Recent studies show that young people, both in Finland and elsewhere in Europe, feel that their opportunities to influence major environmental changes are generally low. When individual activists or big events gain space in the public eye, it seems that one would have to be an exceptionally brave, knowledgeable and skilled person to change anything in the world. ELOTILA is a development project in which researchers and artists from different fields come together with students in basic education to share meaningful things about nature and its living beings, creating space and ways to bring about change together advocating changes in everyday thinking. The aim is to diversify understandings of acting for the environment, and to create an operating model that includes concrete means, which does not place young citizens in the role of saviors of the world but instead relies on building alliances and collaboration.
The project will be implemented in two schools in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area during the academic year 2025-2026. Workshops at schools bring together a wide range of ways to know and to act for what is perceived to be important. The themes of the workshops are based on previous research, the results of which will be implemented in the ELOTILA project. Researchers, artists, and students work together to develop effective ways to meet the perspectives, wishes, and needs of other living creatures, simultaneously developing ways to imagine what kind of world we would like to move towards that is more equitable for all.
The developed pedagogical model is carried forward by the following collaborating partners: The Finnish Nature Association, the Children and Youth Foundation, Young Academy Finland and SYKLI Environmental College.
Duration: 2025-2026
Project leader: Pauliina Rautio
Project researcher: Maaria Hartman
Steering group: Tuomas Aivelo, Tuure Tammi, Riikka Hohti, Maria Saari, Mika Simonen, Pekka Tuominen and Anttoni Kervinen
Artist: Outimaija Hakala, Matilda Aaltonen and Maija Linturi
Researchers participating workships: Mikko Puumala, Irina Salmi and Piia Vinnari
Place of the research: University of Oulu, Faculty of Education and Psychology
Schools participating in the project: Vesalan koulu and Viikin normaalikoulu
The project will be implemented in two schools in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area during the academic year 2025-2026. Workshops at schools bring together a wide range of ways to know and to act for what is perceived to be important. The themes of the workshops are based on previous research, the results of which will be implemented in the ELOTILA project. Researchers, artists, and students work together to develop effective ways to meet the perspectives, wishes, and needs of other living creatures, simultaneously developing ways to imagine what kind of world we would like to move towards that is more equitable for all.
The developed pedagogical model is carried forward by the following collaborating partners: The Finnish Nature Association, the Children and Youth Foundation, Young Academy Finland and SYKLI Environmental College.
Duration: 2025-2026
Project leader: Pauliina Rautio
Project researcher: Maaria Hartman
Steering group: Tuomas Aivelo, Tuure Tammi, Riikka Hohti, Maria Saari, Mika Simonen, Pekka Tuominen and Anttoni Kervinen
Artist: Outimaija Hakala, Matilda Aaltonen and Maija Linturi
Researchers participating workships: Mikko Puumala, Irina Salmi and Piia Vinnari
Place of the research: University of Oulu, Faculty of Education and Psychology
Schools participating in the project: Vesalan koulu and Viikin normaalikoulu
