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Article categories: Archive News

City of Vaasa awards employment scholarships to 23 young athletes

Published: 31.3.2021

The scholarship for the employment of athletes is made possible and granted by cooperation between the City of Vaasa and the Vaasa Region Sports Academy (Vaasanseudun Urheiluakatemia), on the basis of proposals from clubs, academy coaches and the Executive Director of the Vaasa Region Sports Academy. Employment scholarships were distributed last year to 18 youngsters interested in working in physical activity. This year, 23 talented athletes from Vaasa received the scholarship, who will now be given financial support for their training for a week or two.

– Now for the third time, a summer work scholarship is being given for young athletes as part of a multifaceted approach. At the same time as young athletes continue training in their sport, they will have the opportunity to gain experience from summer work and earn their own money. In addition, they have a great opportunity to talk about their sport and inspire other youngsters to exercise, explains City of Vaasa Employment Manager Helena Nurmikoski happily.

The employment scholarship is aimed at youngsters aged 14-24 who are registered in Vaasa. Consideration for receiving the scholarship is given to the young person’s genre, goals and future plans.

– The purpose of the employment scholarship is to support young athletes in their targeted sport. The selection of athletes this year has also taken more into account the young people’s answers about how they would advertise the City of Vaasa in the everyday life of a goal-oriented athlete, says Jens Wallin, Executive Director of the Vaasa Regional Sports Academy.

Follow youngsters on Instagram

The young people who received the scholarship will present their training during the summer on the Instagram page of the Vaasa Region Sports Academy. The daily life of young athletes can also be followed with the hashtags VsuaVriaSummer and VaasaVasa.

Those selected this year will promote a wider variety of sports compared to recent years. Through Instagram you can follow sports such as athletics, artistic gymnastics, swimming, wrestling, football, hockey, archery, baseball and American football. Martin Grandell, who oversees communications at the Sports Academy, will support and help the youngsters to update their social media accounts, if necessary.

– Through social media, we will get to see motivated, determined and goal-oriented athletes showing us their everyday lives. They have also been tasked with highlighting the sports facilities offered by the City of Vaasa and the places to relax between trainings and competitions, says Grandell.

In addition to social media posts, the athletes will keep a training diary during the supported period, which will be confirmed by their own coach as the trainings are completed.