The Youth Office of the Municipality of Kristinestad (Finland)
The City of Kristinestad is a Finnish municipality with 6640 inhabitants (31.12.2017). 55,4 % are Swedish-speaking and 41,1 % Finnish-speaking. 3,5% out of the inhabitants has another native language. Kristinestad is situated in the Southern part of the Ostrobothnia region in the West Coast Province of Finland.
Today Kristinestad is one of the best preserved wooden town in the Nordic countries. Kristinestad is also a member of the Cittaslow, which is an organization founded in Italy. Cittaslow is part of a cultural trend known as slow movement and are focusing on the good living.
In May 2017 there was 126 unemployed people in Kristinestad (4,4%) and the rate of unemployed young people under 25 years has decreased with 14,5 % from last year.
The municipality of Kristinestad became a center of high intensity of the Youth Empowerment Partnership Programme in 2001 and has been an active member in the YEPP Programme since that. The Youth Office of the Municipality of Kristinestad has a long tradition of youth participation and influencing policies through the Local Youth Council, but also through other activities as the Little Parliament and the Youth Parliament. The young people in Kristinestad has been a part of the decision-making process for nearly 20 years know.
In 2009 Kristinestad started to receive asylum-seekers mostly from Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, and Ingushia. The Youth Office works a lot with different activities for the young migrants and involves them into the local community in Kristinestad through sports, leisure and culture. The aim is to develop new networks and meeting-places, promote healthy lifestyles, participation and empowerment and to recruit and educate leaders among the migrants.
During the project “Welcomeship- building inclusive communities through community-based activities” the Youth Office focus on migrants and local young people, the target group will be the local youth council and the activities will mostly be held in the Youth Centre, which is the meeting point for migrants and local young people.