Youth Department of Helsinki City

1. Youth Department of Helsinki City

2. LocalServices 12 Local YouthWork Units Voice of the Young in Helsinki -campaign Youth Department of Helsinki City Structure of the Youth Department Youth Committee Director CentralisedServices Administration Social Youth Work Cultural Youth Work Civil SocietySupport Human Resources Finance IT Communications Development Team

3. Youth Department of Helsinki City 1 135 465 visits (2006) 8 860 members (2006) Personnel 2006: 352 employees 229 (local services) 87 (centralised services) 36 (administration) Budget 2007 24.2 million Euros

4. How to Measure Quality Key Indicators • 14 indicators, of which 5 are used in Espoo and Vantaa youth services as well • most of the indicators are give information, which is mainly numbers • number of • visitors in youth clubs and young people participating the activities organized by youth workers in other facilities (e.g. schools) • young peoplewith immigrant background • associations´users of the facilities • visits of young people during the holiday season • camps and trip days • opening hours during week-end evenings, • sold member cards • visitors in website of The Youth Department

5. How to Measure Quality Key Indicators • 3 of the indicators give more information: • “participated” young people • young people met individually or in groups • young people supported according to an individual plan • these indicators do not only tell how many young people have participated to certain group process but also describe the quality of the activity • indicators tend to conduct our decisions and doing • the importance of careful progressing of the indicators and • mutual understanding of their definition

6. The model for the assessment of youth work Idea of the model is • to create a tool, which helps to evaluate and improve the quality of youth work • the mode has it “roots” in England (Kent Youth Service) • co-operation with Espoo and Vantaa youth services • viewpoints • quality of youth work practice • educational standards • assessment is a relational concept  the model gives concrete standards

7. The model for the assessment of youth work The Activities we assess: • open door activities • camp activities • small group activities • youth participation • week-end evenings (only in Helsinki)

8. The model for the assessment of youth workOpen door activities - viewpoints and criteria

9. The model for the assessment of youth work Open door activities - “Degree of the youth workers´ active approach”:

10. The model for the assessment of youth work Open door activities - “Young people’s learning”:

11. The model for the assessment of youth work Open door activities - “Utilizing information when planning activities”:

12. The model for the assessment of youth work Use of the model • auditions • youth workers from Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa are trained to do the auditions (peer-audition) • audition gives information which is used in development • “hte persons making the auditionsgive their observations to the use of the community” (not a role of consult) • learning process for both those who conduct the audition and who have been auditioned • self-assessment • choosing of developmental targets • the importance of the discussion

13. The model for the assessment of youth work Experiences • youth workers should be involved in creating the criteria and levels – they have important role in implementation • youth workers should be trained to use the model • “learning by doing” • the criteria and levels cannot be made without testing them • some of the criteria are quite universal, but it is important to pay attention to the strategy and/or needs of local youth work • the aim is not to see the criteria as a strict standard but instead to use it as a tool for developing the work