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Youth sector organisations The Ministry of Education and Culture funds part of the national youth sector organisations’ expenditure by granting them discretionary general transfers annually. Youth sector organisations comprise: youth organisations...

Youth work Through youth work and youth policy, the central government and the municipalities work to improve young people’s living conditions and encourage the young to engage in civic activities. The Ministry of Education and Culture prepares is...

National youth centres The youth centres form a network specialised in youth work. The Ministry of Education and Culture subsidises the centres. Youth centres provide curriculum-supporting camp and nature packages for school groups, social youth w...

Youth workshops and outreach youth work Youth workshops are part of the Youth Guarantee, under which every pupil who has completed basic education is guaranteed a place in an educational institution, apprenticeship training, workshop, rehabilitati...

Local youth work Youth work and youth policy fall within the remit of municipalities and are implemented in multiprofessional cooperation. The local authorities may also work together and provide youth services regionally. The Ministry of Educatio...

Youth research and monitoring of young people’s living conditions Youth research is multidisciplinary research focusing on young people that emphasises such areas as research in youth cultures, consumer research, and research in exclusion, ethnic ...

Sports organisations Sport and physical activity organisations in Finland have over 1.1 million members. The Ministry of Education and Culture allocates government grants to national organisations that promote sport and physical activity while mun...

Youth Act 2017 The objectives of the Act is to promote young people’s social inclusion and opportunities for exerting an influence; improve their skills and capabilities to function in society; support their growth, independence and sense of commu...

Inclusion and participation of young people The Ministry of Education and Culture works to promote young people’s participation and inclusion, while the Government Programme pledges to assess the impacts of decisions on children and families. One ...

EU and international cooperation in the youth sector The objective of international and European cooperation is to develop youth policy and support youth work through networking and exchanges of good practices. The Ministry of Education and Cultur...

Culture, physical activity and youth work facilitate integration Cultural services, public libraries, activities for young people and sports activities make it easier to integrate into the society. Participation in such activities provides an easy...

8.5.2026 | The EU ministers responsible for education, youth, culture and sport will meet in Brussels on 11–12 May. Education ministers are expected to adopt a general approach on the next Erasmus+ programme and outline the role of artificial intelligence in education. Other items on the agenda include the EU Youth Dialogue, the new AgoraEU programme, and mental health in sport.

Duties and objectives of the Ministry of Education and Culture In Finland the Ministry of Education and Culture is responsible for the development of education, science, cultural, sport and youth policies, and for international cooperation in thes...

International cooperation The Ministry of Education and Culture outlines national policy concerning cooperation with international organisations, councils and other bodies in matters within its remit relating to education and training, culture, yo...

25.11.2025 | The EU ministers responsible for education, youth, culture and sport will meet in Brussels on 27–28 November. The Council’s agenda includes vocational education and training, the European Education Area, the Erasmus+ programme, the importance of culture for democratic resilience, the AgoraEU programme, and democracy and transparency in sport. The Oulu European Capital of Culture 2026 project will also be presented at the meeting.

EU and international cooperation The Ministry of Education and Culture participates in various international organisations in sport-related cooperation between different countries, as well as in the preparation of sport-related matters in the Euro...

EU and international cooperation The Ministry of Education and Culture participates in various international organisations in sport-related cooperation between different countries, as well as in the preparation of sport-related matters in the Euro...

Nordic and regional cooperation Nordic cooperation The cornerstone of Nordic cultural, educational and research cooperation is the Cultural Agreement signed by the five Nordic countries in 1971. The Agreement covers the Ministry of Education and C...

Higher education and science The Ministry of Education and Culture is responsible for the planning and implementation of higher education and science policy and preparing statutes, national Budget proposals and Government decisions that apply to t...

24.11.2025 | The Nordic Baltic Youth Summit will be held in Finland for the first time. The summit participants will draft policy recommendations addressing challenges related to the green transition and youth employment and submit them to Minister of Youth, Sport and Physical Activity Mika Poutala.