Aseman Lapset starts talks over job cuts

Aseman Lapset, a nationwide Finnish organisation focused on the wellbeing of children, young people and families, will begin change negotiations, Yle reports. The talks concern 24 employees.

The negotiations are linked to cuts in grants from the Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations, known as STEA.

They will cover Aseman Lapset’s outreach work, administration, communications and fundraising teams. Possible measures include redundancies, temporary layoffs, reduced working hours and changes to job descriptions.

The organisation is preparing for significant changes as STEA grants to social welfare and health organisations are expected to fall to about 190 million euros in 2027. That is a reduction of more than 80 million euros from 2026.

Aseman Lapset receives targeted STEA grants for five forms of work supporting young people with challenging behaviour, substance use problems, or involvement in crime as offenders or victims, as well as their families in Finland’s Uusimaa region. The organisation also receives a general STEA grant.

“Our STEA grants are almost entirely directed towards outreach work. Cuts on this scale cannot be made without putting outreach work on the list of areas to be cut as well,” executive director Christian Wentzel said in a statement.

The change negotiations will begin in October. The final adjustment measures will be determined after STEA has decided on the grants.