Verke

Verke is the national Centre of Expertise for Digital Youth Work in Finland. Verke’s vision is to provide everyone who works with young people with the opportunity to use digital media and technology as part of their work. Verke aims to promote welfare, inclusion and equality among young people by means of digital youth work.

To put it simply, digital youth work means using digital media and technology for youth work. In the context of youth work, digitality should be understood not only as a media but also a content, culture and operating environment.

The long-term goals of Verke’s operations:

• Knowledge of ways of using digital media and technology will increase and expand in the field of youth work
• The structures of youth work will support the use of digital media and technology in youth work
• Innovative services and concepts will be created in the field of youth work, using digital media and technology.

Verke’s key forms of work:

• Training and consultancy
• Production and dissemination of information
• Development of digital youth work together with actors in the field

The direct target audience of Verke’s operations are actors in the field of youth work, particularly in municipalities, organisations and parishes.

Verke is one of the national centres of expertise established by the Ministry of Education and Culture. Verke is fully funded by the ministry. Verke’s goals and operations are agreed in yearly discussions between Verke and the ministry. Verke’s operations are managed by City of Helsinki Youth Division.

Operations in 2017

Verke’s annual goals are tied to its long-term goals. Verke’s practical operations in 2017 will include the following activities:

• We will execute a national survey regarding digital youth work aimed at municipal youth workers
• We will host a wide array of activities in the event Nuori2017
• We will host 2-4 brunch sessions in different locations in Finland
• We will organise the third SomeCamp seminar.
• We will participate in the Basics of digital youth work online course as content creators, teachers and assessors.
• We will hold training sessions and workshops in line with demand.
• We will produce podcasts that address topical phenomena in young people’s Internet use and digital youth work.
• We will publish topical blog posts on the Verke website.
• We will send out our newsletter once a month.
• We will update and rework our websites English and Swedish sections and translate / compile new material in those languages.
• We will offer consultation concerning the online youth work subsidies of the Ministry of Education and Culture, to both applicants and the ministry.
• We will participate in steering and working groups that are integrally linked to digital youth work.
• We will participate in the European commissions Expert group on digitalization and youth.
• We will support municipalities and/or organizations to hold a joint e-sports tournament.
• We will host a seminar for youth work educators, where we will go through the key competencies as defined by the EU – Expert Group.
• We will translate materials relating to digital youth work in Finland to both English and Swedish.
• We will compile and publish an English publication about Finnish digital youth work.
• We will actively seek out international arenas to bring forward good practices from Finnish Digital Youth Work.