Tekijät

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

Asiasanat

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

Sisällön kuvaus

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 1999.

First, 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 and competitive tendering. Opinions on the developments of the sector since 1998 and its present state were also charted. One topic pertained to youth facilities, for example, whether the municipality owned or rented them.

In relation to management and decision-making, the respondents were asked which elected body was in charge of youth affairs in their municipalities. They were also asked to assess the importance of various duties and responsibilities in their position as the heads of the youth affairs departments.

Views on the use of client surveys and development policies for the future were explored. The respondents were also asked whether there were any ongoing reforms or experiments related to youth services in their municipalities. Experiences and opinions on co-operation between municipal authorities and different ways to avoid the social exclusion of youth in the municipality were charted.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, age, education, work experience in the field of youth affairs, responsibility areas at work, which body had the authority over various youth issues in the municipality, and whether R had enough authority over these issues in his/her opinion.