Finland’s Jyväskylä closes two youth spaces due to staff shortage — YLE News
In the Finnish city of Jyväskylä, a youth workshop in Korpilahti and the Spot youth space in the Keljonkangas district have been closed until the end of the year due to a shortage of staff. This was reported by YLE News.
Under safety rules, at least two youth workers must be on duty at each youth space. Previously, Spot and the workshop in Korpilahti each had one employee, so the city effectively needs to hire two more staff members to reopen these spaces.
A workshop for music and repairs
Young people who attended the workshop in Korpilahti called it an important place for the community. Mopeds and cars were repaired there free of charge, while visitors also practiced music and rehearsed with bands. According to 19-year-old Juho Niemelä, after the space was closed, Korpilahti residents will have to travel about 60 kilometres round trip to Jyväskylä to continue their music activities.
About 400 young people aged 13 to 18 live in Korpilahti. One youth space and two youth service employees remain available to them. The music workshop at the closed facility will continue to be available for independent use at designated times.
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Katariina Soan'järvi, head of youth services, explained that the decision on the workshop was also based on low attendance: the Sumpbi space has several times more visitors. At the same time, young people noted that Sumpbi is aimed at comprehensive school pupils and does not have facilities for vehicle repairs or rehearsals. Renting premises for bands at Veturitallit in Jyväskylä costs from €62 to €102 per month.
The closure of Spot was called a serious problem
About 1,800 young people aged 13 to 18 live in the Keljonkangas district. Soan'järvi called the closure of Spot particularly serious because of the district’s large area and high number of young people. According to her, signs of unrest have been observed in Keljonkangas, so a residents’ meeting on a safe and caring neighbourhood will be held there on September 23. Youth services, the Police of Inland Finland, welfare region social services, and the Keljonkangas unified school will take part in organising it.
In 2024, budget cuts to youth services totalled €284,000, of which about €25,000 affected local youth work. In 2025, a further €28,000 was saved on managerial staff resources. Young people were not asked about their wishes before the decision was made, but the services plan to conduct a survey in the autumn. The workshop in Korpilahti may reopen if the city allocates resources for two youth spaces and four employees.
