ESPOO MAGAZINE 1/2017

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COLLECTINGS › The first word that most people associate with Espoo is nature. The 5,111 responses are summarised in a word cloud. The larger the word is shown in the cloud, the more frequently it was mentioned by the respondents. The respondents also completed the sentence “My Espoo is...” a total of 4,791 times, with safety highlighted as the most significant aspect. ESPOO’S STRENGTHS ARE SAFETY AND NATURE Last autumn, the City of Espoo conducted the My Espoo Is survey to assess local residents’ views on what Espoo is—and should be—like. THE ONLINE SURVEY was completed by 6,150 respondents from August to October. A total of 21,600 suggestions and comments were received. In addition, some 850 pre-schoolers participated in A Day as Mayor workshops along with a large number of Espoo-based entrepreneurs. The survey indicated that nature and the sea are still major factors behind Espoo’s appeal. Espoo residents want to see more activities by the sea, such as recreational opportunities and services that support spending more time by the sea. Espoo is perceived to be safe. Safety was the most significant factor highlighted by respondents of all ages. The areas in which local residents want to see improvement include the living environment, nature and transport. The de- A TOTAL OF 21,600 SUGGESTIONS AND COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED IN THE “MY ESPOO IS” SURVEY. THE SURVEY PERIOD WAS 27 AUGUST–31 OCTOBER 2016. lays in the metro project and changes in Espoo’s internal bus traffic are causing concern. Many respondents wanted more effective cross-town traffic within Espoo. Other points raised included the development of culture and sports, other public services and employment. Sustainable development was also among the key themes, while tourism, the conditions for entrepreneurial activity and internationality were not as frequently mentioned. The respondents also shared their views regarding the best aspects of their local city centre and its development. Services were highlighted as the biggest advantage of the city centres. The respondents appreciate the fact that services are centralised in a single location, which makes it easy to take care of errands. Transport connections and the comfort of living were highlighted as the most important areas for development for each of the city centres. The responses indicate that the proximity of city centres makes the residents of Espoo feel like they live in the city, even though nature is also very close. The city centres are perceived as versatile hubs of services, jobs and recreation, and their proximity is highly valued. This suggests that Espoo’s strategy of developing several city centres instead of one large city centre is a successful one. A total of 4,800 stories of “the best moments in Espoo” were received from the respondents. They were closely linked to family, nature, outdoor life and the home, but also feelings of happiness and joy. Aalto University rates Espoo’s approach to strategic development as excellent THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY will be used in updating the Espoo Story, which is the city’s strategy, for the City Council’s next term of office. The new Espoo Story will be prepared for approval by the City Council in autumn 2017. According to an assessment conducted by Aalto University, the Espoo Story is an excellent and internationally unique approach to the management of the city’s strategy. According to Mayor Jukka Mäkelä, the Espoo Story is clearer than the city’s previous strategies and it has produced good results. – We’ve always found the most success in the areas in which we have been able to engage local residents and cooperation partners. We see the resident-oriented approach as necessary for our success, and I am pleased that we again received a wealth of information on the residents’ views to help us update the Espoo Story. It puts us in a good position to move ahead, Mäkelä says. 6
AT WORK AN IMPORTANT CONTACT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY Sheena Kopsala, Coordinator at the language and culture group, is an important contact person for many immigrant families. TEXT Tiina Parikka PHOTO Timo Porthan ’’ The best part of my job is meeting different kinds of people and learning about their culture. I interview the families of pupils who are about to enter preparatory education and I act as a link between teachers and families. My current job description also includes updating the timetables of teachers and pupils and arranging substitutes for teachers of religious studies. I speak Finnish and English, and also a bit of Spanish. And, of course, I speak Filipino, being from the Philippines originally. If I don’t have a common language with the interviewee, their native language teacher or cultural interpreter will assist. I’m easy to approach because I’m an immigrant myself. I’m also a positive example of the fact that immigrants can find meaningful work in Finland. I was first employed for a nine-month period through the City of Espoo’s immigrant recruitment services. Then I was hired as an assistant in the language and culture group to replace a retiring employee. I was away on maternity leave for a while and, upon my return, I was given the role of Planner. In March, I started as a Coordinator. For many families, a child entering the school system is their first point of contact with Finnish society. The families don’t necessarily have any other contacts besides me, so they also ask me for guidance in relation to other matters. That makes me feel useful and I try to collect information on the relevant topics so that I can provide at least some advice. 42 different languages for which native language teaching is provided 4,260 non-Finnishspeaking pupils and students 6 religions taught: Lutheranism, the Eastern Orthodox Church, Islam, Catholicism, Judaism and the Hare Krishna movement. 3,300 pupils and students participate in native-language teaching on a weekly basis. The largest group is Russian (700), followed by Arabic, English and Somali (approx. 300). ESPOO MAGAZINE 1/2017 >> 7
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Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS A MAGAZINE FOR ESPOO RESID
Page 5: CITY OF ESPOO WINS TOP PRIZE FOR PR
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Page 19 and 20: days. The operating method also inc

ESPOO MAGAZINE 1/2017

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