Huuma

In Finland, there are over 60,000 young people outside of work and education. In the Huuma-project, youth from different backgrounds learn futures skills together. The youngsters get to know themselves better, gain experiences of achieving something, and are encouraged to try new things in workshops using creative movement and videomaking. This helps them to see different options for the future.

We encourage young people from different cultural backgrounds and without a job or a place of training to participate, dream, and collaborate through creative movement and videomaking.

Youth without work and education often face major challenges in participating and moving forward in life. We strengthen youngsters’ involvement and the ability to work and function through creative methods, movement, and video. As a result of throwing oneself and doing things together, youngsters’ self-esteem grows, social skills accumulate, and the perception of their opportunities expands.

Both native Finns and youth with an immigrant background are involved in the activities. Working together strengthens intercultural understanding and reduces prejudices.

During 2019–2022, 225 young people will participate in the project in Vantaa, Mikkeli, and Kuopio. It is aimed at persons from 16 to 29 years old.

We carry out activities in cooperation with youth workshops organized by cities, Valma groups in vocational colleges, and other groups in different organizations. The art activities are organized by Dance Theater Raatikko (Vantaa), Etelä-Savo Dance College (Mikkeli), and ANTI-Festival (Kuopio).

Multi-professional cooperation plays a key role in the project. Training for teachers and youth professionals and a guidebook on the methods developed in the project will further enhance the knowledge exchange.

The South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk) is responsible for the overall evaluation of the project. It will also develop an evaluation method suitable for creative activities.

The project is funded by the European Social Fund, the participating municipalities, and Urlus-Säätiö. The sub-contractors are Dance Theater Raatikko, Etelä-Savo Dance College, ANTI Festival and the South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk).