| MIKÄ ALLIANSSI? | YHTEYSTIEDOT | TIEDOTTEET JA KANNANOTOT | JÄSENJÄRJESTÖT | YHTEISTYÖKUMPPANIT |
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Jarkko Lehikoinen Head of International Affairs, Allianssi Board Member of European Youth Card Association EURO<26 – THE FINNISH WAY TO DO IT The Euro<26 Youth Card has existed in Europe for nearly 20 years. Certainly, there were individual town cards or country cards before that, but it was in 1985 that the European Youth Ministers introduced the idea of a national youth card to its member countries. Only two years later, the six member countries that had embraced the idea signed the so-called Lisbon agreement, which set common age limits, the design and reciprocal advantages for the card. A few years later, national card organisations founded an umbrella organisation called the European Youth Card Association (EYCA), whose work is supported by both the European Council and European Union. At the moment, the Euro<26 youth card is in use in 37 European countries, and new countries join in every year. There are over 4 million cardholders, and various benefits are available in 100,000 locations. Although most young people purchase the card for its benefits, there is much more to the card. At its best, it is an excellent channel for youth work and youth information since it can be used to reach a large number of young people – especially those who are not active in any youth organisations. The idea surrounding the card is to encourage young people to travel and to learn about and participate in cultural and recreational activities. More than that, the card can be used to tell young people where to find useful information (web-sites, e-mail, Euro<26 Magazine). National, and indeed even local, Euro<26 cards are highly diverse and many have a national name (e.g. Young Scot and Carta Giovani) and character. Also their benefits vary from country to country. Euro<26 – made in Finland In Finland, the Euro<26 card, then called Europassi, was first used in 1991. It did not sell well and the company responsible for launching it went bankrupt only five months later. In 1994, after a few quiet years, a new card called Herkules was introduced. A few years ago the international name and emblem of the Euro<26 Youth Card was adopted in Finland, too. We have about 100,000 cardholders today, and discounts are available at 1,000 locations (covering youth hostels, shops, travel, culture, sports, etc). The way the Finnish Euro<26 youth card is maintained and administered in Finland is different from other countries. In most European states the card is distributed by independent companies, founded for the sole purpose of developing the card. In Finland, on the other hand, the card is one of the services provided by the national youth council, Allianssi. The Allianssi organisation sees the card as an excellent tool for youth promoting information and mobility. With it we can reach those young people who are not active in any of our youth organisations and who are difficult to contact by any other means. However, Allianssi itself gives out only a small proportion of thel Euro<26 youth cards sold in Finland. Allianssi’s many member organisations, Finnish youth organisations, have included the Euro<26 card in their membership card and either sell it to their members or give it out as one their membership benefits. For example, every year about 33,000 young Finns receive the card through Finland’s 4H Association. During the last few years some Finnish towns and municipalities, e.g. Tampere, Turku and Lahti, have begun selling Euro<26 cards to their young inhabitants. In such cases, the card is often combined with the town’s own youth club card. Young people who do not belong to any of the organisations that distribute the card or who do not get it from town authorities can purchase it directly from Allianssi. In 2004 we began cooperating with Finland’s biggest youth travel organisation, Kilroy Travels, and now young people can order the card from the travel agency. The Kilroy agency combines the Euro<26 card with its own IYTC-card. Allianssi uses the Euro<26 Youth Card to inform young people on issues related to their lives and activities. An annual guidebook for the card lists all the benefits it provides. The guide includes a chapter on youth information and provides information for contacting Finnish youth information centres. It also explains Finnish youth organisations and their services. The Euro<26 Youth Card encourages young people to become more international by providing details on youth exchange schemes and how to participate in international Euro<26 events organised by EYCA. The card’s interactive net pages enable young people to participate in various activities, both in Finland and abroad. There is also a club for Euro<26 Youth Card holders. Club members receive information by e-mail on new benefits and activities. | |
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