Northern perspectives
Good practices in youth work and inclusion in Finland – study trip
In the summer of 2025, the E-tanoda Program carried out a two-week youth study trip to Finland with the support of the “In Search of European Values” call of the Common Values Programme. The Common Values Programme was launched within the framework of the European Commission’s CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values) initiative, aiming to help participants become familiar with European values, partnership models, and good practices in social responsibility and community learning. The study trip brought a new perspective and inspiration to E-tanoda: we gained first-hand experience of how Finnish organizations work when they think in terms of real communities and build their activities on people’s strengths rather than their deficiencies. The participants in the study trip were Zsófi and Amina.
What did we learn from the Finns?
In short: support is not about grand, world-changing theories, but about small, everyday gestures. A sense of community and partnership are core values in Finnish society — and this became a defining source of inspiration for us as we begin the 2025/26 school year. These are what we are taking with us:
1. CONNECTION – The power of attention
In Finnish support programs, care and human connection matter most. A walk in the park, having coffee together, or simply talking often mean more than a formal program — what truly matters is that the other person feels they matter.
2. “DO I REALLY KNOW BETTER?” – Trust in the other person
One of the core principles of Finnish organizations is that each person knows best what is right for them. The role of the supporter is not to control, but to offer trust and respond to needs with empathy.
3. KNOWLEDGE BELONGS TO ALL
The organizations we visited encourage volunteers to share their own experiences and to take on leadership roles and responsibilities. This is how knowledge and resources truly become collective.
4. PARTNERSHIP – Deciding together
In Finnish support organizations, everyone involved — volunteers, professionals, and the young people being supported — can take part in decision-making. This openness increases commitment and trust, strengthening the community.
5. HUMANITY AND VULNERABILITY
Supporters and leaders are also human: they are allowed to rest, ask for time, and make mistakes. Embracing vulnerability is not weakness, but part of trust and a healthy working culture.
The main stops of the study trip
The participants visited several outstanding Finnish organisations.
~Keyword: conscious online presence~
SOS Lapsikylä (SOS Children’s Villages, Helsinki) - Focus area: supporting at-risk and dropout-prone young people, and operating volunteer - coordination models. Volunteers are trained in conscious online communication so they can genuinely convey attention and active listening to young people.
~Keyword: partnership~
Nuorten Ystävät (Friends of the Youth, Oulu) – A more than 100-year-old organisation that supports children, young people, adults, and families in need on a community basis. They treat everyone who approaches them as a partner.
~Keyword: the power of community~
Nuorten Ystävät Clubhouse Pönkkä (Friends of the Youth Clubhouse Pönkkä, Oulu) - We visited one of the Clubhouses of Friends of the Youth, where young people and adults living with mental health conditions are supported. Their main goal is to build a community together in which everyone feels equal and unique.
~Keyword: the power of community~
Deaconess Foundation (Helsinki) - Within the foundation, the Amigo programme supports young people with the aim of reducing social exclusion and alleviating loneliness. It offers participation in social situations with a safe, friendly companion who listens and supports.
~Keyword: knowledge sharing, diversity~
United Vision (Espoo) - Their goal is to empower young people by developing their digital skills (web development, graphic design, communication, automation). They pay special attention to supporting disadvantaged youth through inclusive programmes and digital volunteering opportunities.
~Keyword: active participation~
UN Youth of Finland (Helsinki) - Their aim is to involve young people in decision-making processes and strengthen their belief that even a small step can start real change—anytime, anywhere. Through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), they also encourage them not to focus on a single issue but to understand that many small steps together lead to achieving larger common goals.
~Keyword: a future built on experience~
Suomen Mentorit (Finnish Mentors, Helsinki) - A mentoring organisation whose main mission is to support (typically newly) graduated young people in gaining professional experience and entering the labour market.
What did we do with the knowledge gained after the journey?
Check these out as well!
Your Online Presence Can Be Fully Meaningful
How Can Someone Become a Good Helper Online?
Together for Each Other – Good Youth Practices from Finland
Together for Each Other – Part 5 of Our Journey in Finland
Furthermore, we also published professional content in the form of blog posts, while the experiences and lessons of the journey were shared through newsletters, giving our followers and readers a more detailed insight into the professional background and learnings of the learning journey. In addition, during the autumn period, we organised a workshop for young people, where we explored together how the Finnish best practices we had learned could be adapted to everyday life in Hungary.
And of course, we learned as well…
E-tanoda’s goal is to build an even more inclusive, knowledge-sharing, and partnership-based community in Hungary, inspired by the Finnish examples. The learning journey reinforced our belief that social responsibility is rooted in small acts of attentiveness, mutual trust, and shared decision-making. Since returning, we have gained a broader toolkit for teaching conscious online communication, we prepare our mentors with a wider set of values (for example: ask supportive, open questions and don’t be afraid to show vulnerability!), and we have introduced the use of Monday.com - a tool recommended to us by one of the Finnish organisations.
Summary
Common Values Programme – In Search of European Values
Supporter: European Union – Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme
Implementer: Foundation for 21st Century Pedagogy – E-tanoda Programme
Duration: March–October 2025
This project is implemented with the support of the European Union’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme. The European Commission’s support does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect only the views of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
