Founded in Tampere - 9.11.2007• 372 children present in Tampere with their escorts• Children between ages of 7 – 12• First two year term 2008 – 2009• In Tampere the first Chairman Silva Järvinen, the Board and first three Committees (enviroment, leisure, school) were elected

Opening event in Tampere 9.11.2007

Background• Based on the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child and the Finnish Youth Act (nuorisolaki 72/2006)• Provides children with a means to get their voices heard• Provides the authorities and decision-makers with a forum for discussing and clarifying issues directly with children

Aims of the Finnish Children’s Parliament• Supports children’s involvement on the national and local level• Promotes the social awareness of children and young people, and reinforces their place in society

Under protection• The President of Finland Tarja Halonen

Model of the Finnish Children’s Parliament• Physical plenary session once a year• Remaining time is usedworking online• 2 virtual plenary sessions every year• Official connection between the FCPand the adult Parliament has beenestablished

The children bring to the table small and big locks, small question marks and big ones. Not all small questions are small things. Children can bring light on the table.

The rights of children are the responsibilities of adults

Adults have keys and most importantly, power to turn the keys

FCP onlineVirtual Parliament building – 5 rooms• Independent of time and location, where representatives can discuss• E-tools (chat, discussion forums)• Initiative channel• E-gallups / surveys• USB flash drive• The Board and Committeeschat weekly

Every member appear as themself

FCP online – background• Concern over the age grou• Getting knowledge through trial and error• Different abilities within the age group - children can teach each other• Every representative has the right to choose how actively he or she wants to participate• Groups• Free discussion and chat• The Board’s and Committee’sdiscussion forums and weeklychats

Initiative channel - online e-tool

First virtual plenary session• Was held during 17-30 april 2008• Preparations during february – march 2008• Two week discussion period• 9 article agenda – articles from the Board, Committees, initiatives, important general articles• Discussion forums• Chat• Voting with an online-form

First virtual plenary session - results• Over 100 discussion topics• Over 1000 comments• Decisions on the 9 initiatives• First official initiatives and contentions presented to the Finnish Parliament on 4 June 2008

Local level participation• Local Children’s Parliaments founded since 2004• Currently 10 local CP:s• Every finnish child can bring issues in to discussion of the FCP through Initiative channel• Connection to schools

The near future of FCP• Next physical plenary session in Jyväskylä 6-7 november 2008 – valto@lastenparlamentti.fi• Local Children’s parliament in majority of Finnish municipalities / connection to schools• International contacts• 6 new Committees• Foreign affairs• Culture• Communications• Children’s rights• Future• Social- and health

Existing committeesThe Board• Enviroment• School• Leisure

Virtual 2D hall for plenary sessions

Choice of own visual character

Virtual 2D hall for plenary sessions

The seminar of the Board 5.4.2008

Silva Järvinen – the Chairman of the FCP• You were chosen to be the Chairman of FCP in Tampere. How does it feel?• Tell us about your work as the Chairman?• What has working online been like?• What kind of issues have you discussed?• The FCP has decided that adults can be used as experts. What does this mean?• How can children have an impact?• What is a good world for children like?

Stockholm 9.9.2008

Historical moment 4.6.2008- First official meeting between the Finnish children’s and adult’s Parliament

Thank you

! Questions?