Go and mood at the sausage factory

At work in Riksu, there is a story series in which the employees of the city of Riihimäki talk about their work.

On weekend evenings, the youth center Monari, located in Marschan's former sausage factory, can have 70-80 young people playing pool, play or board games, drinking coffee and chatting. Having fun! The doors are open on weekends from 18:22 to XNUMX:XNUMX.

The youth work of the 2020s is versatile and multi-professional, and it is done in several places. Employees walk to schools, sports fields and shopping centers. They nimbly change plans depending on where the need arises.

A good example of a quick reaction is the young people who gathered at the central sports field last summer on Fridays, and there were hundreds at most. There were disturbances, but they were dealt with quickly. The situation calmed down, and many found their way to Monari or Peltosaari youth facility.

On Fridays, we go to town

"Now Ukrainian youths have also found a youth space, and that's why we just hired a Russian-speaking instructor. There can be twenty young Ukrainians in the course of an evening," says special youth worker Sari Lähdeniemi.

Youth counselor Heidi Lindroos, 44, thinks that the main goal of youth centers is to create community.

"Monari is like a big living room with safe adults, activities and other young people. Tonight's program features an escape game room, created by two nursing students who completed their internship at Monar. Its theme is intoxicants."

Since it's Friday, Lähdeniemi and Lindroos will later go on foot to talk with young people in shopping malls, stations and schoolyards.

"We chat for a while, and we can tell you that it's warm, dry and nice on Monari. The weather is rainy today, and I don't think there are many young people in town. If there is no one outside, we will also return to Monar. On the other hand, if the crowd starts hanging out somewhere, we can target our activities there," says Lähdeniemi.

Animanga and boffing

The aftermath of Corona is still visible in young people as restlessness after having to stay at home for a couple of years without contact.

"Some plays a really big part in the world of young people. It's the biggest change in the 15 years I've been doing youth work. Some is fast-paced, and everything can be renewed. Maybe that's why you don't always have time to listen," says Lindroos.

The youth center has activities for people of different ages during the day and in the evening. For example, there is a club for 3rd-5th graders, an animanga club and a turn for sixth graders. Rainbow youth have their own group. Boffau, fencing with boffers i.e. padded swords, can be practiced twice a week.

Thursdays are girls' night. The visitors are usually 13-14 years old, there are about 20 girls, and the atmosphere is calm. Together we talk, do crafts and maybe cook.

Half-time activities at schools

Lindroos does community youth work, i.e. works with youth groups and in open activities at youth facilities. It used to be called basic youth work. Lähdeniemi, on the other hand, does more targeted youth work, i.e. works with individual young people.

"The request can come from the young person himself, from school or from home. Here, too, we can see a young person who should be able to express his feelings. Often the problems are related to school, friendships or household affairs. We also think a lot about our own identity."

Lindroos goes to three middle schools once a week as a working couple with the church's employees.

"We organize games and activities during a couple of breaks. The "Kantti tuda" substance abuse education model to prevent the use of substances will be reviewed with all 6th graders in cooperation with the youth center Nup.

Lindroos was already interested in civic activities and youth work at a young age. Lähdeniemi states that he is social and hard to talk to, and helping young people seemed interesting. Both enjoy their work even after many years. Both praise that young people are great because so many different points of view come up in conversations with them.

Reija Ypyä