Finlande

Hyvärilä Youth Centre of Finland

National Network
Finlande
Address

Lomatie 12
75500 Nurmes
Finlande

Telephone
00358401045960
Telephone (other)
00358407483286
E-Mail
hyvarila@nurmes.fi
E-Mail (2)
ekaterina.sysoeva@nurmes.fi
Mobile Phone
00358 505708634
Organisation Type
Non-Governmental Organization
Year of Establishment
1982
Fields of Activity
  1. Arts
  2. Environment/Sustainable development
  3. International/Cultural relations
  4. Research
  5. Youth and education
General Information

Hyvärilä Youth and Holiday Centre is one of Finland’s 9 Youth Centres financed by the Ministry of Education and Culture. Hyvärilä has functioned as a national youth centre since 1982. Hyvärilä exists through and for the young. Our special strength is our wide range of indoor and outdoor activities. As a youth centre, we develop our activities in accordance with the ideas of sustainable development and to keep a Quality Handbook. ' Hyvärilä Youth and Holiday Centre serves travellers, youth and event organisers on the north shore of Lake Pielinen in Nurmes, Finland. We provide accommodation and catering as well as facilities for events and celebrations. We form part of the Bomba tourist area. The all year round resort amenities include various saunas, course centre, hiking paths and nature trails, canoes, fishing equipment, snow shoes, rowing boats and handicraft activities, to name a few. We offer a wide selection of comfortable accommodation possibilities from high standard holiday apartments to modest hostel rooms. The Karelian nature with its tree-covered hills, the proximity of wilderness at the eastern border and the integration of the orthodox and Karelian cultures into the programmes of Hyvärilä is considered as the strengths of the centre. In addition, Lake Pielinen offers a perfect setting for water activities, such as paddling, fishing and rowing a church boat. A safety and environment auditing is carried out in Hyvärilä. Our instructors are professionals and take the safety of our guests into consideration when planning our programmes.

Mission and Objectives

Hyvärilä exists through and for the young. Our special strength is our wide range of indoor and outdoor activities. As a youth centre, we develop our activities in accordance with the ideas of sustainable development and to keep a Quality Handbook. We produce youth services for the town of Nurmes: confidential personal contact, coaches, facilities, activities. We aim to offer happiness and a sense of direction to youngsters through confidential dialogue, coaching, facilities for doing things. We act as partners in strengthening social skills, healthy habits and everyday life skills for the young. Nuotta-coaching, for example, provides opportunities to try new activities. The Nuotta-coach provides support, feedback and helps in processing experiences. Coaching is planned to meet the individual needs of each youngster through co-operation. One of our most important functions is to help youngsters to find their own path to multi-culturalism. We’re a member of the European Network of Youth Centres, aimed at promoting international youth travel. It’s our job to find the best way for each individual – most important is personal motivation. The goal is to improve the internationalization of the Finnish youth, as well as to provide unforgettable non-formal learning experiences for the visiting international youth groups. The purpose of all the international youth work is to promote acceptance of difference, cultural understanding, cultural awareness and intercultural dialogue. We practise multi-culturalism also at Hyvärilä: foreign volunteers and trainees keep us on our toes even when we’re not hosting international events!

Main Projects / Activities

Hyvärilä exists through and for the young. Our special strength is our wide range of indoor and outdoor activities. As a youth centre, we develop our activities in accordance with the ideas of sustainable development and to keep a Quality Handbook. We produce youth services for the town of Nurmes: confidential personal contact, coaches, facilities, activities. We aim to offer happiness and a sense of direction to youngsters through confidential dialogue, coaching, facilities for doing things. We act as partners in strengthening social skills, healthy habits and everyday life skills for the young. Nuotta-coaching, for example, provides opportunities to try new activities. The Nuotta-coach provides support, feedback and helps in processing experiences. Coaching is planned to meet the individual needs of each youngster through co-operation.

How can you contribute to the Network in your country?

Our Youth Centre is able and willing to contribute our experience and expertise from the past 35 years of youth work and educational activities. We are hoping to engage in the network, also through bringing our own regional, national and international partners and their knowledge to the table. As mentioned before, our activities and projects involving children, young people and professionals working with them can be also offered to support the field of youth work and education through the ALF network.

Why do you want to join the ALF Network?

Our interest is to diversify our practices, and gain more reliable partners to work with. We feel that the ALF network could be a potential way to do so, and are keen to explore the opportunities it offers to the Youth Centre's strategy and daily practices. We hope to be able to set up new initiatives and projects that are aligned with both, our and ALF networks aims.

Contact (1) Full Name
Ekaterina Sysoeva
Job Title
International Coordinator
Head of the organisation
-

Individual Member - Kirsi Valkama

National Network
Finlande
Address

Department of Biblical Studies, P.O. Box 4,
University of Helsinki
Finlande

Telephone
+358 02 941 22045
E-Mail
kirsi.valkama@helsinki.fi
Organisation Type
Individual Person
Year of Establishment
2002
Fields of Activity
  1. Research
General Information
Postdoctoral researcher
Mission and Objectives

Postdoctoral researcher

Main Projects / Activities

Projects: Galilee in the Iron Age: Archaeology, Texts and History
Society and Religion in the Ancient Near East / Changes in Sacred Texts and Traditions

Contact (1) Full Name
Kirsi Valkama
Job Title
Postdoctoral researcher
Head of the organisation
Kirsi Valkama

Individual Member - Martin Ubani (representing University of Eastern Finland)

National Network
Finlande
Address

Elontie 20 d
00660 Helsinki
Finlande

Telephone
+358505695698
E-Mail
martin.ubani@uef.fi
Organisation Type
Individual Person
Year of Establishment
2008
Fields of Activity
  1. International/Cultural relations
  2. Religion
  3. Youth and education
General Information
I am a professor of religious education. My interests include religion in education, and religion, dialogue and multiculturalism in education along with teacher education.
Mission and Objectives

My mission is to develop sound education with regards to religion, multiculturalism and dialogue. I view learning community as encompassing different actors in society and globally.

Main Projects / Activities

Latest: 1. Teaching experiment on teaching RE collaboratively with 3 religions. (Finland has a confessional RE model).
2. Religion, multiculturalism and conflict in Finnish educational policy and practice (on-going).

How can you contribute to the Network in your country?

Would like to co-operate in research and see university education as one actor and context for cooperation between parties.

Why do you want to join the ALF Network?

I have visited the ALF network as a representative of my institution [University of Eastern Finland]. I consider the values and environment in ALF such that I can relate my work and vision with. I believe I can contribute in the inter-disciplinary and inter-organisational whole in a constructive manner.

Contact (1) Full Name
Martin Ubani
Job Title
Professor of Religious Education
Head of the organisation
Jukka Mönkkönen

Individual Member - Matti KLINGE

National Network
Finlande
Address

Helsinki
Helsinki
Finlande

Telephone
.
E-Mail
matti.klinge@welho.com
Organisation Type
Individual Person
Fields of Activity
  1. Heritage
  2. Research
General Information
.
Mission and Objectives

.

Main Projects / Activities

.

Contact (1) Full Name
Matti KLINGE (Professeur, Dr. historien, essayiste)

Individual member - Ms. Ira Apter

National Network
Finlande
Address

Helsinki
Helsinki
Finlande

Telephone
--
E-Mail
ira_apter@hotmail.com
Mobile Phone
+358(0)504914547
Organisation Type
Individual Person
Year of Establishment
2000
Fields of Activity
  1. Others
General Information
NA
Mission and Objectives

NA

Main Projects / Activities

NA

Contact (1) Full Name
Ira Nicolina Apter

Individual Member : Mr. Sampo Vaarakallio

National Network
Finlande
Address

Yle News – P.O. BOX 10
00000 Helsinki
Finlande

Telephone
+358-40-5020260
E-Mail
sampo.vaarakallio@yle.fi
E-Mail (2)
sampova@gmail.com
Organisation Type
Individual Person
Year of Establishment
1000
Fields of Activity
  1. Democracy and community development
  2. Human rights
  3. International/Cultural relations
  4. Media
  5. Religion
  6. Research
General Information

NA

Mission and Objectives

NA

Main Projects / Activities

NA

Contact (1) Full Name
Mr. Sampo Vaarakallio
Head of the organisation
n/a

Individual Member : Ms. Anja-Riitta Ketokoski-Rexed

National Network
Finlande
Address

Helsinki
Helsinki
Finlande

Telephone
+358407761549
E-Mail
anja-riitta.ketokoski@saunalahti.fi
Organisation Type
Individual Person
Year of Establishment
1000
Fields of Activity
  1. International/Cultural relations
General Information
NA
Mission and Objectives

NA

Main Projects / Activities

Culture of peace, rights of women, feminism and international law, poverty eradication

Contact (1) Full Name
Ms. Anja-Riitta Ketokoski-Rexed (Ambassador - Ministry for Foreign Affairs) retired
Head of the organisation
n/a

Individual member: Anja Toivola-Stambouli

National Network
Finlande
Address

Helsinki
Helsinki
Finlande

Telephone
+358 41 463 9092
E-Mail
anja.toivola@iki.fi
Organisation Type
Individual Person
Fields of Activity
  1. Others
General Information
My interest comes from my work background, of more than 30 years in the International Red Cross/Red Crescent organization. I worked several years in the Mediterranean region, namely in North Africa and in the South West Balkans. I continue to visit the region as I have a second home in Tunisia. Currently I act as Secretay for the National Forum for Cooperation of Religions in Finland (CORE). This organisation brings together the main religious groups in Finland, namely the Jewish, Christian and Muslim.
Mission and Objectives

I share the objectives of the Anna Lindh Foundation and would like to contribute to its work where my experience could be useful. I believe that it is important to promote understanding and respect between cultures and people, and combat ignorance and xenophobia.

Main Projects / Activities

My areas of expertise are in humanitarian aid, organizational development, gender issues and inter-religious cooperation.

Contact (1) Full Name
Anja Toivola-Stambouli

Individual Member: Anu Piippo

National Network
Finlande
Address

Porvoonkatu 33 A 24
00510 Helsinki
Finlande

Telephone
+358503748037
E-Mail
akpiippo@gmail.com
Organisation Type
Individual Person
Year of Establishment
1111
Fields of Activity
  1. Gender
  2. Human rights
  3. International/Cultural relations
General Information
Individual member, MA (Middle Eastern Studies). Interested in the Middle Eastern societies, specially gender issues, and migration.
Mission and Objectives

If possible to participate any projects or seminars dealing with Middle East.

Main Projects / Activities

Any projects/issues/seminars dealing with Middle Eastern societis.

Contact (1) Full Name
Anu Piippo
Head of the organisation
Anu Piippo

Individual member: Ari Rusila

National Network
Finlande
Address

n/a
n/a
Finlande

Telephone
+358(0)406837654
E-Mail
rusilaari@yahoo.se
E-Mail (2)
arielfi@israelmail.com
Organisation Type
Individual Person
Year of Establishment
2008
Fields of Activity
  1. Democracy and community development
General Information
Ari Rusila is a blogger and former development project management expert from Finland with a special interest in the Balkan region. His other interests include geopolitics, conflicts and The Great Middle East. Ariel webpage [ ISSN 2342-8449 ] gives in Finnish language background information about Israeli politics, defence and society excluding religious themes. Author's main blog is Conflicts By Ari Rusila [aka ex-BalkanBlog] - ISSN 2342-6675 - covers issues of conflicts and regionally the Balkans (esp. Serbia), the Black Sea region and MENA (the greater Middle East and North Africa and esp. Israel) regions as well EurAsia.
Mission and Objectives

Blogging: Conflicts By Ari Rusila - http://arirusila.wordpress.com and Ariel-Israelista suomeksi - http://arielfi.wordpress.com

Main Projects / Activities

Main blog and five other blogs in English - all about the same content but different readership; one blog in Finnish language, active participation to different discussion forums.

Contact (1) Full Name
Ari Rusila
Job Title
Free political analyst and blogger
Head of the organisation
n/a