No one is alone in Jyväskylä

Heini Kumpulainen

The students of Lyseo have decided to make a play about social exclusion. Raili Kivelä chose the suitable people for the roles at an improvisation session held in Viitaniemi.

By improvisation the students of Lyseo aim to relate to their characters in the play-to-be.Raili aims to get a picture of the actors' personalities so that the casting would be fitting.

Improvisation goes along well with Mari Honkamäki, Saara Pekkola and Henna Tyyskä.

The students of Lyseo contemplate the deeper personalities of the characters in a meeting at the Huoneteatteri-theater. Heta Vaattovaara has clear ideas which are listened to with interest.

Heta Vaattovaara is the ”driving force” behind the theater project. She is in nearly all of the planning teams from writing the script to acting. Most of all she personally awaits acting. Acting in her opinion is creating great feelings.

Vaattovaara reasoned the choice of the play's topic by its timeliness, being a current event.

In the costume meeting, Jonna Tuomisto and Jaana Jääskeläinen listen intently to Inga Delahay's ideas about costumes fitting to the play's mood.

Stage designer Tua Hautamäki held a stage designing workshop at Huoneteatteri1. February. The idea was that the people from Lyseo would get some ideas for their own play from Hautamäki.

On the 6th of February, Hannakaisa Hämäläinen held an info session about how to make use of photography when working on a play for those in the Lyseo theater project interested in photography.

Katarina Broman does some photography in her free-time. She is eager to start working on a photography project relating to the Lyseo play.

The stage design workshop began planning before the spring vacation. Roosa Berg took carethat the schedule was followed.

Inga Delahay and Jaana Jääskeläinen found the humor in the stage design opportunities.

Before the proper rehearsals, Raili ”broke the ice” with a howling practice.

Elisa

Elisa is one of the Huoneteatteri-theater's young employees. Elisa's story is like an example of how it is possible to rise from social exclusion and fulfill your dreams.

Elisa went to high school for a year in Finland, after which she left to France for a year as an exchange student. She herself didn't believe that she would get through her matriculation examinations that year, but in the end succeeded in graduating. She returned after a year to Finland for a while, but soon left for Belgium with the intention of studying architecture. Not everything went exactly according to plan, but, because of family reasons, Elisa had to return to Finland after a few months. After coming back to Finland, she basically had nothing. No school, no job, no friends. However, she got back into a familiar theater group which she had been in before leaving to France. The leader of the group, Timo Torkkonen, told her to contact Ohjauslaturi in Jyväskylä, through which she got into a work trial at the Huoneteatteri. At Huoneteatteri, Elisa has got inside the theater world by participating in many different projects. In addition, she is also taking part to many projects outside the theater, as both director and hobbyist.

Elisa is a director and scriptwriter at the theater association Kulissi. She has established a theater production called Produktio Nyt (Production Now), from which a new show ”Aika varattu” (”Time reserved”) is coming out. She is also involved with the theater production Virtalähde with an art workshop.

(Ohjauslaturi is Jyväskylä's guidance and counseling service for youths age 13-29 who need support with for example school applications.)

At Huoneteatteri Elisa has been able to be involved in many projects. She is also taking part to other theater activities outside the Huoneteatteri, and also works as a director to her own theater group.

At the moment, Elisa dreams of video shooting -related studies abroad.The theater environment has made preparing for the entrance exams easier.In the beginning of February, she hada project of filming a video for the entrance test. Luckily she knew peoplewith acting experience.

Elisa has a lot of experience with make-up thanks to her hobbies. Theseskills are good to use in both job training and hobbies.

WHAT CAN YOU DO IN JYVÄSKYLÄ

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO STUDY OR WORK?

ART WORKSHOP

The art workshop is the place when a young person is looking for a direction in for example their studies, or finding work. The aim is to offer different kinds of work trials and activities for 17-29 year olds.

SOAP AND LASAGNEAnne Kilponen, Henry Ovaskainen, Elina Niemi and Joel Sola are at the art workshop working hard. On the first day they are making soap and on the second they’re cooking together.

4H

The 4H organization is the largest youth organization in Finland. The purpose of 4H is to support the civic education and entrepreneurship of children and adolescents. The idea is that the young people would learn to do things independently and practically.

“The basis of the four H’s are the words Head, Hands, Heart and Health.”

4H organizes different kinds of activities for young people like different kinds of courses and clubs.

At the 4H Dogsitter-course, teens are taught the skills needed to handle and work with dogs. The aim is that, through 4H, the young people would get to work as dogsitters in return for a small payment. The aim of the course is to teach responsibility among other skills. On the 22nd of January a drug police came to tell about his job as a dog trainer and a work partner.

Hilla Walkeajärvi and Janina Lepistö are having an intriguing conversation about dog-related things.

Inna Temonen had a lot of knowledge about the traits and behavior of police dogs.Janne Heiskanen gladly listened to Inna’s information.

Inna Temonen is 14 years old. She already has previous experience with taking care of dogs since her family also includes a dog. Inna thinks that the dogsitter training is good for those beginning dogsitting, although she herself as an experienced dogsitter didn’t feel like she gained a lot from the course. It wasn’t a complete waste for Inna though, since she got now friends from the course. The late times for the course has sometimes been hard because she goes to school as well.

Janne Heiskanen brought his work partner for show.

Tuuli Sahi held a housework course on the 22nd of January for four young girls. Despite the late time, Jenni Katajamäki, Katri Devitte, Johanna Heinonen and Eveliina Närhi managed to listen to the evening’s info.

Jenni Katajamäki ended up at the housework course because she was in need of work and her friend suggested it to her. Jenni has felt that the course has been useful thinking about the housework business, but can’t imagine herself doing it for a job.

Johanna Heinonen also ended up at the 4H club because of a friend’s suggestion.Johanna says that she has gotten a lot of info about how to work with different kindsof people and how to understand some life situations better, which in turn will help in working with people.

Eveliina Närhi posed many questions about household work.

HOBBIES!

’Mieletön sitruuna’ is an improvisation group which was founded on an amateur base in 2012. The idea is that, when joining the group, you don’t have to have previous experience with improvisation, just “creative plunging is enough.”

Jukka Hämäläinen started in the Mieletön sitruuna-group10 months ago. Performing has given him self-confidence and he has even found a girlfriend from the group. Hämäläinen Stresses that even a shy person might become more social than usual while improvising.

In improv, you can also bring out negative emotions and handle them even with humor.

Hanna Haapanen (on the left), 26, did her drama education studies at a summer university, where she started yearning to be involved in theater. Hanna Haapanen has done theater as a hobby in her childhood and youth, so theater has always been a big part of her life. Hanna says that in improv, you need courage and creative passion.

In the picture, Hanna Haapanen and Hanne Ryynänen play a expression-transfer game. The purpose of it is to break the ice before the actual improvisation session.

The movement of the body is important in improv. In this game, the body’s position is felt and identified eyes closed.

IMPROVISING MUSIC

Sauli Lindholm and Allan Lindgren along with director and rap-artist Pyry Jaala think up ideas together. The idea is to make a song about Sanatakomo during the spring.

Sanatakomo is an opportunity offered by the Oiva and Ilona –project to make rap music with guidance. ‘Oivan sanatakomo’ is aimed at young people aged 14-29. In the group, the young people get guidance for making rap music and beats by Finland’s rap music professionals.

Coming up with the lyrics for songs is sometimes difficult in rap as well as other genres of music.

But sometimes work also produces results.

OR TRYING TO PLAY MUSIC AT ROCK-SCHOOL

At the Veturitallit, there is organized music guidance for those interested. Alternatively, a bandroom is available to rent for more independent practice.

Antti Pohjola and Inka-Mari Anttila practice playing and singing in a guided group.

At the Veturitallit there is a possibility for the youths to get to perform even if you don’t have a contract yet. Kiskoklubi is an occasionally arranged, alcohol- and substance-free event where the young people and their band has the possibility to perform what they know at the moment.

MUSIC ONTO A VIDEO

A music video clinic was held at the Veturitallit to give information on making music videos. The target was young people who had their own band and needed help in marketing it through media. Music video expert Anssi Korhonen was there.

Joel Holma plays in the ” Diamond Jam”band. He is one of the band’s composers. Holma thinks that the clinic will help the band’s future.

Holma ended up at the mnusic video clinic through Rock and Roll Train. (A workshop where bands are helped and supported for a year. The bands are Trained by front-row professionals. The Bands practice at trainings, studios and Gigs.

Eetu Juvonen was full of ideas when a theme was being thought up for a piece of music. Eetu has Had his own band for three years. He thinks that the music video clinic was useful for his own bandAnd their music video, especially ”it being part of the music industry.”

A LIFE IS ONEWHOLE CIRCUS

Väresirkus is a small circus group that gathers at the Veturitallit a few times a week.The purpose of the group is to hold performances in Jyväskylä, so that young people would be interested in parkour and circus hobbies. The circus has sometimes donated tickets to f. ex. Sovatek-foundation to prevent social exclusion.

Saila Salminen is one of the founders of Väresirkus. The idea came when she and Noora Kouvo had held a free circus group at Siperia and they had been offered an opportunity to hold their own performance with money from Youth in Action. Through it they got experience in performing and holding a circus. The idea of Väresirkus has been continued by performing at f. ex. Schools.

RELAXED ENTERTAINMENT

Katutaso is a young people’s substance-free meeting place upheld by Jyväskylä’s street mission, ”katulähetys”. There is a lot to do from billiards to ping pong. Sometimes there is guided action or just hanging out together.

THE YOUTH IS ALSO MONITORED

Synkkis is volunteer work, and its purpose is to be present where the young people spend their time. The aim is to talk with young people, watch what’s going on and interfere and help when needed.

Synkkis also exchanges news with leaders of community centers.