The visit to East Helsinki by President of Finland Alexander Stubb and First Lady Suzanne Innes-Stubb began at Vesala Comprehensive School, where President Stubb met pupils of the school together with the hosts of the visit, Mayor Juhana Vartiainen and Deputy Mayor Daniel Sazonov.
During the visit, ninth-graders studying at the school talked with the President about safety and what factors affect young people’s sense of safety. Before the visit, young people’s thoughts had been charted via the interactive Polis platform implemented by the City of Helsinki and Sitra, on which 167 young people from five schools across Helsinki took part in the discussion. Vesala Comprehensive School was one of the schools taking part in the discussion.
“I’m very proud of our diverse school community. Our pupils are talented, active and bold. They are our hope for the future. As such, it’s great that the President wants young people to also have their voices heard in the public discussion about safety, which often tends to only involve decision-makers and a select few experts. This enables us to increase decision-makers’ understanding of what themes are important to young people,” comments Principal Niina Halonen-Malliarakis from Vesala Comprehensive School.
Discussions on the Polis platform create understanding of what safety-related matters the young people of the participating schools agree on and where their views differ. The platform also provides participants with an opportunity to bring up their own points of view. The City of Helsinki is also regularly monitoring the development of young people’s sense of safety through a wide range of statistics and research data.
“It’s important to talk with young people and hear their views. We’re living in a time in which the world around us and the structures familiar to us are in a constant state of change. Global changes and their impacts on Finland are something that we all think about, and it’s valuable to hear how young people are experiencing this time and their home city,” states Mayor Juhana Vartiainen, who hosted the visit.
“I was very impressed with the thoughts about safety and the future presented by the young people of Helsinki. We should be paying special attention to the voice of young people in these matters. We greatly appreciate the fact that the President also considers dialogue with young people to be important,” stresses the other host of the visit, Deputy Mayor Daniel Sazonov.
The President was interested in social and cultural services provided by organisations
The presidential couple’s visit to East Helsinki also involved learning about the activities of the Kide Foundation. Operating in Kontula, the Kide Foundation carries out practical work with families and ethnic communities in a fragile societal position. The foundation provides peer support and hobby opportunities for people with otherwise limited participation opportunities.
During their visit, President Stubb and Mrs. Innes-Stubb met young people and families taking part in the activities of the Kide Foundation.
To top off their visit, the presidential couple attended a football practice session for ages 11–12 by FC Kontu. In addition to football activities, FC Kontu provides local children and young people with activities such as morning park sessions, after-school clubs and various exercise camps in cooperation with the City of Helsinki.
At the practice session of FC Kontu, the presidential couple talked with the young people and the coaches about sports opportunities and the importance of hobby activities.
Mayor Vartiainen appreciates the President’s interest in the matters of young people in East Helsinki and the services provided to local residents by the City and organisations.
“This was an important visit and acknowledgment of our young people in particular. It’s great that the young people got to share their views with the President and talk with him. We can also be proud to showcase the great work carried out by organisations in Helsinki to support the wellbeing of all residents,” Mayor Vartiainen concludes.