Local and Fun: The Role of Regions EYP Finland is a national organisation and it has aimed to have a presence all over Finland. However, in the beginning of the 2010s, most activities were organised in Southern Finland, mainly in the capital region, Turku region and Tampere region. The first regional committees (paikallisjärjestöt, ie. paikkarit) were also established there: EYP Helsinki in 2007, EYP Turku and Tampere in 2008. In the 2010s, EYP Finland actively aimed at expanding to Eastern and Northern Finland, first by expanding the yearly school tours, which led to sessions and other events being organised in cities such as Joensuu, Kuopio and Oulu. Two more regional committees were established soon afterwards: EYP Itä-Suomi in 2011, EYP Pohjois-Suomi in 2013. Many committees also had their own mascots who visited sessions and other events with regional board members. The role of regions has without a doubt been very important yet also partly difficult and unclear in 2010s. Many of the regional committees' activities, ranging from trainings and Europe Day picnics to sauna nights, cir36
cus school and museum visits, have been more casual than the events organised by EYP Finland. Their aim was to offer low-threshold activities, also taking place after and between larger EYP events such as sessions. At the same time, regional committees were closely connected with EYP Finland’s trainings, sessions and other events – in practice, many events were organised by EYP Finland together with a regional committee. Despite their important role, regional committees often struggled with a low number of participants and/ or active members, which led to diminished activity in the late 2010s. As the professionalisation of EYP Finland allowed the national board and office to take on a more active role in coordinating volunteers at the regional level, it made it possible to accomplish necessary activities such as the annual school tour without a regional board of volunteers. Additionally, the pandemic reduced the number of active members entering the organisation in 2020-21, making revival efforts difficult.
