VEERA GRANROTH
For sustainable, fair and long-term decision-making
WHO AM I?
I am 25 years old and studying for a Master's degree in Public Administration at Åbo Akademi University. In my free time, I enjoy being in nature and spending time with my friends.
I am running in the municipal and wellbeing county elections because I want to bring faith in a better tomorrow to politics. When making political decisions, fair generational policies must be taken into account, so that decisions are made long-term and not just done until the next election. I want to see investments in prevention, well-being, education and safety.
Previously, I have served as a deputy council member in the Turku City Council and The Wellbeing Services County of Southwest Finland, as a member of the Varha Audit Committee, Turku's Social and Healthcare Committee and as chair of the board of the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University.
TURKU
I want Turku to be a forerunner. Turku must be a city where decisions are made sustainably, fairly and with a long-term perspective. This means, among other things, that preventive action is invested in and that all decision-making assesses long-term impacts. I want to work to promote Turku as a city where people want to move and where they want and are able to stay after finishing their studies.
EDUCATION
It is always worthwhile to invest in education. There must be sufficient funding for healthy school buildings and Turku should strive to provide all upper secondary school students with free school supplies. Everyone should have the opportunity to continue their studies to secondary education in Turku. Schools must provide sufficient support for students so that everyone can complete their studies. It is important that there are a sufficient number of school counselors and school psychologists available and close to the students.
Turku aims to be the best student city in Finland by 2029, and this requires investment. Turku should invest in good cooperation with the region's universities, as they affect the attractiveness of the municipality and the future availability of labor. Long-term decision-making will improve the conditions for students to stay here after their studies.
WELFARE
Although the costs of social and healthcare services have been transferred to the wellbeing county of Southwest Finland, it is essential that Turku invests in promoting the well-being of its residents and preventing health problems. Close cooperation between Turku and Varha is important. Investing in the well-being of residents always pays off in the long run.
Physical well-being supports mental well-being. Turku should provide everyone with an easy way to participate in physical activity and meaningful leisure time. All young people should be offered the opportunity to engage in hobbies, as this reduces the risk of exclusion.
SAFETY
All children and young people should have a safe environment to grow up in, and therefore, there is a need to invest in preventive work and support. Turku should be a pioneer in creating a functioning network for families, where preventive work and support are invested in at an early stage before problems become major. Turku should invest in, among other things, investigative youth work, sufficient support in schools and support effective cooperation between authorities.
WELFARE
I want to see investments in the well-being of children and young people. Investing in the well-being of young people is a prerequisite for sustainable social development. If young people burn out or suffer from mental health problems, they will not be able to work in the future.
Access to care must be easily available at a low threshold when needed, and investments must be at a preventive level. It is always better to invest in well-being at a preventive stage than later, when problems have become serious.
Above all, students are at risk of being left out of various forms of support because welfare areas currently do not cooperate with student healthcare. This needs to be corrected so that everyone receives care when they need it.
THE WELLBEING SERVICES COUNTY OF SOUTHWEST FINLAND (VARHA)
The operation of the wellbeing service counties is still in its early stages, and the direction in which the operation will develop will be determined in the coming council term. I want everything to be done in Varha to ensure that all residents of the area receive the care they need as quickly as possible when needed.
Major organizational changes take both time and resources, and decision-makers must allow the wellbeing county sufficient time to make the necessary structural changes. Cost developments are challenging and the financial framework set by the government is strict. However, now we must dare to look at the long-term effects of decisions even before making them. Uncontrolled cuts will not achieve long-term and sustainable results.
The different functions of the wellbeing county must work together towards common goals, so that the care is as good and efficient as possible for the residents. For this to be successful, it is essential that the different functions do not become isolated. Impact assessments must be used as the basis for decision-making, and decisions must be based on researched information. Let's build a sustainable wellbeing county so that we will have functioning public social and healthcare services in the future.
LET'S DO THE RIGHT THINGS
There is no Varha without its staff. The coronavirus pandemic and the wellbeing county reform have burdened the entire care sector, and now it is essential to invest in well-being at work and the employer image. Varha must be a fair and reliable employer, where people want to come and stay to work.
Everyone is needed to improve the well-being of residents. Municipalities are responsible for preventive measures and hold the keys to promoting well-being. That is why close cooperation with the municipalities is essential. Varha, together with municipalities, must also enable the continuation of the activities of social and healthcare organizations.
LET'S TAKE CARE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE
Children and young people are in a particularly vulnerable position and decision-makers must ensure that help is easily accessible when needed. Sufficient resources for child protection must be ensured and early support in its various forms must be enabled.
Varha should enable free contraceptives for young people and sufficient support measures at all levels of education, close to students. Service chains should be clear, and guidance should be effective so that no one is left without treatment because they do not know whom to contact in a given matter.
Accessible, low-threshold mental health and substance abuse services and family support play a key role when considering ways to promote well-being.
IMPROVING THE WELL-BEING AND SAFETY OF RESIDENTS
Varha's task is to take care of the residents of the area and their safety. Southwest Finland is a challenging area from a rescue service perspective, as the distances are long and the archipelago brings special challenges. We need close cooperation between the authorities and the role of volunteers must not be forgotten.
Varha should promote work against violence and promote nationwide methods that enable humane substance abuse services.
