor of Wahlman's house, there is an office for investigative youth work, where meetings are also held with young people under the age of 29. In the second room on the upper floor, there are office spaces for 2-3 employees of mobile youth work - so Kesäkaara will also be in Park in the yard of Wahlman's house in the future.
Downstairs, there are spaces for youth workshops, where a small group will meet in a guided manner from the beginning of next year. The ground floor also has office space for the city's immigration coordinator and supervisor. In promoting integration, cooperation with youth services is in place and cooperation will be intensified. The city's immigration counseling, which operates in Family Center Kerkä, will remain as before and at the same location.
According to the economic stabilization program, the city of Äänekoski aims to give up all its rental premises. Thanks to Wahlman's house, employees can be found under the same roof from the rented premises on Torikattu, the old hospital, the low-quality premises of Spot and the city hall, where the premises are starting to run out.
The town hall is cramped, because with the TE reform, 65 new employees will be transferred from the state to the city of Äänekoski from the beginning of the year, most of whom will mainly work at the town hall. More office spaces have been renovated on the 1st floor. In addition, KELA has joined Äänekoski town hall as a new tenant.
A wonderful house in its worthy use
A couple of years ago, the culturally valuable Wahlman house, which was located in Metsä Board's factory area in Äänekoski's Hiskinmäki, was moved to make way for Metsä Group's new factory project. The plan change requested by Metsä Board in the Hiskinmäki area did not support the milieu required by a protected building from the outside, so the company offered to move the house and hand it over to the city of Äänekoski free of charge. The contract did not specify the purpose of the house, but the city can determine it itself. The large and beautiful log house was built in 1924 and its exterior parts are protected.
The wonderful log building is a gem in the center of Äänekoski and as a whole the buildings of the block areas together create a valuable environment in the Äänekoski urban area. Metsä Board was responsible for moving the house and finishing the building into usable condition on the new plot. The city carried out the interior renovation as an educational institution collaboration with POKE.
The house has 357 square meters and four rooms on both floors, the ground floor is accessible. The material choices have respected the spirit of the old house, but technically the house is up-to-date. All building technology meets modern requirements and the house is heated by district heating.
The Wahlman house is now ready for a variety of uses for decades to come. The development of the entire block area is currently being planned.
- The whole area is unique and absolutely wonderful, and the art museum next door fuels our activities as well, Rautanen says.
Later, an open house will be held at the Wahlman house.
For more information:
Director of education and training
Niina Rautanen
040 514 8102
niina.rautanen@aanekoski.fi
Family Center Coordinator
Petri Oinonen
0400 115 190
petri.oinonen@aanekoski.fi
News published, modified 11.9.2024 at 12:47