ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the development of a youth work curriculum in Kokkola Youth Department. 1 Kokkola is a coastal town of around 47,000 people situated on the western edge of Finland, which has around thirty youth workers employed by the municipality or local government. The development of the curriculum in Kokkola grew from a research and development project funded by the Network of Finnish Urban Youth Work. The aim of the study was to investigate the role, ethos and impact of youth clubs, traditionally the centrepiece of municipal youth work in Finland. The broadly defined aims of the study were negotiated together with the network and the participating cities. The study included seventeen cities, including Kokkola. However, the curriculum development project has now taken on national significance, and youth work curricula are being developed in other cities in Finland.
