The main objective of the Turvallinen Oulu – Safe Oulu (2019-2021) project is to prevent sexual crimes against minors in Oulu.  

The secondary objectives are: 

• Reduce the amount and threat of sexual crimes and sexual harassment  
• Strengthen the role of children and youth as active members of the community 
• Support and increase the knowledge of families to prevent sexual offences 
• Strengthen the media and safety skills of children, youth, and parents 
• Strengthen the integration of immigrants to the community 
• Prevent recidivism and rehabilitate young offenders 
   

Seven sections  

The project consists of seven sections: 

1. Fostering the safety skills education of children and youth 

2. Strengthening the training and know-how of the professionals to prevent sexual crimes 

3. Strengthening the psycho-social support of children and youth 

4. Multidisciplinary model of facing the youth during their leisure time 

5. Fostering the self-esteem of youth – stories form the City of Oulu 

6. Making the integration of immigrants more effective 

7. Rehabilitating young offenders 
 

The project is coordinated by the Educational and Cultural services of the City of Oulu.
 

Click here: Review of Safety Skills Education by Safe Oulu Project (pdf)

The Finnish National Action Plan for the Prevention of Violence against Children 2020–2025 defines safety skills education as follows: 

‘Safety skills education’ refers to the comprehensive strengthening of children’s own resources, positive body image and self-esteem, as well as their means of coping. In this way, children learn skills that promote the safety of the relationships between them and other people and provide them with the skills to avoid being subjected to violence, bullying, solicitation and harassment. In situations where a child has become the victim of various types of violence, the goal of safety skills education is to ensure that children have the means and skills to protect themselves and defend their boundaries (Non-Violent Childhoods: Action Plan for the Prevention of Violence against Children 2020–2025, 22) 

The safety skills education entity from pre-primary school to the end of basic education created in the Safe Oulu project strengthens a child’s self-esteem, sense of self-worth, and confidence, fosters good emotional and communication skills, promotes good relationships with peers as well as coping and digital safety skills. Safety skills education enhances children’s skills in setting and protecting their boundaries against bullying, violence, harassment, and grooming. Safety skills education comprehensively augments children’s resources and survival skills. 

As children live in a multimedia world, they will learn that they have the right to grow and live in safety, also online. They will learn to identify the dangers occurring online, protect themselves online, set boundaries and tell an adult they trust when something happens. If the children are not taught what is right and what is wrong and what is a crime and what is not, they cannot know these things.

The safety skills education applied in the schools and pre-schools in the city of Oulu and the strengthening of the know-how of professionals and caretakers prevents bullying, harassment and violence against minors in face-to-face interaction and on digital environments, among children themselves and between children and adults. As the children grow and their horizons expand, adult supervision cannot wholly cover them. Although we, adults, shoulder all responsibility for children’s safety, the children, too, need skills which may help them look after themselves and their own safety. The older the children the less the adults can supervise their every move 

 

Read more about the Safety skills education

Chapter 7 Safety skills education, Non-Violent Childhoods : Action Plan for the Prevention of Violence against Children 2020–2025

Immigration manager Arto Willman

p. +358 44 7039020

e-mail: firstname.lastname@ouka.fi

Further information on Safety Skills Education

Project coordinator Satu-Maaria Toppinen
p. +358 40 481 3497

Project coordinator Tiia Brockman
p. +358 40 503 9854

e-mail: firstname.lastname@ouka.fi

 

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