Youth section member Milla Rantamäki and Heidi Kohtala from the Food Agency participated in the local meeting organized in Myslowice, Poland in June 2022.
Liiveri sent ten young people or people working with young people on study trips to different parts of Europe: Italy, Poland, Germany, Greece and Bulgaria. In addition, a local meeting for international participants was organized in Liiver in August-September in Finland. The trips were part of the SaYouth project, which aims to develop young people's opportunities to influence and participate in civil society in Europe.
- What I especially remembered from the study trip were the local volunteers, who dedicate their lives to helping others, says a member of Liiveri's youth department who participated in the study trip to Italy Veera Bohjanen.
Veera Bohjanen from Liiver's youth division visited Scandiano and Sala Baganza areas in Italy.
Bohjanen was one of the young people who participated in this year's SaYouth study tours. In Italy, the participants visited Sala Baganza and Scandiano, getting to know, among other things, the local youth council and volunteer work. Bohjanen was impressed by the fact that there were volunteers of all ages, including young people and families.
The project implements a digital tool for young people, which was designed during study trips. It was also impressive that the opinion of young people was asked and valued during the study trip.
- You could really express your own opinions, Bohjanen emphasizes.
Member of the youth division Milla Rantamäki participated in a study trip to Myslowice, Poland. I especially remembered the city mayor's participation in the youth council meetings and how local volunteers work for animals and nature.
- Piles of leaves had been left as protection for the hedgehogs and signs had been erected on the roadside to remind motorists of the hedgehogs in the area.
Sofia Douka, chairwoman of Liiver's youth division, and member Milla Rantamäki told what inspires them to work actively in the youth division.
Liiver's own local meeting was organized in Seinäjoki and Ilmajoki on August 31–September 2, 2022. During the study trip, we got to know, for example, the activities of Seinäjoki's youth services and the Youth Leader grant granted by Liiver.
- Based on feedback, the work done with young people at Ilmajoki Voimavaratila Toiska was the highlight of the study trip for many participants, says Noora Riippi From the liver.
The international guests heard about the activities of Liiver's youth division and the Youth Leader funding. In the picture on the right is Veera Bohjanen, a member of the youth division.
Liiveri organized a joint evening for the participants of the SaYouth project in November, where the participants could discuss and share what they had learned from the trip. During the evening, a thought emerged: "Politics is not just voting, voting is the minimum. If you want to bring about change, you have to do much more." The participants agreed that they would join a similar project in the future as well.
- The best week of this year, sums up Veera Bohjanen from the youth division.
Watch the Youtube video about the experiences of SaYouth participants!
The SaYouth project has received funding from the Citizens' Europe program. The project is managed by the municipality of Ale in Sweden. The project involves actors from seven different countries.