SusDTee Speaks

Good morning and welcome to another #Wednesdays4Turku, where we dive into important regional updates and raise awareness on key topics affecting our community. This week, we're focusing on the Labour Force Barometer, a valuable tool offering both national and regional insights into employment trends and skills needs. Whether you're a job seeker, employer, policymaker, or educator, this tool helps make sense of where the labour market is heading—and what we need to prepare for in the near future. The Labour Force Barometer is a collaborative effort, produced by the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, the KEHA Centre, and the regional ELY Centres. It's built with input from a wide range of stakeholders, including educational institutions and employers, ensuring that the forecast reflects real-world demands. You can explore sector-specific information and upcoming skills needs directly on their website: tyovoimabarometri.fi South-West Finland: Where We Stand and What’s Ahe...

Finland is a popular destination for international students, with over 20,000 students currently pursuing higher education in the country. The city of Turku alone hosts around 2,500 international students. Turku aims to be the best student city in Finland. However, these students face significant challenges in finding employment integrating and being included into Finnish society. Some Challenges Faced by International Students: 1. Job Search Difficulties: International students in Finland struggle to find part-time jobs due to language barriers, lack of professional networks, unwillingliness to employ 'unfarmiliar' names or faces; and limited work experience. 2. Integration Challenges: International students often find it difficult to integrate into Finnish society due to cultural differences, language barriers, and limited social connections. 3. Financial Constraints: International students in Finland are required to pay tuition fees, which can range from €6,000 t...

I noticed a trend in discussions and attitudes within communities of people who move to Finland - if you speak up or criticize the society objectively or not, you are ungrateful. By this definition, I am an ungrateful immigrant and you should be too. This narrative is also promoted by the society which tends to indirectly or directly pick and choose who are the more welcome ‘immigrants’ based on how ‘grateful’ they are or not. For want of a better word, I will use the term immigrant as is used in the mainstream discourses in Finland so we have a common ground. Gratitude is ONLY a first step Gratitude acknowledges the opportunities and freedoms often associated with moving to a new country. For many, immigration may provide access to better education, safety, healthcare, and economic stability—opportunities that might not have been available in their country of origin. This is a phase that must not end as such. Gratitude means contributing and enriching the new s...

Political mentoring is a powerful tool for fostering inclusion in decision-making and political spaces. In this bog post I highlight some reasons why. Diversifies political representation Political mentoring will help underrepresented groups—such as women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities—navigate barriers to entry into politics. By increasing visibility, mentoring empowers diverse individuals, ensuring that their voices and perspectives are included in decision-making processes. Builds confidence and skills Politics can be daunting for newcomers. Mentoring guides mentees through complex systems, boosting their confidence. Mentees also learn essential skills like public speaking, policy formulation, and negotiation, which are critical to meaningfully participate. Promotes knowledge transfer and cultural awareness There are many Finnish politicians who have been in decision-making for a long period and have seen the dynamics in different contexts. Through mentoring,...

It is another #Wednesdays4Turku. I trust that you are keeping safe and sound. Today let's talk integration which is often the favorite of employment services, city services and CSOs addressing the needs of internationals, migrants, immigrants, newcomers, people of immigrant background. Did you notice how the labels are many....This is a subject for another discussion but let's start with some food for thought before going into today's topic. I am still looking for the right term but ' immigrant ' or in Finnish, ' maahanmuuttaja ' (someone who is moving into a country) is one that makes me cringe but can it be avoided - who is an immigrant, for how long, are they different levels or stages of being an immigrant, can one be an immigrant forever? In Finland, inclusion and integration are often used in discussions about internationals, diversity, equity, and education, but they represent two distinct approaches to accommodating individuals with different needs...

Huomenta ystävät 🎊Hyvää uutta vuotta ja tervetuloa vuodenensimmäinen #Wednesdays4Turku ! 3️⃣ Kolme kuukautta aikaa eduskuntavaaleihin! 💃Samalla kun juhlimme loppuvuotta, teimme myös vaalitöitä.  🗓️Vaalit lähestyvät hurjaa vauhtia ja tuntuu, että tehtävää on paljon! Olen lähtenyt vaaleihin tosissani ja ajatuksena tehdä kaikkeni, jotta: 🌱 Tulevaisuudessa perheiden, naisten ja nuorten ääni kuuluisi paremmin päätöksenteossa. 🌱Parempaa kotoutuminen ja osallistuminen saisi väsymättömänä puolustajan. 🌱 Kestävä elämäntapa viestitään helposti ja yksinkertaisesti.  ⚖️Päättäjiksi tarvitaan hyvin koulutettu ihminen joka on parempaa kotoutumista tukevia kokemuksia. 💶Onnistunut vaalikampanja vaatii rahaa. Lahjoittamalla kampanjaani, tuet matkaani kohti eduskuntaa. Keskimäärin läpimeno vaatii 40 000€, joka on summa jollaista meistä harvalla on laittaa vaaleihin (ei ainakaan minulla). Lahjoittamalla tuet siis demokratian toteutumista. Pienelläkin summalla on valtava merkit...