Hämeenlinna is a great place to work

The employees of the City of Hämeenlinna are active, forward-looking people with a desire to develop.

Katri Juvonen, Head Employee Representative of JUKO<br/>(OVTES)

Juvonen has worked as an employee representative since 1997 and has a background as a classroom teacher. She is proud of how teachers in Hämeenlinna have managed to develop their own work despite the fact that even the basic work in the school world is demanding. The biggest effort of the past school year has been the reforms related to learning support.

In Hämeenlinna, teachers have come up with all kinds of new approaches and initiatives for pupils. To spark pupils’ enthusiasm for reading and improve literacy, books have been given greater visibility in schools and reading challenges have been organised. Schools have also held activities such as city-themed games, morning yoga, and school-wide dance breaks.

All of these support the school’s educational mission while also bringing more joy to the school day.

In addition, Hämeenlinna has developed approaches for listening to children and explored ways to address nicotine use. According to the School Health Survey, nicotine use had increased among lower secondary school pupils and upper secondary students.

These ideas come from ordinary teachers.

Katri Juvonen, Head Employee Representative of JUKO

Development also supports coping at work. Juvonen says she wouldn’t have been able to carry out the duties of an employee representative for this long if something new hadn’t always come along. The work of a Head Employee Representative also requires close cooperation with both the employer and staff. You can’t manage alone, and you don’t have to.

Fortunately, you don’t have to master everything new right away.

It’s wonderful that a culture has developed in Hämeenlinna where you can always ask if you don’t know something.

Katri Juvonen, Head Employee Representative of JUKO

Text: Venla Seuri

This is part of the first article in the Parhaat palat series, which showcases pioneering cases from the municipal and wellbeing sectors. The series will feature a total of 25 articles. It is part of the Meidän työ – yhteistyöllä tuloksiin project.