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, circus 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.

With the return to in-person sessions in the autumn of 2021, we hope to activate the regional committees again in the years to come. They are an important asset for the organisation, as they make it possible for EYPers in a specific region to meet each other and organise events even during times without session activities. Volunteering in a regional board is also a good way to learn skills that are important in national board work, such as event coordination and fundraising. And of course, it is a great way to create and maintain friendships beyond sessions and other more formal EYP activities. Annual Ball song for the Regional Committees (lyrics: Marja Pentikäinen & Hanna Haavisto (today: Pieniniemi), melody: Mombasa):

Jäi paikkariin, vain vuosi elämää, ja elämään nyt muisto siitä jää, lämmön hauskuuden, minä tunsin paikkarin, ja maskotin sen karvaisen.

Mä ensin näin EYP Helsingin, ja Racen sen, joss’ Töölöön eksyttiin, kanin sitten näin, Klausin nimeltään, on polku uusi alkanut.

On Tampere, niin punatiilinen, monipuolinen, kuin supercafét sen, siell’ Väinön tapasin, minä sitä halasin, ja TYKin alla seikkailin.

Turkuhan on, Aurajoen rannalla, siel brunssinkin, EYP seurass’ saa, ”Maskottii ei tuu”, ainakin niin uhottiin, ja sirkukseenkin päädyttiin.

Aik’ metsäisää, on Itä-Suomessa, mut sielläkin EYP keilailee, Elmeri Kelmeri on kaikkien kaveri, Joensuussa Kataisen tapasin.

Myös poroja, on Pohjois-Suomessa, mut EYP, kouluja kiertelee, Aslak Nikko on maskotti vallaton, Norwegian lentää Ouluunkin.

Jäi paikkariin, vain vuosi elämää, ja elämään nyt muisto siitä jää, lämmön hauskuuden, minä tunsin paikkarin, ja maskotin sen karvaisen.