Influence, Don’t Complain – V-days
Influence, Don’t Complain – V-Days are part of democracy education for 8th graders in Hämeenlinna lower secondary schools.
V-Days are a process during which pupils become familiar with various channels of influence, consider their opportunities to have an impact, and make initiatives that are presented to decision-makers and officials. V-days also include a participatory budgeting process in which young people decide how a budget of €30,000 is allocated.
V-days have been organized since 2004.
Initiative Session
The V-day process always begins with an initiative session. Youth workers facilitate an initiative session for 8th graders in which pupils brainstorm various initiatives for developing the city.
Compiling initiatives
After the initiative sessions, all initiatives from a given school are compiled and taken, for example, to a pupil council board meeting, where the initiatives to be taken forward to the actual V-day are selected.
V-day
Each lower secondary school organises its own V-day, to which the city’s leading officials and elected representatives are invited to hear the young people’s initiatives. The goal of V-day is to enable young people and decision-makers to meet and engage in constructive dialogue. The event offers young people an opportunity to present their thoughts, views, and ideas for developing the city.
The purpose of the event is also to open up municipal decision-making, increase understanding of how decisions are made, and explain why not all proposals can always be implemented.
Selecting the top initiative
After V-day, each school selects and prepares one top initiative, which is taken forward to the Youth Summit.
Youth Summit
Two representatives from each secondary school and representatives from the youth council are invited to the Youth Summit. All top initiatives are presented at the summit, and the summit decides which initiative or initiatives will be allocated funding from the €30,000 budget.
Grade 9 session
The V-day process concludes with a grade 9 session. The Inclusion Coordinator visits all ninth-grade classes at the beginning of the autumn term to report on the progress of the top initiatives.
2026 Youth Summit decisions
The 2026 Youth Summit was held at the Town Hall in January. Two representatives from each of Hämeenlinna’s lower secondary schools and representatives from the youth council participated in the summit. The following top initiatives were presented at the summit:
- Hakkala Comperehensive School (now Lammi Comprehensive School): Outdoor gym for Lammi
- Hauho Comprehensive School: More buses to Hauho
- Hämeenlinna Comprehensive School: Drinking water fountains near playgrounds
- Iittala Comprehensive School: Renovation of Iittala upper yard
- Kauriala Comprehensive School: Cycling track for Hämeenlinna
- Lyseo Comprehensive School: Common room for Lyseo Comprehensive School
- Nummi Comprehensive School: Docks for Appara
- Saarinen Comprehensive School: Trip to a petting farm
Following a vote at the meeting, it was decided that the funding would be allocated as follows:
€500 for Saarinen Comprehensive School’s trip to a petting farm
The trip was carried out in spring 2026.
€6,000 for establishing common room facilities at Lyseo Comprehensive School
The funding will be used to create a lounge area for Lyseo Comprehensive School pupils, to be used during breaks among other things. The space will be completed during autumn 2026.
€11,000 for renovating Iittala Comprehensive School’s upper yard
Discussions were held regarding the renovation needs of Iittala Comprehensive School’s upper yard with representatives of Iittala Comprehensive School pupils and the urban structure sector. Based on these discussions, new swings, a climbing frame, and decorative structures were acquired and installed for the school yard.
€4,500 for renovating the Ahvenisto docks
A dilapidated jetty was removed from Ahvenisto swimming beach and replaced with a new one.
Decisions from previous years
V-days and the Youth Summit have a long history, so over the years many initiatives originating from young people’s ideas have been implemented. The budget has been used, for example, to renovate sports facilities, build new disc golf courses, and organise events and trips for young people.
Further information about decisions from previous years is available from the Inclusion Coordinator.