Explore the Youth Budget proposals and vote!
In the Youth Budget, all young people aged 13-17 have the opportunity to influence how Helsinki Youth Services’ funding is used. Through the Youth Budget, you can have a say in young people’s leisure time activities, hobbies, and services. For example, you can influence what kinds of activities are organised at youth centres in your area and what kinds of events are available for young people in Helsinki.
Last spring, we asked you about your wishes and ideas concerning leisure time, hobbies, and topics such as feeling safe in your everyday environment. Together with young people, we reviewed the survey responses in Youth Budget workshops. The workshops were held at youth centres across Helsinki between 7 and 27 September.
During the workshops, you developed proposals on how Youth Services funding should be used and what could be organised, purchased, experienced or developed during the coming year to improve the lives and well-being of young people in Helsinki. The local proposals related to young people’s leisure time are now moving on to the next phase of the Youth Budget process: voting. Voting will take place across Helsinki between 5 and 30 October.
You can decide for yourself which area’s proposals you want to vote for. You may vote for up to three proposals from the area you choose. When selecting an area, it is worth considering where you spend most of your free time. Explore the wide range of proposals and find information about voting events in your area here: https://nuorten.hel.fi/take-part-and-make-a-difference/youth-budget/proposals.
In November, you will have the opportunity to negotiate with Youth Services on how the proposals receiving the most votes will be implemented in practice during 2027, and how the Youth Budget funding of €150,000 will be allocated among the selected proposals.
The workshops have provided an opportunity to develop both small and large-scale proposals. Some proposals have been advanced through youth initiatives, for example when the ideas concern all of Helsinki or when it has been determined that a proposal cannot be funded through Youth Services. Some proposals directly concern schools, the police, libraries, or shopping centres. These proposals will be promoted in direct cooperation between young people and the relevant organisations responsible for them.