Singaporean Delegation Brought Global Youth Work Perspectives to Humak’s Campus 

In March, Humak University of Applied Sciences welcomed an international group of youth work and youth policy professionals from Singapore. The visit focused on shared learning and identification of new collaboration opportunities to jointly develop youth services and higher education for youth work professionals in both countries.   

Humak brings together international expertise in youth work 

Humak hosted an international and forward-looking week in March, as youth work and youth policy makers from Singapore visited Finland to learn about Finnish youth work, education, and service systems. The visit brought together a total of 20 participants, including practitioners from the youth sector as well as experts from Singapore’s Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and the Singapore University of Social Sciences (School of Social Work and Social Development). This representation enabled rich dialogue across youth work practice, policymaking, and higher education. 

As the biggest higher education provider in youth work in Europe, Humak acted as the host, coordinator, and expert partner for the visit. The programme was hosted and co-designed by Humak’s lecturers and students of youth and NGO work, in collaboration with Humak’s international office and management. It was developed in dialogue with the visiting group, reflecting participants’ interests and learning priorities. 

On campus, participants were introduced to how Humak educates youth work professionals at the higher education level and how Finnish youth work is based on research results, pedagogical methods, and dialogue with the youth themselves. Humak’s experts facilitated discussions focusing on outreach work, strengthening participation, and development of meaningful and accessible services and activities for the youth. 

Joint development beyond the campus 

The programme was built around a broad network of expertise. It included meetings at the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Finnish National Agency for Education, as well as visits to several youth work service providers including Vamos (part of the Deaconess Foundation) and the Boys’ and Girls’ Houses operated by the Finnish Settlement.

In addition, the group engaged with researchers in youth work representing various Finnish organizations, as well as visited the youth services at the City of Helsinki. These encounters illustrated the Finnish youth work model and how it supports young people in their everyday lives and how services are developed based on research, trends in our society and by allowing the young people to be part of the development processes. 

“We have received great feedback from both our visitors, as well as our own experts and students hosting the week. We have all learnt how to look critically at how we work with young people allowing us to further develop the services and activities we offer for them. We all look forward to continuing our discussions and supporting each other through various forms of cooperation in the future.” 

Mr. Kim Lindblad, Manager of International Affairs at Humak

The visit highlighted Humak’s role as a trusted and internationally recognised partner in youth work and youth work education. The focus was on mutual learning and joint exploration of new collaboration models through which youth services and higher education for youth work professionals can be developed together in both Finland and Singapore. 

Kim Lindblad