ABSTRACT
In the wake of the Youth Guarantee, the welfare state in Finland introduced a new service concept in 2015. The One-Stop Guidance Centres (Ohjaamo) offer multi-professional services under one roof to help young adults (15–29 years old) in matters related to work, education, and everyday life. The aim of this chapter is to study how clients at two divisions (information and counselling) at Ohjaamo in Helsinki perceive the service they have received. Our interest is specifically to look at what seems meaningful from the perspective of the young service users in their interaction with the service producer(s), and whether there are differences in the experiences among young people depending on how challenging their life situation is. Our qualitative research data consist of personal interviews (N = 50) with young people visiting Ohjaamo during 2016–2018. Theoretically, we lean on the concept of reciprocity (e.g. Törrönen et al., 2018; Becker, 1990; Saleebey, 1996). The interviewed clients report, for the most part, that the service has met their needs. Interviewees from both divisions at Ohjaamo underline specifically the importance of being treated in a respectful and personal manner, being heard and listened to, and involved in the decision-making of their own future.
