Rovaniemi to trial winter work vouchers for young people

Rovaniemi will test a winter work voucher scheme for young people during the upcoming winter season, Yle reports. The pilot is aimed at those born between 2008 and 2010.

The city has allocated 20,000 euros to the trial, which will cover the cost of vouchers for between 66 and 133 young people.

The idea came from Rovaniemi’s youth council. “Young people have asked for this kind of winter work voucher,” said Soile Saastamoinen, a service coordinator with Rovaniemi’s employment services.

The city has offered summer work vouchers for several years, but the winter scheme differs in one important respect: applicants must already have an employer before applying.

The voucher can cover either 30 or 60 hours of work. The hours do not have to be completed consecutively, and can be spread across the winter season.

The voucher is worth 150 euros for 30 hours of work or 300 euros for 60 hours.

Several applications had already been submitted during the first few days of the trial, Saastamoinen said. Applications are made through Kuntarekry.