International Youth Work | Participation | Projects
International Youth Work
Kulttuuriareena 44 does international education both European and nearby area level. During the years we have organized and taken a part of youth exchanges, performing tours, study visits and even done an international cultural youth work seminar. Our staff has coorninated over 20 European Voluntary Work – projects, known today as European Solidarity Corps.
Erasmus+ Youth Program has been our main source of funding but we have also been thankful to have help from Ministry of Education and regional state Administrative Agency.
We are lucky to have good, solid partner organizations from Norway, Belgium, Germany, Slovenia and Ireland among other good friends. With Karelian Russia, we had good co-operation and projects but everything is on ice because of war in Ukraine.
Our staff member, mr. Janne Kuitu has a lot of experience about international projects. He has written, coordinated and taken a part over 30 international projects mostly in the framework of Erasmus+ and former Youth In Action.
Local level
We co-operate with local association Puijola and nearby multicultural centre Kompassi. We organize Kortteliklubi (cafe for young adults) with volunteers weekly. Many organizations that do activities in our facilities are/have multicultural background.
Our latest international projects :
Upcoming : BYE youth exchange in Germany 2022, GLYE 2.0 in Metsäkartano (Fin) and possible training courses for youth workers…
so when pandemic slowly decreasing world is opening.
Youth Exchange ”ReEuropize” is on planning/applying level with Landesjugendring Schleswig-Holstein e. V. (Ger) > done 2022
Youth Exchange for young peer educators/leaders, in Metsäkartano (Fi) with co-operation of Metsäkartano and Landesjugendring Schleswig-Holstein e. V. (Ger) / coming September 2021 > done 2022
ESC Project that brought a wonderful volunteer from Belgium to Kuopio / 2019-2020
Youth Exhange ”Balticipation” in Mözen (Ger), our Youth Council members with participants from 8 Baltic area countries / September 2019
Karelia Rock Tour II with young bands from Kuopio, Kuusamo (Fi) and Sortavala (Rus), eight days in Russian Karelia playing and learning from each other / March 2020
Participation
Kulttuuriareena promotes youth participation with various youth work methods, including representative participation. For us, participation is belonging to your own life and society.
Our staff act as mentors of local Youth Council, helping them in practical issues or in joint projects. One example is organizing biggest local unlimited age events.
Ms Ulla Vuori, our staff, runs local Chilren’s Parliament with education sector deputy director.
During the years, we have been a part of many projects and process to promote youngsters participation.
Projects
As said, we have wide network of organization and cultural associations to work with. We also are interested and motivated to carry inventive projects related to youth work.
Some examples about projects :
ZOBI as a project to do voluntary work with youngsters to achieve work experience – not all youngsters are able to get summer job. Joint Project with local companies and associations ie. building companies, elderly rest homes or enviromental sector.
TeatteriTorstai as a youth theatre project in our facilities, organized by local youth association.
School break times activities with few schools nearby as well as grouping activities.
