Guest blog by Tiina Gustafsson, Ville Immonen, Christina Lundqvist, Kimmo Mustonen, Jaakko Rautavaara
Children’s and young people’s experiences of insecurity and harassment have been highlighted significantly in several surveys and studies, such as the School Health Survey. The insecurity experienced by young people in their own environment is directly reflected in their everyday life and mood. Feelings of insecurity can arise for many different reasons, such as increased violence or the threat of violence, theft, or other crime. Various forms of harassment, such as sexual harassment or bullying, also increase insecurity. This phenomenon has made us concerned about the well-being and future of our young people.
Central library Oodi / photographer Tuomas Uusheimo.
Our employer, the City of Helsinki, organized a training program delivered by the Harvard Kennedy School in the United States. We learned PDIA (Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation), a step-by-step approach to solving a problem. This approach initially focuses on dismantling the chosen problem and finding its root causes. Solutions to the problem are sought through various processes, reflection and learning.
In our team, we decided to tackle the insecurity experienced by young people in the center of Helsinki. Our team consisted of employees from different divisions of the city organization, so we approached our challenge from different perspectives in a multidisciplinary manner. In a city organization, multidisciplinary and an approach that breaks the industry structure is challenging, but necessary when trying to solve large-scale complex problems.
We used the fishbone diagram to describe our challenge and its causes. By solving these individual challenges, we can start breaking down a large problem step by step and achieving small wins with partial solutions.
For many young people, Helsinki is a hometown and a growing environment full of opportunities and experiences. Lately, however, experiences of insecurity and harassment have increased in the Helsinki city center area. Young people are particularly affected.
Among young people, insecurity can lead to a wide range of negative consequences that can have far-reaching effects. Insecurity can cause fear and anxiety in young people. These experiences can affect young people’s peace of mind and cause difficulty sleeping, difficulty concentrating, and general stress. When young people feel unsafe, they may avoid certain places or situations, which can lead to social isolation and even depression. Anxiety, depression and difficulty concentrating can reduce young people’s academic performance, which in turn can affect their future prospects.
In addition to insecurity, harassment is a common problem that can manifest itself in many ways. Sexual harassment, physical threats and verbal harassment are all forms of harassment that young people may encounter in the center of Helsinki.
According to the latest school health survey, harassment experienced by young people in public spaces is particularly concentrated in the inner-city area, and approximately one fifth or even a quarter of young people in Helsinki had experienced sexual harassment in some public space during the year. The consequences of harassment can be long-lasting and complex for young people. Harassment can seriously damage young people’s self-esteem and self-confidence, affecting their relationships and self-awareness. At worst, harassment can cause traumatic experiences that require long-term psychosocial support. Young people who have experienced harassment may also carry fears and mistrust about the future, which can influence their decisions and choices later in life.
By avoiding the center of Helsinki due to insecurity and harassment, young people lose many important experiences and opportunities. The center of Helsinki offers a wide range of cultural, hobby and learning opportunities that are central to the development and well-being of young people. Addressing the problems of insecurity and harassment in the city center is of paramount importance so that young people can take advantage of these opportunities and grow into full, prosperous adults. We must work together to create a safe and attractive environment where young people can enjoy all the rich experiences that Helsinki city center has to offer.
The PDIA training taught us that both individual and collective actions are needed to prevent insecurity and harassment. Improving the safety of young people requires close collaboration between different industries, young people and parents, and other members of the community. The young people of Helsinki deserve to live without fear and anxiety.
More safe spaces should be created in the center of Helsinki where young people can spend time without fear of harassment or violence. This may mean, for example, increasing the number of youth centers and other communal spaces. Young people need places where they can engage in hobbies, do homework or just spend time with friends in a safe environment. More safe adults are needed in these places. The interior of Oodi (the library) is a meaningful place to spend time for many Helsinki residents. We also need similar opportunities and atmosphere in public spaces, such as Kansalaistori Square and its surroundings.
Another problem in the city center is the lack of local identity. The area around the station and Oodi consists of large squares, which mainly serve as transit points. Several temporary events in the area do not build an identity for the area. In addition, the public parks in the area do not contain enough activities aimed at young people. The area lacks free services that interest young people. The city produces many different types of surveys and surveys to support decision-making and planning. We have regional reviews of, for example, playgrounds, neighborhood sports facilities and skateboarding areas. However, park planning does not take sufficient account of activities aimed at young people. The reason for this may be that we do not know much about what young people want from the design of public spaces. It is therefore important that we strengthen and maintain the participation of young people in matters that concern them and in planning in every sector.
Main entrance to Helsinki Central Railway Station / photographer Jussi Hellsten
Young people spend their time in public spaces in the city center all year round, and their place of spending time and their circle of friends are at increased risk of becoming victims and perpetrators of crime. Long-term, low-threshold encounters are often needed to support these young people. Many different professional groups work to create trust in the authorities and various services and, for example, to enable service guidance. Outreach youth work, encounters carried out by organizations in public spaces and the preventive function of the Helsinki Police play a key role from the perspective of increasing safety. They also act as recognizable safe adults among city dwellers who can be approached with a low threshold. This low-threshold network work and cooperation between services that meet young people on the street must be further strengthened. In addition, the dialogue between local networks, the regional LANU network, which promotes and coordinates the well-being of children and young people, must be strengthened.
One solution we propose is that rules for a safer community should be created for the center of Helsinki. Community members, businesses, schools and public services should work together to create and commit to a code of conduct. Everyone should commit to not tolerating harassment in any form, and every incident will be properly reported. Currently, police statistics do not support sexual harassment experienced by young people. Through training and workshops, community members would be able to identify different forms of harassment and know how to intervene effectively.
Young people’s experiences of insecurity in Helsinki should be highlighted more strongly. A wide-ranging media campaign would help highlight the problems of harassment and insecurity. The campaign would highlight the city’s zero tolerance for harassment. The campaign would inform residents, young people and their families about what harassment and insecurity are, how they manifest themselves and where to seek help.
With these measures, we can create a safer and more pleasant Helsinki city center, where young people can move and stay without fear. Through cooperation and active action, we can ensure that Helsinki city center is a place where all young people feel safe and valued.
Learning the PDIA approach has provided useful tools for defining multidisciplinary problems and analyzing different areas. These methods have helped us identify what is worth paying attention to and where we can make an effective contribution to solve problems. The learned model also provides good answers to the challenges of network management and cooperation between different industries. We have well-trained and motivated staff, but we need functional tools for collaboration.
The PDIA training has changed the way we think and face problems. It has encouraged us to involve different actors and discuss work issues at a low threshold also in our free time. This approach has increased people’s interest in participating and made things easier to move forward. We can influence the discussion environment and advance our own goals by sharing our thoughts more widely. The training and written material we have received, together with the support of other employees who participated in the training, create a strong foundation for maintaining the PDIA model in the city organization.
The current Helsinki City Strategy 2021–2025 A Place for Growth has served as the city’s future guidelines for the past four years. Little by little, we will start building a new strategy. A safe Helsinki, especially for children and young people, will certainly be increasingly visible in the new City Strategy. The well-being of children and young people and faith in the future are our most important resources. The measures we have proposed fit well into this line of thinking. A safe Helsinki is also an attraction factor. People want to be, live and act in a safe Helsinki. Everyone enjoys a safe Helsinki – individuals, communities and companies alike.
So, it’s time to start building the safest city in the world for young people!
This blog was written by participants who completed a 12-week PDIA for Child and Youth Safety in Helsinki online action-learning program from March – June 2024. 24 participants successfully completed this program.