Student welfare services are preparing for the transition to Wellbeing Services County
The responsibility for organising student welfare services will transfer to the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County starting from 1 January 2023. This transition will offer new opportunities for developing the services. The pupils’ and students’ familiar welfare officers, psychologists and nurses and doctors of school and student healthcare will continue their work at the educational institutes. The transition to the Wellbeing Services County will be promoted by a preparatory group of student welfare which holds monthly meetings.
Pupils visited the meeting of preparatory group of student welfare
Representatives of the student body of Gesterby School in Kirkkonummi took part in the meeting of the preparatory group for student welfare on Wednesday. The pupils had prepared a presentation for the meeting and also had a list of questions for the preparatory group.
“The school nurse supports us and patches us up, the welfare officer has held lessons about emotional skills, and the psychologist helps us with learning challenges and emotional difficulties,” the pupils stated, describing student welfare at their own school. In their presentation, the pupils brought up aspects of student welfare important to them, such as keeping student welfare as a visible part of school days and having familiar and stable staff.
The pupils had taken a look at the Wellbeing Services County’s website and had discovered that the responsibility for organising student welfare would be transferred. “We hope that the student welfare services of different schools will work more closely together after this reform. Then all pupils would have as good student welfare services,” the pupils stated.
Increasing cooperation could promote sharing good practices, for example. The pupils also gave examples of good student welfare practices in place at their own school. “Each classroom has an annual clock of wellbeing and all classes made their own wellbeing plan at the start of the school year.” The wellbeing plan is part of actions based on Kirkkonummi’s “Child-friendly municipality” operational model.
Terhi Pippuri, the President of the preparatory group, was impressed by the presentation held by the pupils. “It’s great that your presentation highlighted the equality of services and the sharing of good practices.” Pippuri also answered the pupils’ questions and comments, an example of which was a request for an online contact channel. “An online channel that would best serve pupils and students is our common dream. It is also great to hear that you are willing to continue our cooperation also in the future.”
The preparatory group for student welfare holds monthly meetings and its members work in roles such as head nurses, senior psychologists and welfare officers as well as heads of local education and culture departments. “You have understood really well that change can be good,” said head nurse Antonina Carlberg, thanking the pupils for their presentation.
The instructor of the student board, teacher Petra Dobrev, said that the pupils were excited to give their presentation. “They spent a long time preparing for it, as the topic is also important to them. It is wonderful that the Wellbeing Services County’s preparatory group wants to listen to and hears the pupils in such important matters.”