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 SotunkiIt is important and interesting to know about the decisionmaking in the

counties (1-5)1. 2,72 2,593 2.875

I am satisfied with the level of health services in my county1 3,32 3,223 3.75

I am happy with the level of leisure time services in my county1. 3,12 2,883 3.375

I am going to vote in the local election of 20081 52%2 62,9%3 75%

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 council1. yes 52% 2. yes 50%3. yes 48,1%

The youth council can make a difference (1-5)1. 2,52. 23. 2,37

I have knowledge of how the youth council works (1-5)1. 2,12. 1.8753. 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. 1,92. 2,223. 2.875

I find the decisions made by the parliament interesting 1. 2,22. 2,563. 2.35

Are citizens able to make a difference via members of the parliament1 2.62 2,673. 2.75

I am planning to vote in the next parliamental election 2007 1. yes - 44%2. yes - 70,4%3. yes - 75%

Business in Finland

General Information

• There are about 220 000 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 2200-2300 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 graders 3.70 / 5• 2nd graders 3.93 / 5• 3rd graders 4.25 / 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 • 1st 2,7 / 5• 2nd 3.04 / 5• 3rd 2.75 / 5

I think I have sufficient knowledge to become an entrepreneur (1-5)* 1st 2,3• 2nd 2,26• 3rd 3.375

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 2004.

• 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 2004.

• All the 14 finnish MEPs are elected from a single constituency.

How much do you think you know about the EU parliament? (1-5)1. 1.72. 2.53. 1,93

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. 2,32. 2.1253. 2,19

How many tasks of the EU partliament can you name? 1. 1,42. 1.8753. 1.67

How much effect do you think the decisions made by the EU have (1-5)? 1. 3,22. 3.8753. 3,6