The international PARTY project (Participatory Development with the Youth) is coordinated by the University of Lapland, and it collaborates with partners from Italy, the UK, Switzerland, South Africa, and Namibia. The consortium’s coordinator and scientific leader is Professor Satu Miettinen from the Faculty of Art and Design at the University of Lapland.

The main objective of the research project is to prevent youth unemployment in developing countries by creating participatory tools for them.

"This research project is based on the service design approach. It will provide tools for marginalized youths to advance local democracy, non-discrimination, and the development of people and services", Professor Miettinen says.

The project focuses on the San people living in the Northern Cape Province in South Africa and in the Omaheke Region in Namibia. The San have a variety of social, cultural, and political problems and their communities are among the poorest in South Africa and Namibia.

"The problems of marginalized youths living in developing countries are complex and difficult to solve. There are several issues behind the phenomenon: education, gender, self-esteem, geographical location, physical abilities, and transport. In addition, the countries in question are among the most unequal nations in the world", adds Miettinen.

The tools created in this research project will be used to support the youths' motivation and ability to participate in the development of their own community. The measures are aimed at integrating the youths into the socio-economic system of society.

The project is funded by the Horizon 2020 programme of the European Union. The project has been arranged in cooperation with the research support staff of the University of Lapland, whose task is to support the acquisition and administration of R&D funding.


Further information:

Professor Satu Miettinen
Phone: +358 40 484 4367
satu.miettinen (at) ulapland.fi