Vaasa’s new youth council inaugurated: 32 young people are now starting to influence the city’s affairs

In the elections held in November 2022, a total of 22 full members and ten substitutes were elected to the youth council. All the councillors are young people from Vaasa between the ages of 13 and 20.

On Thursday 26 January, Aaro Helo was elected as the chair of the youth council, and Simon Hellbom, Olli Svenfelt and Mustafa Salih were elected as vice-chairs. The youth council elected Oskari Koskimäki as its general secretary, Saara Valkama as its finance secretary, and Sauli Syri as its communications secretary. Together they form the board of the youth council.

– I definitely have great feelings about this election and I look forward to accepting this position as the chair. I also have very good feelings about our new youth council, which already seems to be very active. New winds are now blowing in the youth council, and we will certainly get new fresh ideas because there are many first-time participants, says the new chair Aaro Helo.

Right to attend and also speak at city council meetings

The goal of the youth council is to bring out the perspective of young people in decision-making. The youth council has representation on various boards with the right to attend and speak, and the members’ tasks are to make the voice of young people heard, to take a stand on current issues, and to make initiatives and statements. In addition, the youth council distributes activation money to young people to promote voluntary hobbies.

During this period, the youth council now also has the right to attend and speak at city council meetings.

– It’s a really big deal, because this has been fought for during many years. Having our representative on the city council means a lot to the youth council and the young people of Vaasa, as we now really have a visible place where we can make an impact, says Helo.

The new full members of the Youth Council are:

• Aaro Helo, Merenkurkun koulu
• Emmi Schlöbcke, Onkilahden yhtenäiskoulu
• Jaakko Hirvonen, Savilahden yhtenäiskoulu
• Simon Hellbom, Vasa övningsskolas gym
• Hanna Illman, Vasa övningsskola
• Oskari Koskimäki, Variskan koulu
• Sofia Lintala, Vamia
• Mustafa Salih, Vaasan lyseon lukio
• Isaqh Abdullahi-aden, Onkilahden yhtenäiskoulu
• Sauli Syri, Savilahden yhtenäiskoulu
• Yara Abdul Menem, Onkilahden yhtenäiskoulu
• Seela Pasanen, Vaasan lyseon lukio
• Niko Lehtinen, Variskan koulu
• Taleen Saeed, Vasa övningsskola
• Alor Ashak, Variskan koulu
• Tiki Torrkulla, Vasa övningsskola
• Ian Mittilä, Vamia
• Noomi Pasanen, Merenkurkun koulu
• Abolfazl Ghulamzada, Vasa övningsskola
• Olli Svenfelt, Variskan koulu
• Saara Valkama, Savilahden yhtenäiskoulu
• Matilda Mattson, Vasa övningsskola