Finnish Youth Co-Operation - Allianssi

General

• is an umbrella organisation for Finnish youth organisations
• is an interest organisation for Finnish youth and organisations
• is a service organisation for those, who work with young people on the local or regional level and in youth organisations, and
• is a service organisation directly for young people.

Allianssi is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation independent of any political and denominational affiliation. Membership is open to all democratic nation-wide organisations dealing with youth issues.

History

Due to many overlapping members, activities and interests, it was decided to have only one organisation for youth workers and youth organisations and thus the Finnish Youth Cooperation Allianssi was established in 1993.

Activities

Allianssi

• offers educational services to local youth workers and organisations. The educational provision varies from organisational economics through multicultural education to training on street work.

• runs a Youth Policy Library. It is the only one of its kind in the Nordic countries. Its collections include research literature and other publications which deal with young people. It is intended for researchers and for anyone interested in young people's affairs. The collection contains some 13 000 publications and 200 volumes of journals and reviews.

• maintains Youth Info House -web service. Its mission is to facilitate access to youth studies resources as well as to promote internet skills and networking among youth workers and those interested in the field.

• provides information for young people. It produces independent information for local youth information centres and arranges relevant training. Allianssi represents Finnish youth information centres in international contexts and is a member of the European Youth Information and Counselling Agency ERYICA.

• publishes a youth research magazine, Nuorisotutkimus (The Finnish Journal of Youth Research), which is the only comprehensive publication of its kind in Finland. It is a contact forum for youth workers, teachers and other people who work with young people. The topics range from topical legislation to trends in youth culture.

• manages youth exchanges. Each year over one thousand young people go abroad to work through the Allianssi Youth Exchanges. The programmes offer both stimulating long-term jobs and summer jobs. Possibilities range from au pair work in the USA and 15 European countries to jobs in European hotels, from 2-weeks work camps to voluntary work in developing countries. Moreover, Allianssi participates in the European Voluntary Service programme organised by the EU.

• administers the Euro<26 youth card system in Finland. It is a member of the European Youth Card Association EYCA.

• publishes different kind of guidebooks on youth work for organisations and municipalities. Allianssi publishes a yearbook with several articles and a directory of all its member organisations. Allianssi also publishes an educational magazine Youth Work (Nuorisotyö), eight times per year. For its member organisations Allianssi provides a newsletter called AllianssiExpress twice a month.

• promotes youth policy. Together with the Advisory Council for youth affairs (former State Youth Council), Allianssi arranges shadow elections since 1995 for young people between 15 and 18, who elect their own "youth parliament". In a project designed to alleviate youth unemployment, Allianssi compiled and passed on young people's own ideas for employment. Allianssi has also been involved with the Finnish youth work strategy from the beginning. The strategy is designed to promote youth work and activities, with a special emphasis on young people's living conditions.

• administers international youth co-operation in Finland. It is a full member of the European Youth Forum (YFJ). It also co-operates closely with its Nordic counterparts:
  AESI - Iceland ,   DUF - Denmark ,   LNU - Norway   and   LSU - Sweden
  Allianssi's international policy and activities are co-ordinated by the general assembly and the Board, as well as the international subcommittee, international seminars and study visits for its member organisations and also arranges them itself. Through Allianssi it is possible for the courses and seminars throughout Europe. Allianssi has actively participated in the Council of Europe campaign against racism, antisemitism, xenophobia and intolerance and is a member organisation of the Europeanwide network against rasism UNITED. Presently the main emphasis is in the promotion of multicultural youth work both nationally and internationally.

Structure

Allianssi holds a general meeting twice a year. The autumn meeting elects a chairman and a Board and approves the budget and action plan for the following year. The spring meeting approves the accounts for the previous year and discharges the outgoing Board from liability. The member organisations have votes according to the number of members.

The Board consists of a chair, a vice-chair and 14 members and their personal deputies. A deputy can take part in the meeting only if the acutal member is absent. In addition, the board includes the Secretary General of Allianssi and operational secretaries when needed.

The Board appoints an executive committee to prepare matters for it and to implement matters assigned by the Board. On application, the Board can set up other committees and subcommittees according to need.

Allianssi has about 20 employees. The office is directed by the Secretary General. The activities fall into five teams: administrative team, international team, youth exchange team, information service team and development team. Each team is headed by a team manager. The board and its chairs work without remuneration.

Allianssi member organisations

The Left Youth

Finnish Christian Union Youth

Socialdemocratic Youth of Finland

Socialdemocratic Students of Finland

Student Union of the Centre Party

Tuhatkunta - Student Organization of the Coalition Party

Youth League of the Coalition Party

Youth Organization of the Swedish People's Party

Youth Organization of the Centre Party

Cultural and Hobby Youth Organisations

Association of the Swedish-speaking Youth in Finland

Association of the "Helka" Youth

Finnish 4H-Federation

Finnish Young Sailors

Finnish Youth Association

Karelian Youth Association

Nature League

United Nations' Youth and Student Association in Finland

Youth League of the Finnish Nordic Association

Christian Youth Association

Finnish Ecumenical Youth Council

Finnish Federation of Settlement Youth Associations

Orthodox Youth Association

Student Christian Movement in Finland

YMCA in Finland

Young Women's Christian Association in Finland

Adult Student's Union

Finnish Association of Nursing Students

Finnish Federation of Vocational Trainees

Finnish Union of Kindergarten Teacher Students

National Union of Finnish Students

Union of Finnish Commercial Students

Union of Finnish Students of Technology (not available at the moment)

Union of Secondary School Students

AFS Intercultural Programs/Finland

International Christian Youth Exchange

International Cultural Youth Exchange

Children's Organization of the Coalition Party MiniJellonat

Children's Organization - Vesaiset

Christian Boys' and Girls' Association in Finland

Democratic Union of Finnish Pioneers

Guides and Scouts of Finland

Finnish Falcon Movement

The Kaleva Youth Association

Adventure Education Training Center

Association for the Teachers of Evening Schools

Association of the Class Teachers

Association of the Disabled

Association of Finnish Youth Choirs

Association of the Protection of the Population

Center for Childwork in the Church

Center for School Clubs

Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions

Confederation of Unions for Academic Professionals in Finland (AKAVA)

Federation of the Hard of Hearing

Finnish Amateur Radio League

Finnish Association of the Deaf

Finnish Association of Graduate Engineers

Finnish Association for Pedagogicshttp://

Finnish DX Association

Finnish Muscular Deseases Association

Finnish Pupils' Tutors

Finnish Red Cross

Friends of Temperance

Friends of the Youth

Group Work

Mannerheim League for Child Welfare

Organization of Camping-Shcools in Finland (not available at the moment)

Society of the Mental Health in Finland

Students' Health Care Foundation

Summer High School Association

Supportive Association for the Christian Education and School

Supportive Association for the Christian School of Helsinki

Teachers' Trade Union of Finland

Workers' Sports Federation

Youth Workers in the Church

National Association of the Disabled

Lutheran Church Youth Department

Finland MS Association

Finland CP Association