Joy for everyday life
The Citizens' Houses in Oulu

 all kinds of activities for people of all ages and sizes

The City of Oulu as the pioneer of citizen participation

At the moment there are more then 30 inhabitants' local democracy associations in Oulu, covering the whole area of the city.
The associations are active partners for the municipality of Oulu and act through all lines of municipal operating. Nowadays in Oulu the citizens’ participation is a natural part of many different endeavours, like the Entire Village as an Educator Project and the New Millennium Neighbourhoods Week in August 2000.
Citizen participation is also part of the making of ecological programs and the city Security Network, and also in the developing of information society on local level.

Citizens' Houses as a part of the developing of the city

Also the Citizens' Houses have established their position as a forum of citizen participation and influence on common affairs.
At the moment there are eleven Citizen's Houses in Oulu - Rajakylä, Lintulampi, Oulunsuu, Kaukovainio, Keskusta-Nuottasaari, Karjasilta, Maikkula, Myllyoja, Kaakkuri , Puolivälinkangas and Tuira. Local inhabitants' Associations maintain the Houses and they are supported financially by the City of Oulu. In the Houses there are also computers with free IT- services. Similar type of place for inhabitants to meet and socialise is found in Toppila area.

The activities of the Citizens' Houses rise from the needs and resources of local inhabitants. Citizen's Houses are also a part of the municipal Service Network Plan of Oulu, whose objectives reach until the year 2020.

The developing of information society as civil society

One of the emphases of the city of Oulu is the developing of information society as civil society. This involves the offering of IT- services and facilities equally for all citizens. The so-called digital watershed, the shaft between the skilled and unskilled is avoidable.
The communal needs and virtues of people need a forum in order to come true also in information society. For example local homepages can act as the meeting points of the inhabitants, inhabitants' associations and the private and public services.

In January 2000 the local Government of Oulu decided to connect the Citizens' Houses in the City Information Network, as a part of the development of communal services.
The Oulu Polytechnic is a partner in the training of citizens to use information technology, when the students act as teachers of the computer courses. The latest courses have been for people over 70 years of age.

Part of the computer courses in the Citizens' Houses are arranged by the Inhabitants Associations. The contact information of all the local democracy associations is now found in the Internet. Some of the Associations also have their own homepages in the Internet. Part of the local discussions and announcements is also available in the Internet.