Making the voices of children and young people heard
Children and young people in Tuusula have the opportunity to share their own perspectives on life in Tuusula. Their voices are heard in many different ways, whether in nurseries, schools or youth services – not to mention leisure activities.
You can keep up to date with how children and young people’s voices are being heard by, for example, reading our news on the ‘Child-friendly municipality’ theme and following our social media channels, such as those for schools, nurseries and youth services.
Outcomes of the consultations
The ‘Child-Friendly Municipality’ initiative in Tuusula began in 2023 with an initial survey. As part of the survey, children and young people were asked what works well in Tuusula and what makes their lives good. The topic was explored further by asking what is particularly important to children and young people and what we could improve.
Children’s rights through the eyes of young people
In four videos, members of the Tuusula Youth Council reflect on the realisation of children’s rights. The videos were produced as part of the initial assessment for Tuusula’s ‘Child-Friendly Municipality’ initiative in autumn 2023.
During the 2025–2026 school year, extracurricular and club activities in Tuusula’s schools will offer secondary school pupils the opportunity to take part in media workshops in Jokela and Riihikallio. As part of the activity, participants will also be able to produce content for Tuusula’s Child-Friendly Municipality initiative. We want young people’s voices to be heard on what life is like here in Tuusula – what’s fun to do and how Tuusula could be made an even better place to live.
Participatory budgeting for children and young people
Tuusula’s participatory budgeting scheme (Osbu), to be implemented between 2025 and 2027, will give children and young people under the age of 18 living in Tuusula a voice and a say in decision-making. Through the PB, children and young people will be able to influence and come up with ideas for initiatives or projects that enhance well-being and quality of life in Tuusula.
Find out about the stages of the children’s and young people’s tour
In spring 2025, children and young people had the opportunity to help develop the stages of participatory budgeting for children in a more child-friendly direction. Joint development work was carried out with interested parties in the ‘Power to Children’ workshops, and ways of communicating with children and young people were discussed together with the youth advisory group.
Participatory budgeting for children and young people kicked off with a call for ideas from 29 September to 19 October 2025. Children of early years and pre-school age were able to come up with ideas at their nurseries together with staff, and at separate Osbu tour events held at family centres and the library together with their carers. The brainstorming was tailored to the children’s age groups, for example through drawing, painting or modelling, and the ideas were recorded by adults.
In primary and secondary schools, brainstorming sessions were held with pupils during lessons. Pupils were also able to contribute ideas at the stops along the OSBU tour and at youth centres, as well as in their free time via the Tuusula participation platform. Secondary school students contributed ideas via the platform, by taking part in the stops organised in public spaces along the Osbu tour, and by popping into youth centres during their opening hours.
During the further development phase, which began in early 2026, children and young people took part in refining the ideas deemed most promising by devising various implementation options in OSBU workshops. Joint development sessions were organised at various schools, youth centres and other OSBU workshops open to all, as well as in the digital forum. Educators and teachers also further developed the ideas with their own groups.
Voting on the proposals that proceed to implementation will take place in late spring 2026.
Thoughts on leisure time through Skididialogues
The regional Skididialogi discussion sessions, which began in autumn 2025 in collaboration with adults working with schoolchildren and young people, are gathering participants’ views and experiences of leisure time across Tuusula. The Child-Friendly Municipality initiative has specifically identified a need to increase the opportunities for 12–15-year-olds in Tuusula to participate in the planning and organisation of leisure activities and free time.
The first discussion session took place in October 2025 at Kellokoski School, with the next one held in February 2026 in Jokela. Find out more about the discussions in the news articles below!
Children’s Rights Week
Every year, we take part in Children’s Rights Week in Tuusula as part of our work towards becoming a child-friendly municipality.
Under our ‘Understanding Children’s Rights’ objective, all departments within Tuusula Municipality are involved in organising the annual Children’s Rights Week – this initiative encourages our departments to help raise awareness of this important issue and to ensure that the voices of children and young people are heard in many different ways – both in the planning and implementation of the week. We also invite other stakeholders to join us.
Explore different ways of hearing
In spring 2024, Helsingin Sanomat published an article in its ‘Finland for Families with Children’ special supplement, which described how children and young people are making their voices heard in Tuusula.
This content has been translated using AI