Study title

Finnish Local Government 2004: Youth Affairs 1999

Dataset ID Number

FSD2152

Persistent identifiers

https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2152
https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd2152

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Ikola-Norrbacka, Rinna (University of Vaasa)
• Mattila, Juha (University of Vaasa)

Abstract

The survey focused on the scope, service provision, management, and development policies of youth affairs departments of Finnish municipalities. The respondents were municipal officials responsible for youth affairs. Similar surveys were carried out in 1996 and 2002.

First, the respondents were asked how many employees there were in the youth affairs departments of their municipalities, and what their responsibilities were. Further questions explored the opening hours and ownership of the municipality's youth facilities, the various functions of the youth affairs department, and the facilities related to providing youth services in the municipality. Potential changes in the ownership of the facilities since 1994 were also queried, as well as whether the municipality collects fees from the users of these facilities.

In relation to service provision, the respondents were asked what kind of youth services and recreational activities the municipality provided, which body organised them, and whether the municipality allocated funds for them. Some questions covered opinions on contracted-out services, competitive tendering and supplementary services, as well as the respondents' satisfaction with the contracted-out services. Opinions on alternative ways of providing youth services in the respondents' municipality were queried. Views were also probed on whether the respondents' municipalities sold services to other municipalities.

In relation to management and decision-making, the respondents were asked which elected body was in charge of youth affairs in their municipality, as well as what was the significance and role of that body in taking care of youth affairs. Views on the structure of the elected body were probed. The respondents gave their opinions on the influence of various bodies on the municipal youth services. In addition, views on the use of client surveys and performance measures were explored, as well as how much time the respondents allocated to various tasks. The potential changes in the importance of these tasks were also canvassed.

Finally, the present state of the municipal youth affairs department and its development policies for the future were explored, as well as whether there had been any changes in the department in terms of services and their scope.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, age, education, work experience in the field of youth affairs, and responsibility areas at work.

Keywords

adolescents; decision making; development; elected officials; job characteristics; local community facilities; local finance; local government policy; local government services; management; municipalities; public services; satisfaction; youth; youth work

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Government, political systems and organisations (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Youth (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Finnish Local Government 2004

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (B) available for research, teaching and study.

Data Collector

• Ikola-Norrbacka, Rinna (University of Vaasa)
• Mattila, Juha (University of Vaasa)

Data Producers

• Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities

Time Period Covered

1999

Collection Dates

1999

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Political-administrative area (Municipality)

Universe

Finnish municipalities (excluding the Åland Islands)

Time Method

Longitudinal: Trend/Repeated cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Probability: Multistage

Two-stage stratified sampling in selecting project municipalities.

The project municipalities were selected separately from those with less than 10,000 inhabitants (28 municipalities) and from those with more than 10,000 inhabitants (19 municipalities). The selection aimed to be representative within both groups in relation to all municipalities with the same population size. Large municipalities were over-represented because 70% of the Finnish population lives in large municipalities. Representativeness criteria included regional location, age and education of the population, industry structure, municipal economy parameters, political situation and variables related to municipal policy. The selected municipalities form a small scale model of all Finnish municipalities. The Åland Islands municipalities were excluded because of special features resulting from Åland's autonomy.

The questionnaire was sent to the heads of youth affairs of the selected municipalities (N=47). 39 municipalities responded.

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Paper

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Response Rate

83

Data File Language

Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish.

FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.

Data Version

1.0

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

Variables connected to question 15a have been removed from the data because of ambiguous classifications.

Weighting

There are no weight variables in the data.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Ikola-Norrbacka, Rinna (University of Vaasa) & Mattila, Juha (University of Vaasa): Finnish Local Government 2004: Youth Affairs 1999 [dataset]. Version 1.0 (2008-02-19). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2152

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Related Materials

Mattila, Juha & Ikola-Norrbacka, Rinna (2004). Vaihtelevat vapaa-aikapalvelut. Tutkimus kuntien kirjasto-, kulttuuri-, nuoriso- ja liikuntapalveluista 1996-2002 [verkkodokumentti]. Helsinki: Kuntaliitto. http://hosted.kuntaliitto.fi/intra/julkaisut/pdf/p041216133533D.pdf [viitattu 25.2.2008].

Related Publications

Mattila, Juha & Ikola-Norrbacka, Rinna (2004). Vaihtelevat vapaa-aikapalvelut. Tutkimus kuntien kirjasto-, kulttuuri-, nuoriso- ja liikuntapalveluista 1996-2002 [verkkodokumentti]. Helsinki: Kuntaliitto. http://hosted.kuntaliitto.fi/intra/julkaisut/pdf/p041216133533D.pdf [viitattu 28.9.2006].