Active citizenship and entrepreneurship In Finland Opinions in Sotunki senior high School, Vantaa

FINNISH COUNTIES -432 counties in all -Have a high level of local autonomy

The Council The decision-making authority Decides the services the county offers Appoints the municipal manager and the municipal executive board Elected by the residents in free elections every 4th year The voting rate last year was only 58,6%

THE SERVICES OF THE COUNTIES The education – schools and cultural services Children`s daycare and other social services Social support Medical and dental care Environmental protection Promoting employment in their area

City of Vantaa: 67 councillors The voting rate was lowest of the country: 50,9% The biggest parties are Finnish social Democratic Party and The National Coalition Party The municipal manager is Juhani Paajanen

Opinions in Sotunki It is important and interesting to know about the decisionmaking in the counties (1-5) 1.2,7 22, I am satisfied with the level of health services in my county 13,3 23, I am happy with the level of leisure time services in my county 1.3,1 22, I am going to vote in the local election of % 262,9% 375%

Nuorisovaltuusto The youth council of Vantaa

Current youth council is third in succession. It consists of 30 members, all fourteen to eighteen years old The council has monthly meetings The meetings are open to everyone

The idea of the youth council: To improve the youth’s role in the decisionmaking To politically activate the youth How the youth council works: Co-operation with the pupil councils in schools Regional co-operation Work groups and projects

Targets and purpose: To teach youth to take part into the county decisionmaking and give them opportunities. The youth council can give town administration initiatives about any subject The youth council has a representative in board of free time activities, board of education and in all seven regional boards of Vantaa.

Opinions of our pupils: I know at least one member of the youth council 1. yes 52% 2. yes 50% 3. yes 48,1% The youth council can make a difference (1-5) 1. 2, ,37 I have knowledge of how the youth council works (1-5) 1. 2, ,3

Eduskunta the Finnish parliament

Basic information 200 seats Eight parties, three big and five smaller : -The center party (right) -SDP (left) -National coalition party (right) -The left union (left) -The Greens (left) -The swedish speaking party (right) -The christian democrats (right) -Finnish party (right) The chairman of the parliament is Paavo Lipponen (former prime minister) The parliament has the supreme power in Finland

The elections: Members of parliament are elected in general elections once in four years. There are fifteen election districts. The amount of seats per district depends on the amount of population All eighteen year old citizens can vote in parliamentary elections

The duties of the Finnish parliament: Makes laws Approves the national budget Elects the prime minister Supervises the government politically Ratifies any international treaties made by government Decides about war and peace together with the president

How many important tasks of the parliament can you name? (1-5) 1.1,9 2.2, I find the decisions made by the parliament interesting 1. 2,2 2. 2, Are citizens able to make a difference via members of the parliament , I am planning to vote in the next parliamental election yes - 44% 2.yes - 70,4% 3. yes - 75%

Business in Finland

General Information There are about entrepreneurs in Finland. Business and economy has grown well after year 1995, about 3-4 % in average. The Finnish economy has now recovered from the great depression of early 1990’s Each year about companies are formed

Companies are small, most of them employ 1-9 people. In 2003, there were about 575 Big Companies with over 250 employees. Average age of entrepreneurs is much higher than the age of employees Only 5% of working age people are Entrepreneurs, while in many other European countries the figure is about 10%.

Obstacles to enterpreneurship: Fear of risks, high taxation At paid job you can lose your job but as an enterpreneur you can lose everything Social security for unemployed is better than in many other countries. Forming a company is difficult because of the bureaucracy

Entrepreneurship – important? Do you think entrepreneurship is important 1st graders3.70 / 5 2nd graders3.93 / 5 3rd graders4.25 / 5 Are there any entrepreneurs in your family? 1st 59 % 2nd 40,8% 3rd 12.5% I’m interested in business and it is possible I become an entrepreneur 1st2,7 / 5 2nd3.04 / 5 3rd2.75 / 5 I think I have sufficient knowledge to become an entrepreneur (1-5) *1st2,3 2nd2,26 3rd3.375

European parliament Josep Borrell Fontelles, Speaker of the EP.

European parliament in short There are 732 Members of European parliament (MEP). The latest MEPs were directly elected in the 25 Member States in June The MEPs represent the 457 million citizens of EU, and they are working together to build a better European home for us.

The Finnish MEPs in EP There are 14 MEPs from Finland, five women and nine men: Four of them work in the Christian democratic party One is in the Greens Five are in the Group of Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Three are in the Socialist party One represents the Confederal Group of the European United Left.

The tasks of EP Approves EU’s budjet Nominates the members of European commission. Takes part to the legislation process with Council of EU. Ratifies the treaties signed by the Union

Voting People choose the members of European parliament once in five years in general elections. During the first election in 1996 the voting rate in Finland was about 60% but it has sunk to 41% in All the 14 finnish MEPs are elected from a single constituency.

How much do you think you know about the EU parliament? (1-5) ,93 Can you name any Finnish MEPs? 1. No 67% 2. No 37.5% 3. No 63 % Are you interested in how the EU works? (1-5) 1. 2, ,19 How many tasks of the EU partliament can you name? 1. 1, How much effect do you think the decisions made by the EU have (1-5)? 1. 3, ,6