On this page

1. Youth parliament

2. Youth councils and/or youth advisory boards

3. Higher education student union(s)

4. School student union(s)

5. Other bodies

Youth parliament

The Youth Parliament has existed at the national level since 1998. It does not have a legislative basis but was established as a result of Laurent Fabius’s EU-level initiative (based on the French model "Le Parlement des enfants") and a national Children’s Parliament organised in 1992 in connection with Finland’s 75th anniversary (Youth Parliament’s 10-year anniversary report, in Finnish). Therefore, the Youth Parliament is not directly part of the constitutional structure and is not mentioned in the Youth Act (72/2016) (Nuorisolaki, available also in Swedish) as such. Nevertheless, it contributes to the objectives outlined in both by strengthening the participation of young people. The Youth Parliament is organised and funded as a joint effort by the Parliament of Finland and Development Centre Opinkirjo (Opinkirjo, also available in Swedish). At the national level, the Youth Parliament has 199 members who come together in plenary session every other year. Its members consist of 8^th- and 9^th-grade pupils (15–16 years old), representing their parliamentary groups at the local level. In addition, around 140 pupils work as journalists. The diversity of representatives is valued, and many members represent different backgrounds and specialised schools.

The plenary is organised in the form of a parliamentary oral question time session and it is chaired by the Speaker of the Parliament. During the day, members are introduced to the duties and roles of committees in parliamentary work. This is also the stage at which the questions are finalised. However, the most important moment is when the questions are presented and discussed directly with Members of Parliament. The young people working as journalists participate in a press event, during which they have the opportunity to ask MPs questions. One MP from each parliamentary group is present to answer the young people’s questions. 

Such parliamentary activity at the local level usually takes the form of a Parliamentary Club, either as part of schoolwork or as an extra-curricular activity. In some schools, it is organised as part of pupils’ council activities. Each club can decide how to choose its representatives, whether through an election, nomination, discussion, or another method. Parliamentary clubs at the local level are given the opportunity to contribute to the planning of the plenary session agenda. About half of the questions are selected for the agenda based on a vote, while the other half are selected during the plenary session. The following criteria are considered when compiling the agenda: regions (questions from each electoral district in proportion to the participating clubs), the sectors of the ministers represented, and the gender and language of the students presenting the questions. 

 The aim of the Youth Parliament is to inspire young people to become involved in making change to issues that are important to their generation. The number of questions submitted by members of the parliamentary clubs for discussion at the plenary session is high, often exceeding 150. Even if not all the questions can be addressed in the session itself, their content is analysed, summarised, and conveyed to civil servants at different levels of decision-making. 

Youth councils and/or youth advisory boards

According to the Municipalities Act (410/2015) (Kuntalaki, also available in Swedish) all municipalities must have a youth council or an equivalent body for young people. Youth councils should be given the opportunity to influence planning, preparation, implementation, and follow-up activities in different sectors that are relevant to residents’ well-being, health, education, environment, living conditions, and public transport, as well as other matters that the youth council considers relevant. 

In short, as mentioned on the webpage of the Union of Local Youth Councils in Finland (Nuva ry) subpage About us, youth councils are statutory in every municipality and Wellbeing Services County (see Glossary) in Finland. This is because, according to the Municipalities Act (410/2015) (Kuntalaki, also available in Swedish) and Act on Wellbeing Services Counties (611/2021) (Laki hyvinvointialueesta, also available in Swedish), all municipalities and wellbeing services counties must have bodies through which youth can participate and exert influence. This right also applies to the councils of disabled people and elderly people. In wellbeing services counties, members of youth councils are selected from among members of the municipal youth councils. In addition, there is a possibility of inviting other persons to join the youth council. The board of the county council is responsible for ensuring the preconditions for these county-level councils, in a similar way to how city councils are responsible at the municipal level. The Municipalities Act does not specify how youth councils are selected at the municipal level. In practice, elections are often organised, and there may be quotas for representatives from different schools and educational institutions, for example. 

Based on both Acts, the youth council should be given the possibility to exert influence over planning, preparation, implementation and follow-up activities in different sectors that the youth council considers relevant. They also state that youth councils must be involved in the work of the municipalities and counties to develop children and young people’s participation and the opportunities for their views to be presented. As mentioned in the Youth Wiki/Finland 5.1 General context, many of the youth councils of the wellbeing services counties work also for the earlier regional administrative structure called statutory joint municipal authorities, which are like a co-operative body of the municipalities existing in the same region. These take care of regional planning, among other things  (for more about statutory joint municipal authorities, see Glossary).

The umbrella association and cooperative body for local and wellbeing service counties’ youth councils is the Union of Local Youth Councils in Finland (Nuva ry). The mission of the Union is to promote advocacy, education, and co-operation for all youth councils in Finland. It works with youth councils, youth workers, civil servants, and politicians and serves as an expert body on young people’s participation in Finland. The functions of the Union of Local Youth Councils in Finland (Nuva ry) are partly funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture, in accordance with its status as a youth organisation as defined in the Youth Act (72/2016) (Nuorisolaki, available also in Swedish). 

In the Union of Local Youth Councils in Finland's (Nuva ry) yearly Youth Council -Survey (2023) (Nuorisovaltuustoselvitys 2023, published in 2024), an estimation about the functionality of the wellbeing services youth council was asked. Both the members of youth councils and the supportive adults of the councils evaluated it most commonly with the number 8, on a scale of 4-10. Young people were satisfied with the meetings, the motivation levels of the young people, the team spirit, the amount of cooperation and the fact that there were already possibilities to have an impact even if the wellbeing services counties’ youth councils had just started. Many of the wellbeing services counties’ youth councils had a right to send one of their members to attend and speak at the county council, at its committees and even on its board. In addition, young people also wish for more funding for action-based events, more meetings, more sharing of the activity load, more information and more impact-making opportunities. In further feedback, the supportive adults also mentioned the long distances, the too little amount of working time for supportive work, and the need for a longer reaction period when youth councils are asked for their opinions on certain matters, which is currently far too short.

The Union of Local Youth Councils in Finland (Nuva ry) is a registered non-governmental organisation. Its highest decision-making body is the general assembly, which is held once a year. Every member of the Union has a vote in the general assembly. The general assembly elects a chair, two vice-chairs, and between four and ten board members for a one-year term. It also decides on the Union’s work plan, budget, and membership fee for the coming year. Its individual members, ages 13–20, are members of the local youth councils. Membership is voluntary and requires a small annual fee. The members of the board are the same age as the other members, making the Union a genuine young people’s organisation. The Union also has district organisations, which are individually registered non-governmental organisations. These are trained by and cooperate closely with the Union of Local Youth Councils in Finland (Nuva ry), which also co-funds them. 

The goal of the Union of Local Youth Councils in Finland (Nuva ry) is to encourage cooperation between local youth councils, strengthen young people’s participation and influence in decision-making, support democracy education, and promote the visibility of youth councils at the national level. The Union is also responsible for supporting the founding of new youth councils and for educating youth councils about their rights, roles, and opportunities. It also offers its members opportunities to network, interact, and exchange ideas. In order to achieve these goals, the Union organises seminars, national-level education events, and school-level events for youth councils and city councillors. The Union actively communicates with authorities and political actors, for example, with the  Ministry of Education and Culture and Ministry of Finance. 

Higher education student union(s)

In accordance with the Universities Act (558/2009) (Yliopistolaki, also available in Swedish) and Universities of Applied Sciences Act (392/2014) (Ammattikorkeakoululaki, also available in Swedish), there is a student union in every higher education institution, both in universities and universities of applied sciences. Membership is voluntary in the latter; however, due to the benefits received with the student card, it is very popular among students. Student unions serve as statutory supervisors of students’ interests in decision-making, both at the institutional and local levels, for example, in electing representatives to the decision-making bodies of the universities. 

In addition to their statutory duties, higher education student unions also organise leisure-time activities and provide information on current issues. All members of a student union are eligible to elect representatives to the student union’s assembly or equivalent body, which holds the highest decision-making power at the institutional level. For example, these bodies appoint the executive board to manage day-to-day affairs. In addition, staff members are hired to support the elected representatives. The financing of the unions is based on membership fees and allocations from the institution. 

The individual student unions are members of national student unions: National Union of University Students - SYL or University of Applied Sciences Students – SAMOK. SYL states that it represents the interests of approximately 150,000 students, while SAMOK reports that it represents 184,000 students. 

The highest decision-making body of both national student unions is the general assembly, which is usually held once a year. Its main duty is to elect the president and board members for a one-year term. The assembly is also responsible for deciding on the content of the work plan, the budget and the membership fee for the coming year. Decision-making power is exercised by representatives mandated by the student unions. Each member organisation may send one representative with voting rights per 1,000 (SYL) or 500 (SAMOK) members.  

The main duty of the national student unions SYL and SAMOK is to represent students’ interests and to advocate for and support equal access for all. This often involves improving students’ educational, financial and social conditions. Both organisations have widely recognised expertise in matters related to higher education. They are heard by various official bodies dealing with education, housing, social welfare, and student health. In addition, they are both represented in a range of national bodies, including those dealing with higher education policies, such as the Council for Higher Education and its subcommittees, as well as various committees and working groups of the Ministry of Education and Culture. Both organisations are members of the European Students’ Union (ESU).

Both national unions organise various meetings and seminars, run campaigns, and publish materials and reports. They also support their member student organisations by offering a range of services. Students also benefit directly from discounts provided through student cards issued by the Student benefit and identification service provider Frank, which is owned by several student organisations.

School student union(s)

According to the Act on General Upper Secondary Education (714/2018) (Lukiolaki, also available in Swedish) and Act on Vocational Education (531/2017) (Laki ammatillisesta koulutuksesta, also available in Swedish), each educational institution must have a student body organised by students, who elect a board by voting. The student boards serve as the statutory representative of students' interests in decision-making, both at the institutional and local levels. For example, student members are often included in the governing bodies of the institution. Student boards are registered organisations.

Anyone studying in a Finnish upper secondary school can become a member of the Union of Upper Secondary School Students by paying a membership fee. For students pursuing a voca­tio­nal degree in upper secon­dary educa­tion, there are several student unions to choose from: the Natio­nal Union of Voca­tio­nal Students in Finland - SAKKI and the Finnish Student Alliance - OSKU. For Swedish speaking students at the lower and upper secondary level, there is the Swedish-speaking School Youth Association (FSS).

In all national school student unions, membership is voluntary and based on the payment of a membership fee. The Union of Upper Secondary School Students has 50,000 members, the National Union of Vocational Students in Finland has 170,000 (as reported on SAKKI’s website), the Finnish Student Alliance – OSKU has 25,000, and the Swedish-speaking School Student Union of Finland has around 5,000 members. In some cases, community membership is also possible. For example, the National Union of Vocational Students in Finland has approximately 200 community members, most of them from student councils. In some of the unions, there is also a network structure, meaning that members are divided into sub-organisations based on, for example, geographical region. 

The highest decision-making body of the national student unions in secondary education is the general assembly, which is held once a year. The assembly elects the chair and other board members, and decides on the work plan, budget, and membership fee for the coming year. 

Like the national student organisations in higher education, school student unions also represent students at local and national levels, including those of non-members. They advocate for students in educational, social policy and other matters related to secondary education. They support student council activities and help student councils build dialogue with educational institutions. At the national level, the unions are represented in various committees and working groups of the Ministry of Education and Culture, for example, in the working group aimed at improving the study financial aid system. 

In addition to representing students’ interests, the unions also organise recreational and training events, publish magazines, and offer various benefits to their members. They also provide guidance and support.

The unions also offer their members an official student card, which entit­les the holder to various discounts. The student card for the members of the Union of Upper Secondary School Students and the Natio­nal Union of Voca­tio­nal Students in Finland – SAKKI is delivered by the Student benefit and identification service provider Frank, which they have established together with several other student organisations.

The unions finance their operations primarily through membership fees and state financial aid from the Ministry of Education and Culture based on their status as youth organization, as per the Youth Act.

The national student unions at the secondary level cooperate with each other at the national level and, with the exception of the Finnish Student Alliance – OSKU, are members of OBESSU – the Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions.

Other bodies

The National Programme to Promote Democracy and Participation (2025–2028) refers to the recommendations issued by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child to Finland concerning the realisation of children’s rights (2023). Among other things, as mentioned in the programme, the Committee recommended 'the reinforcement of measures to promote the meaningful and empowered participation of all children, including those in disadvantaged situations, within families, communities and schools, and the inclusion of children in decision-making processes relating to them at municipal and national levels, taking into account the digital environment'.

The nationwide registered Child Welfare Association Pesäpuu offers an example of good practice in promoting the rights of young people in substitute care, as an example of the above-mentioned need to promote 'meaningful and empowered participation of all children'. Youth participation work started with Survivors - Young Child Welfare Developers -team that was active from 2008 to 2018. Now the youth participation and expertise by experience -team continues that work. The team consists of child welfare professionals and “experts by experience”. The youth participation team creates well-established methods with a network of committed partners. The team puts together tools and practices for working with youth in care. The team also arranges national and local youth forums for young people in care, and the messages young people have for the authorities are conveyed to adults and decision-makers.

The goals:

• To advocate for the voice of the youth who live or have lived in child welfare to be heard in national decision-making processes.
• To show that these young people are capable and willing to learn despite their backgrounds in child welfare.
• To empower young people by getting their voices heard in matters that directly affect their lives.
• To benefit other young people in similar circumstances.

The purpose of the work is to improve the participation amongst children and young people in child protection on three levels:

• To promote children’s and youth’s knowledge of their rights, so that they are able to be active participants in their own lives.
• To use the knowledge and experience of youth in order to benefit other children and youth living in similar circumstances in child protection.
• To coordinate a national network of children and adults, who work together to promote the rights of children and youth in Finland.

To reach these goals, the team has developed a peer support model called Youth forums for young people. The forums are organized both locally and nationwide. The basic structure of the forums has permanent features to ensure a sense of safety and stability, while the themes and working methods change, depending on the people attending. The forums are well documented and the messages from young people are conveyed to adults and decision-makers.

Through advocating for experts by experience in child welfare in Finland, the team has been mentoring now over twenty focus groups around Finland. Thanks to these focus groups the POWER TO INFLUENCE! - network for young experts by experience was founded in 2015. The network consists of 20 youth focus groups, with an estimated 120 youth currently in care or having recently left care. The network enables activities on different levels: community, regional and national. It supports and coaches youth in developing groups. POWER TO INFLUENCE! is also a nationwide channel for things that young people bring up regarding substitute care and child protection.

Pesäpuu has also piloted a peer review model to promote social inclusion and effectiveness of substitute care in child protection services in counties in Finland. The aim is to strengthen young peoples' participation in their own living environment, to create new ways to develop substitute care, and to prevent maltreatment. In peer reviews, young people are met and heard by their grown-up peers who have first-hand experience of life in substitute care. Peer reviewers are trained for their task in the co-creation groups, and they are bound by a confidentiality agreement. Being a peer lowers the threshold when it comes to sharing experiences, as a peer reviewer is not in a superior position in relation to the young people they meet.

Peer reviews provide opportunities for young people to assess everyday life in substitute care, to give feedback on their well-being and, consequently, to exercise influence on their own living environment. Peer reviews also increase transparency between different actors in substitute care and produce important qualitative information about substitute care.

Child Welfare Association Pesäpuu is a national child welfare organization established in 1998. It is a non-profit organization supported by the Finnish Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations (STEA). The Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations (STEA) is a state-aid authority operating in connection with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.