The Skididi dialogue inspired young people to think about how to spend their free time in Riihikallio 

The discussion, which took place during National Leisure Week, was attended not only by pupils but also by representatives from the school and leisure services, as well as local stakeholders. The event was organised using ‘Skididialog’, a method developed by the City of Lahti as part of the ‘Erätauko’ discussion programme aimed at children and young people, and it followed on from similar discussion sessions that had already taken place in Kellokoski and Jokela. 

– “These discussions are an important opportunity to hear the thoughts and views of children and young people on a topic that matters to them, as part of Tuusula Municipality’s ‘Child-Friendly Municipality’ initiative,” says Minna Vuolukka, Development Manager.  

– In our discussion topics, we highlighted the theme of the Leisure Week: ‘Together Against Loneliness’. ‘It serves as a reminder that taking part in hobbies isn’t just about keeping busy; it’s also about friendship, a sense of purpose and the chance to feel part of a group,’ adds Tiina Laine, the project coordinator who oversees hobby and club activities in schools. 

Free time is spent being active and meeting up with friends

For young people in Riihikallio, leisure time means relaxing and doing something less demanding after school, seeing friends and spending time with their own families.  

Young people enjoy spending their time in the school playground, at the library, at the youth centre and at various sports and outdoor venues, such as the Tuusula Sports Centre. They also enjoy going to shopping centres in groups.  

Friends and the chance to meet new people bring joy to leisure time. Concerns include timetables and the worry about whether one will be accepted into the new group. It also raises the question of what activities or hobbies those who previously took part in the local gaming activities might get involved in going forward.  

Many young people wonder whether they’ll have time to keep up with school, eat properly and get enough sleep whilst juggling their hobbies – not to mention seeing their friends. It’s also important to be able to be yourself whilst taking part in an activity you enjoy, and to have a safe environment in which to socialise.

Calls for more accessible leisure activities 

Those taking part in the discussion would like to see more groups for secondary school pupils that encourage them to try out different hobbies. These groups should allow for slightly later start times to take account of the young people’s longer school days.  

For example, a moped workshop would be a great way to pursue a hobby whilst meeting like-minded young people, and refurbishing the frisbee course would encourage people to get involved in the sport.  

For many, transport links and how well they work influence their choice of leisure activities. They would like to find information about leisure activities on the school noticeboard, in Wilma messages and via other channels that reach young people. The power of a group of friends was also seen as a strength, as it enables young people to get in touch with organisers of activities that interest them.  

We would like to thank everyone who took part in the discussion for a fruitful exchange of views!  

Further information: Minna Vuolukka, Development Manager for the
Education and Culture Division and Coordinator of the ‘Tuusula – A Child-Friendly Municipality’ initiative, minna.vuolukka@tuusula.fi, 040 314 3411 Project
Coordinator Tiina Laine, tiina.laine@tuusula.fi, 040 314 3494

This content has been translated using AI