Girls’ House allows you to be yourself
There is valuable organisational work carried out in our wellbeing services county, which provides support for families with children in our region in many life situations. We have recognised the immense benefits of cooperation between the public authorities and organisations in the wellbeing services county in supporting families with children in our region.
In celebration of Children’s Rights Week, we highlight in this article the work of our partner organisation, Loisto Setlementti ry(external link)(external link), in recognising, valuing and promoting the diversity of girls. The mission of the Girls’ House activities is to support everyone’s own kind of girlhood and growth towards womanhood.
Girls’ House in Espoo
Together with Ulla Anttila, Senior Social Counsellor of Family Social Work, we went for a visit to the Espoo Girls’ House(external link)(external link) to learn more about its activities on a Friday afternoon in November. We were welcomed by Sonja Puolakka, Responsible Supervisor of the Espoo Girls’ House, Pauliina Liukkonen, Director of Girls’ Work and Tommi Pesonen, Director of Targeted Work. We had arranged a meeting to strengthen the cooperation between the organisation and the wellbeing services county.
The physical space of the Espoo Girls’ House is located at Lintuvaarantie 2A in Leppävaara, Espoo. The fourth floor of the office building contains wonderfully homely spaces that invite you into their safe embrace. The physical space of the Girls’ House in Leppävaara provides an opportunity for relaxed hanging out and soul-searching without the expectations of the outside world. In the Leppävaara space, girls and young women have the chance to express themselves through various handicrafts or just by lying on the sofa.
The Girls’ House also allows for the exploration of girlhood through more sensitive topics. The Leppävaara space offers group activities for girls with disabilities as well as anonymous low-threshold sexual counselling and sexual health advice. The girls attending the disability group may determine themselves and, also in this group, the experiences of girlhood are what primarily determine the conversation.
In addition to the Girls’ House’s own office, there are activities organised in our wellbeing services county in two locations in Espoon keskus, as well as in Espoonlahti and Matinkylä. In the safe spaces established in libraries, girls have the opportunity to meet each other and discuss issues related to their everyday lives. Supervisor Puolakka says that the groups are also open to the younger siblings of the girls in the region, the care of whom may be the responsibility of the girls attending the groups. The groups support and make it possible for everyone to be themselves, each from their own starting points.
Settlement work supports local communality, participation and well-being
In addition to girls’ work, Loisto Setlementti ry provides extensive support for communal youth work for other target groups in the Metropolitan Area, in major cities nationwide and digitally. The need for physical meeting places is also still considered an important and valuable aspect of settlement work. Our wellbeing services county welcomes meeting places for young people provided by organisations throughout the entire wellbeing services county.
Young people have the right to participate and lead a life of their own choosing. Our wellbeing services county and organisations work together with children, adolescents and their families to promote these rights.
Miia Kivilinko, the author of this article, is Head of Family Social Work in the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County.
The Girls’ House, Loisto Setlementti ry, provides support and activities for girls and women aged 10–28, taking into account gender diversity and the right to self-determination. We reinforce the inclusion of young people in the community and society. We make room for diversity and a more equal society, where everyone has the right to find their own path and lead a life of their own choosing. (loistosetlementti.fi)