Youth Council

The Espoo Youth Council is a nonpartisan representative body for young people in Espoo, which wields the voice of young people in the city’s organisation.

In Espoo, the Youth Council has the right to speak at and attend meetings of the City Board, the City Council and all city committees. The Youth Council contributes by making statements, taking initiatives, stating positions and organising events. Members of the Youth Council meet once a month at a general assembly, where the biggest decisions are taken.

Members are elected in Youth Council elections every two years. All young Espoo residents between 13 and 18 years of age can stand as candidates and vote in the elections.

The aim of the Youth Council’s activities is to raise young people’s awareness of social activities and opportunities for influence in order to inspire them to follow current matters and actively influence them.

The activities of the Youth Council are coordinated by youth work coordinators from Espoo’s Youth Services. The aim of the coordinators is to help the council members carry out the Youth Council’s activities in the best possible way throughout the city organisation.

Further information: nuorisovaltuusto@espoo.fi

The coordinators of the Youth Council are Mira Honkaniemi and Minna Lehmuksenkukka.

The Youth Council's own space is located in the center of Espoo, at Kamreerintin 3 C, 3. floor.  Working group meetings and joint meetings are held in the Youth Council's own space.

You can also come and meet the coordinators of the Youth Council every Tuesday and Thursday, from 3 pm to 6 pm. However, please check before you arrive as there may be exceptions to the schedules. If the front door is closed, call the coordinators or the person in charge of your own team.

Welcome to chat and get to know Youth Council's activities!

Mira Honkaniemi, 040 636 8832

Minna Lehmuksenkukka, 040 636 5299

first name.last name@espoo.fi

The highest decision-making body of the Youth Council is the general assembly, which takes place once a month at the City of Espoo’s Council Hall. Agendas and minutes are available at espoo.fi. The general assemblies are open to all interested parties and can be observed on site.

The general assembly is chaired by the chairperson, the agenda is published at least three days beforehand, and the minutes are drawn up formally afterwards. The agenda and invitation the general assembly are sent to all members of the Youth Council.

The general assembly makes the important decisions about the Youth Council. The general assembly approves initiatives and positions and elects the chairpersons, the board of directors, the regional chairs and the representatives for committees. The general assembly decides on the direction of the Youth Council’s activities and the use of its budgetary appropriations. At general assemblies, members also report on topical issues in their respective areas of responsibility.

Meeting times, spring 2022

• 25 January
• 1 February
• 15 February
• 15 March
• 12 April
• 10 May

The Youth Council elects representatives from among its members to the city’s committees and various positions of trust. The elected representatives can attend meetings, present the initiatives approved by the Youth Council and express young people’s opinions on the issues discussed at the meetings. The representatives of the Youth Council do not have the right to vote at meetings. A position of trust is about concrete and practical advocacy work. Being a representative in a position of trust can be challenging and requires effort, but it is also an excellent way to make a difference and participate in the city’s development and decision-making.

Positions of trust in 2022

Committees:

Growth and Learning Committee

Pauli Rantatupa

alternate: Vilma Nissinen

City Planning Committee

Aaron Komulainen

alternate: Neea Mäkitalo

Culture Committee

Sofia Lindfors

alternate: Aaron Komulainen

Sports and Exercise Committee

Milla Suominen

alternate: Tapio Heikkola

Environment and Building Control Committee

Veikka Silvekoski

alternate: Sebastian Nilsson

Welfare and Health Committee

Iida Helin

alternate: Outi Ala-Kojola

Committee for Swedish Education and Culture

Hans Weurlander

alternate: Otso Kneckt

Technical Services Committee

Leevi Jantunen 

alternate: Severi Lybeck

Growth and Learning Committee, Youth Affairs Subcommittee

Topi Leijola

alternate: Vilma Nissinen

Advisory boards and committees:

Advisory Board for Substance Abuse Matters

Iiro Nieminen

alternate: Vilma Nissinen

Equality Committee

Jooa Lähteenmäki

alternate: Josef Seoudi

Cross-administrative steering groups:

Sustainable Espoo

Sofia Meng  

alternate: Iiro Nieminen  

Dynamic Espoo

Milla Suominen

alternate: Thomas Karppinen

Events Together in Espoo

Leevi Jantunen

alternate: Otso Kneckt

Healthy Espoo

Fiia Männikkö

alternate: Sebastian Nilsson

Welfare working groups and other bodies:

Welfare working group for Espoonlahti

Markus Savander

alternate: Vivianne Salmi

Welfare working group for central and northern Espoo

Neea Mäkitalo

alternate: Ruiyan Tang  

Welfare working group for the Leppävaara area

Thomas Karppinen                                                                         

alternate: Vivianne Salmi

Welfare working group for the Matinkylä-Olari-Tapiola area

Margarita Komanshinskaya  

 alternate: Outi Ala-Kojola

Youth welfare working group 

Pauli Rantatupa  

alternate: Margarita Komanshinskaya  

Growth and Learning Sector Management Group

Vilma Nissinen  

alternate: Otso Kneckt

Disability Council

Ruiyan Tang

alternate: Thomas Karppinen

Initiatives by the Youth Council are most often inspired by shortcomings in the city’s services and bring forward new proposals for action. Ideas for initiatives come from Youth Council members and other young people. Anyone can contact the Youth Council and suggest important issues the Youth Council should address. A member of the Youth Council prepares an initiative, which is discussed in the General Assembly. Approved initiatives are taken to the committees through the City Registry.

The aim of positions is to influence the current decisions of the city. The preparation of a position requires careful examination of the matter and related reports. Often positions are prepared jointly or a responsible person is chosen for their preparation. Positions are approved by the general assembly.

The chairperson of the Youth Council acts as the chairperson of the council’s general assemblies and board meetings and is responsible for the development of the Youth Council’s activities as a whole.

The chairperson is the primary representative of the Youth Council externally and, together with the youth work coordinators, invites the media to the council’s events. Furthermore, the chairperson is responsible for cooperation with other youth councils, especially in the capital region. The chairperson is also responsible for starting the preparation of the annual action plan, together with the board.

The first vice-chairperson is responsible for all duties of the chairperson during his/her absence. The second vice-chairperson is responsible for all duties of the first vice-chairperson during his/her absence.

The Youth Council’s chairperson is Juho Virolainen, the first vice-chairperson is Milla Salminen and the second vice-chairperson is Leevi Jantunen.

The Youth Council elects six persons from among its members to form the Youth Council Board. The board also includes the chairpersons.

The board prepares the agendas for the general assemblies and makes proposals for decisions on the matters to be discussed. The board meets at least once between general assemblies, and its meetings are open to all members of the Youth Council.

The board members are Aaron Komulainen, Topi Leijola, Hans Weurlander, Veikka Silvekoski, Fiia Männikkö and Miko Manninen.

The round table of the student council boards (OPKH) includes the chairperson and one vice-chairperson of the student council from each general upper secondary school in Espoo. The members have the right to bring initiatives and statements to the round table.

The round table has a chairperson elected by the Youth Council, and the body also has a vice-chairperson. The chairperson and vice-chairperson are obliged to attend the meetings of the Youth Council Board. The chairperson must convene the round table once every two months. Representatives are elected to positions of trust annually. The round table meetings follow the same rules as the Youth Council meetings. The round table members also elect a secretary for the body.

The round table has the right to bring statements and initiatives to the general assembly of the Youth Council through the board. The round table also has the right to two representatives entitled to attend and speak at the general assemblies. The round table is responsible for preparing its action plan and annual report.

Pauli Rantatupa is the representative and chairperson of the Youth Council and Veikka Silvekoski is the vice-chairperson.

In parentheses after the name, the number of votes by which the representative of the youth council was elected for the term 2022-2023.

Ahmed Jenit (85)

Ala-Kojola Outi (232)

Alaruikka Sonja (66)

Bergström Maximilian (101)

Heikkola Tapio (504)

Helin Iida (157)

Hoxha Alfred (205)

Ibidokun David (389)

Jantunen Leevi (120)

Karppinen Thomas (63)

Kivijärvi Edwin (108)

Kneckt Otso (74)

Komashinskaya Margarita (61)

Komulainen Aaron (121)

Leijola Topi (592)

Lindfors Sofia (83)

Lybeck Severi (93)

Lähteenmäki Jooa (85)

Manninen Miko (209)

Meng Sofia (62)

Monykuany Nyemuoc (133)

Muller Tara (79)

Mäkitalo Neea (62)

Männikkö Fiia (70)

Nieminen Iiro (96)

Nilsson Sebastian (73)

Nissinen Vilma (150)

Pohjanmaa Kaisa (160)

Rantatupa Pauli (72)

Salmi Vivianne (70)

Savander Markus (67)

Seoudi Josef (76)

Silvekoski Veikka (64)

Solala Totti (64)

Suikkari Noora (298)

Suominen Milla (198)

Tang Ruiyan (101)

Weurlander Hans (236)

Virolainen Juho (128)

Voutilainen Ida (158)

Nuorisovaltuutetut valitaan kahden vuoden välein käytävissä nuorisovaltuustovaaleissa. Kaikki vaalivuonna 13–18-vuotta täyttävät espoolaiset nuoret, joiden virallinen kotikunta on Espoo, voivat asettua ehdolle ja äänestää vaaleissa.

Vaaleilla valittavan nuorisovaltuuston toimikausi on kaksi vuotta. Toimikausi alkaa esimerkiksi 1.1.2022 ja loppuu seuraavan vuoden joulukuun lopussa eli 31.12.2023. Valtuutettuja valitaan 40 äänimääräisessä järjestyksessä.

Espoon nuorisovaltuusto perustettiin maaliskuussa vuonna 1997. Ensimmäinen nuorisovaltuusto valittiin postivaaleilla, joissa 13–20-vuotiaat nuoret saivat äänestää ja asettua ehdokkaaksi. Sittemmin ikärajoja on muutettu ja vaalitapa on vaihtunut. Vaalit tapahtuvat syksyisin parittomina vuosina kaikissa Espoon kouluissa ja oppilaitoksissa, joissa on vaalikelpoisia ja äänestysikäisiä nuoria. Vaalit toteutetaan sähköisesti.

Espoon Nuorisovaltuustovaaleja koordinoi nuorisopalveluiden Nuorisovaltuuston nuorisotyön koordinaattorit mutta vaalit järjestetään ja toteutetaan tiiviissä yhteistyössä kaupungin muiden toimialojen sekä Helsingin että Vantaan kaupungin kanssa.

• Kannanotto nuorten kokemasta seksuaalisesta häirinnästä

• Kannanotto: Nuorisovaltuustovaalien äänimäärä julkistettava!

• Improving the digital learning environment

• Statement relating to breakfast service 

• Recycling capacity at schools must be improved
• Combination birth control pills should be dispensed until 25 years of age
• Sustainable development at schools in Espoo 
• COVID-19 pandemic prevention measures at Espoo schools
• City finances must be put in order
• ‘Economically sustainable Espoo’ productivity and adjustment programme for economic stabilisation measures
• The future of Espoo’s sustainable development policy
• Increasing voter turnout among young people

• Statement on the call for preparations for organisational reform (PDF, 16 KB)

• Statement on the story of Ohjaamotalo
• Statement on Arja Juvonen’s summer voucher initiative
• Statement on Espoo’s municipality-specific upper secondary school curriculum reform for 2021
• Statement on making the Leppävaara school sports class experiment permanent practice (PDF, 12 KB)
• Open letter from the youth councils of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area to the Board of the Helsinki Region Transport joint local authority regarding the increase in ticket prices (PDF, 12 KB)
• Observations of the Espoo Youth Council on the City of Espoo’s statement on the Government’s draft proposal on the organisation of social welfare, healthcare and rescue services (PDF, 64 KB)
• Text of the Youth Council on Espoo’s VLR report (PDF, 47 KB)