Youth Voice & Democratic Structures in Finland

This study visit explores Finland’s multi‑level model of youth participation through school visits, municipal structures, NGOs and national decision‑making. The programme begins in Helsinki with expert input on democracy education and youth influence, followed by a full day at the Youth Council’s student council seminar in Vihti. Participants then spend an expert day at Opinkirjo and Nuorten Suomi, examining models such as the Youth Parliament, DigiRaati and remote constituency dialogues. The course also uses the city as a learning environment through guided tasks in key cultural and civic locations. A visit to the Parliament of Finland provides national‑level insight. Throughout the week, participants share their own practices, compare structures and co‑create ideas to strengthen student voice and democratic engagement.

The course strengthens participants’ understanding of Finland’s multi‑level model of youth participation across schools, municipalities, NGOs and national decision‑making. Through expert input, field visits and practical tasks, participants learn how student councils, youth councils, NGO‑led participation models and Parliament support young people’s influence. The study visit to Vihti offers firsthand insight into municipal‑level student council work, while the expert day at Opinkirjo and Nuorten Suomi deepens knowledge of national structures such as the Youth Parliament, DigiRaati and remote constituency dialogues.

A key objective is peer learning: participants share their own school models, compare structures and reflect on how different systems support student voice. Guided urban tasks in Helsinki help them recognise the city as a learning and participation environment.

The course uses experiential, discussion‑based and observation‑focused methods across several learning environments. Teaching combines expert lectures, field visits, workshops and guided urban tasks that help participants analyse youth participation structures at school, municipal, NGO and national levels. The visit to Vihti offers hands‑on insight into student council work, while sessions at Opinkirjo and Nuorten Suomi deepen understanding through case examples and collaborative activities.

A key method throughout the week is peer exchange: participants compare their own models, share experiences and reflect together on how different systems support student voice. Structured discussions and small‑group tasks help connect observations to practical applications.

Assessment is continuous and based on active participation, reflection tasks and contributions to group discussions.

The organiser provides basic materials such as paper and simple workshop supplies. Participants use their own phones or laptops for accessing shared documents and completing urban tasks. Comfortable clothing is recommended for moving between locations in Helsinki and during the study visit in Vihti. All resources support observation, reflection and participation throughout the course.

The course fee includes the full programme and all teaching according to the weekly schedule. Basic materials needed during the course are provided by the organiser. The fee also covers the round‑trip transfer to Vihti and ferry tickets to Suomenlinna. Travel to Helsinki, accommodation and meals are not included.