Asikkala municipality / youth services

Asikkala as an organization has lot of different service areas, one of which is wellness services and under it are youth services. Asikkala is a small town surrounded by lakes in Päijät-Häme, Finland. Asikkala has approximately 8000 residents. Youth services in Asikkala provide leisure services for children and young people from the age of 6 up to the age of 29. The purpose of youth services is to support the growth and independence of children and young people, promote active citizenship and social empowerment and improve the growth and living conditions of children and young people in the municipality of Asikkala. The starting points of youth work are unhurried encounters and a preventive approach. For example, we have a youth house which is open four days a week for different age groups. At the youth house children and young people can chat with their friends, play games, do sports, have snacks, play music etc., and we organize activities also based on participants wishes. On holidays we organize activities, camps and trips to different places (for example overnight youth house, movies, museums, sport facilities, shopping, family outings etc.). We also participate and organize events and activities at local schools based on themes such as substance abuse, wellbeing, social media, sexuality, self-confidence and self-worth, leisure time, active citizenship and teamwork- and friendship skills. Our activities are always very functional and offer chances for participation. We work closely together with schools and NGO´s to develop services based on needs to prevent marginalization. We also offer the possibility to be part of Erasmus+ programs.