Guidance and counselling
Youth guidance and service network “Norppa”
The Youth Guidance and Services Network is responsible for gathering information on young people’s growing and living conditions and using it to assess their situation to support local decision-making and planning. In addition, the network’s task is to promote the coordination and effectiveness of services for young people in Siilinjärvi, in order to ensure the adequacy, quality and accessibility of services, the referral of young people to services and the flow of information between different parties.
Siilinjärvi’s youth guidance and service network, Norppa, has met four times a year since 2011. Topics include youth employment, studies and education, safety, substance abuse, leisure time, well-being and inclusion, monitoring of phenomena and services for young people.
The members of the group are made up of professionals working with different types of young people. The network includes municipal and parish youth work, youth mental health work, family services, social work, employment services, student welfare services (including TUVA, Sakky, upper secondary school, telegraph), welfare and substance abuse prevention coordinators, youth council. In addition, project workers, representatives of organisations, other bodies working with young people in Siilinjärvi (e.g. the Living Foundation and Vamos) and a member of the Ankkuri team are also present when meetings are called.
Contact: Tuula Pärnänen
Projects, past and ongoing
The Young Hedgehogs project and the Youth PySTyY project
Siilin Youth, a joint project between the municipality of Siilinjärvi and the Deaconess Institute, was implemented for the period 1.8.2021-31.7.2023.The project provided guidance, counselling and coaching services for young people aged 16-29 who are outside working and studying life in Siilinjärvi. The young people had the opportunity to participate in both individual and group coaching. The coaching was carried out in cooperation with the young person’s other networks. The main project was funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the South Savo ELY Centre.
This was preceded by the Youth PySTyYY project, a joint project between Siilinjärvi, the Vamos service of the Deaconess Institute and the municipality of Lapinlahti for the period 1.10.2019-30.4.2022. The project developed home-based coaching, individual and group coaching for young people aged 15-29 from Siilinjärvi and Lapinlahti who are outside working and studying life.
Ongoing projects
The Wörtti Pathways to Equal Inclusion project promotes the inclusion, capacity and adherence to learning of young people and young adults through multidisciplinary cooperation and community-based youth work. Siilinjärvi is a co-implementer of the project for the period 1.4.2024-31.12.2026. The development work focuses on students at Sakky’s Toivala campus and Siilinjärvi upper secondary school. Heini Lintunen will act as project coordinator and Sanna Jääskeläinen from the youth work team as a part-time partner.
Tiia Pykäläinen started as the regional coordinator of outreach work in North Savo on 1 January 2025. She will work in the whole North Savo region as an outreach coordinator alongside outreach work.
