Article categories: Archive News
E2 Research and its partners launch a new form of research project - Young people as co-researchers and as the target group of the study
Published: 5.5.2021
What characterizes a good life for young people? What gives them strength and what worries them? What do young people associate themselves with? What do young adults think Finland's next big story will be like? E2 Research and its partners are launching a research project that will answer these questions and provide information on how young people have experienced the coronavirus crisis.
The way in which the research is carried out is unique. Young people are being hired to carry out the research alongside professional researchers. An inclusive approach means that these young adults will be involved in different stages of the project. Among other things, they will brainstorm the practical implementation of field work, communication, and reporting of results.
The study will collate survey and interview data collected from persons aged 20 to 29. In addition to a nationwide survey, group interviews will be conducted in Helsinki, Oulu, and Vaasa. This will seek to identify any regional specificities and the views of young people of Finnish and Swedish speaking background as well as those who speak a foreign language.
The research data will be of use to decision-makers, educational institutions, municipal and regional developers, the scientific community, and in stimulating public debate in different sectors. Lessons can also be learned from the unique project design.
– We genuinely want to involve young people in this project. We work with young people
who are hired for the project, and young adults with various backgrounds will have a place to share their views on a good life and their thoughts on what Finland’s next big story should be based on. This knowledge is useful for our country and will help solve young people’s problems, says Director Karina Jutila from E2 Research.
The happiest students in the world
An integral part of the City of Vaasa’s strategy concerns the well-being of its residents. As such, the city is also continually working for the well-being of young people.
– The city is strongly committed to this project. Last week we launched a well-being campaign together with students, with the aim of making students from Vaasa the happiest students in the world, which is surely a fantastic way to continue this theme. It is great that young people are participating in the project and we are eagerly looking forward to the results, says the City of Vaasa’s Communications Manager, Leena Forsén.
The project has a diverse group of partners spanning multiple sectors. The work is funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture, The Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland, The Finnish Confederation of Professionals (STTK), The Finnish Pension Alliance TELA, City of Oulu, University of Oulu, City of Vaasa, Vaasa Region Development Company VASEK, Väinö Tanner Foundation and The South Ostrobothnia Regional Fund of the Finnish Cultural Foundation.
In addition, the project will be conducted in cooperation with Vaasan Setlementti, the Student Union of the University of Vaasa, Wasa Innovation Center and researchers from Åbo Akademi University. The practical implementation of the project is carried out by the multidisciplinary research institute E2 Research, which also acts as an employer for young adults hired for the project.
The project will last 12 months. The results of the research will be available in May 2022.