Five employees from the City of Turku’s youth work service area are setting off on a one-week study trip to Iceland on Monday, September 14. The goal of the Erasmus+-funded trip is to learn how international youth work is conducted in Iceland.
Iceland is an excellent destination for a study trip, given its long-standing and extensive experience in international youth work. A trip to Reykjavík offers the chance to visit local youth centers and explore the administration of youth services, as well as to hear firsthand how international youth work is conducted in the country.
Internationalization is a key strategic development area for the organization. As international youth work has been somewhat limited in recent years, this study trip provides staff with valuable experience in international activities. All youth service staff members were eligible to apply for the trip.
Applicants were required to explain why they were suitable candidates and describe how they would like to engage in international youth work themselves. The standard of applications was high, and there was significant interest in the trip. From among dozens of applicants, five individuals were selected: Hanna Simon, Henna Virolainen, Jami Koistinen, Liisa Pyykönen, and Amina Marouf.
Youth work coordinator Hanna Simon is looking forward to the trip with excitement and curiosity.
"I’ve heard a lot about Iceland’s diverse and active international youth work. Iceland maintains strong international ties and has extensive experience in various forms of international cooperation and programming. I believe we can gain valuable insights from their experiences to apply here in Turku."
The aim is to continue organizing study trips and creating international opportunities in the future. There is a great deal of interest among the staff, and it is important to learn from those who have more extensive and long-standing experience in international work. These trips provide an opportunity to learn from the practices of others, apply those lessons, and collaboratively develop our own operations. Once staff members have gained this initial experience, we can move on to planning international activities together with young people.
The study visit is funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Union or the Finnish National Agency for Education. Neither the European Union nor the Finnish National Agency for Education can be held responsible for them.
For more information on the Erasmus+ programme: Erasmus-programme-finland
