Feeling lost and unsure about the future? Turku Ohjaamo, the other Ohjaamo centres in the Employment Region, and the municipalities’ youth service points help young people under the age of 30 with both big and small everyday concerns.
The current employment situation is difficult for young people looking for their place. In January, there were nearly 6,000 unemployed jobseekers under the age of 30 in the Turku Employment Region. More than 1,300 of them were long-term unemployed.
– The situation is very worrying and is largely due to weak economic growth figures. There simply are no jobs, says Sari Ahosmäki, Customer Relations Manager.
Ahosmäki leads Turku Ohjaamo. The centre helps young people under the age of 30 with all kinds of everyday challenges, whether they are related to job seeking, education, housing, finances, leisure time, or wellbeing.
– Our slogan is: If you do not know where to start, start at Ohjaamo.
On weekdays, Ohjaamo offers walk-in service, meaning that young people can simply come in without an appointment. If they cannot be helped immediately, an appointment is booked with a specialist. Group activities and various events are also available.
– Support for job seeking and exploring education options are our most requested services. There is also a significant need for support for mental wellbeing, Ahosmäki says.
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From Despair to Success
At Turku Ohjaamo, professionals from the City’s Employment Services and Youth Services work side by side. They are well aware of the services available for young people in the city.
Young people aged 16–29 may face many different situations in life. According to Ahosmäki, Ohjaamo employees are, above all, professionals in encountering and supporting people.
– In the customer satisfaction survey, young people felt that they received more answers here than they had originally come to look for.
Susanna Tuominen turned to Ohjaamo for help with job seeking after graduating from the University of Turku with a degree in economic sociology. She had hit a wall in her job search: junior-level positions were almost non-existent, and more experienced applicants were selected ahead of her.
– The job search dragged on, and my emotions went up and down. When you are struggling with rejection, you can easily start questioning your own competence. When I came to Ohjaamo, I was desperate.
With the support, encouragement and tips she received from Ohjaamo staff, she continued her job search and was fortunate to get a work trial placement in Turku Ohjaamo’s job search workshop.
Ahosmäki was impressed by Tuominen’s approach to work. Tuominen now works at Ohjaamo as a fixed-term coach. She develops coaching for unemployed jobseekers under the age of 25, who do not have an education.
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Towards Smoother Services
Ohjaamo is continuously being developed. According to Ahosmäki, the aim is to make the walk-in service more effective so that an increasing number of young people can receive help during their first visit.
Ohjaamo also plans to help companies in the Turku region find young employees for their specific needs. Project funding negotiations related to this are in their final stages.
– We also need to market the support and services related to employing young people more effectively to employers, Ahosmäki says.
She is also planning to expand Ohjaamo’s group activities. The idea is to develop peer support groups around themes and needs that arise from young people’s everyday lives.
Ahosmäki wants to make cooperation between Employment Services and Youth Services even more seamless. The most important thing is that the service is straightforward for the young person and that they are guided to the right place.
– Our goal is to ensure that young people do not fall between services, Ahosmäki sums up.
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Moving Forward by Sharing Experiences
The Multidisciplinary Joint Service promoting youth employment has been a statutory service since the beginning of 2025. According to the law, service points must be easily accessible to young people, which is why they have been established across the Employment Region.
In Paimio, the youth service point offers walk-in service every other week. The City is also responsible for the service point in Sauvo, which is open once a month. According to Workforce Planner Elina Kataja, the number of visitors has been very low, especially in Sauvo, and plans are being made to centralise the service in Paimio.
– What has been encouraging is that we have been able to answer the questions of the young people who have visited us and help move their matters forward.
According to Regional Coordinator Sanna Kankaanpää, the shared challenge for the service points is reaching young people. She is pleased that information now flows better between professionals working with young people. Representatives of the service points in the area meet once a month.
– We exchange updates, try to pick up good ideas from one another and solve challenges together, Kankaanpää says.
– It is nice that we are in regular contact, so that no one is left alone with these matters, Kataja adds.