Tampere is preparing to apply for state funding for a project to promote youth employment as part of a nationwide program, which was developed through collaboration between the six largest cities and the government and was approved at a meeting in the spring of 2026. The government has allocated a total of 15 million euros for the years 2026–2028 to the 11 largest cities in Finland. With this funding, large cities can develop new models to strengthen youth employment and inclusion.
In Tampere, the project aims to help, in particular, young people aged 18–29 who are not in employment, education, or other activities. In addition, the initiative places special emphasis on promoting employment, education, and well-being among young people who speak a foreign language.
There are approximately 63,500 young people aged 18–29 living in Tampere. Of these, about 10,000 belong to the so-called NEET group (Not in Employment, Education, or Training)—that is, young people who are not in employment, education, or training. Approximately 5,500 young people have been in this situation for more than half a year.
In March 2026, there were a total of approximately 8,800 unemployed job seekers under the age of 30 in Tampere.
The city’s goal is to strengthen young people’s opportunities to find a path to education and working life, for example, through Competence Development, completing degrees or parts thereof, and gaining initial work experience. The operating model is based on a district alliance, as the goal is also to prevent regional segregation. By targeting measures at areas where challenges related to youth employment, education, and well-being may be concentrated, it is possible to strengthen the vitality of these areas and prevent the widening of well-being and employment disparities from growing in different parts of the city.
At the same time, the aim is to prevent social exclusion and regional segregation, strengthen young people’s participation, and support their belief in their own potential.
– When a young person falls outside the system of education and the workforce, it is not only emotionally difficult for the individual and their loved ones but also a shared challenge for the entire city. That is why we want to reach young people as early as possible and offer support where it is needed most. The goal is for every young person in Tampere to have a genuine opportunity to build their own future through education and work,” emphasizes Deputy Mayor Johanna Kirjavainen.
A total of more than 2,100 NEET youths live in these target areas. The target areas were selected based on regional statistical data. In Hervanta and Northwest Tampere, the risk of young people remaining outside of education and the workforce for an extended period is higher than in the rest of the city. In addition, these areas are at risk of facing multiple challenges related to youth well-being, employment, and educational pathways.
At the end of 2025, there were approximately 1,460 NEET youth in Hervanta. Of these, more than 900 had been in this situation for over six months. The proportion of foreign-language-speaking youth in the area is also significant.
In Northwest Tampere, on the other hand, about one in five 18- to 29-year-olds belongs to the NEET group. Among the area’s NEET youth, more than 60 percent have been in this situation for over six months, and more than 40 percent for over a year.
What these areas have in common is that they are characterized by a concentration of multiple risk factors related to education, employment, and well-being. Prolonged unemployment, interrupted educational pathways, poor transitions into the labor market, and challenges related to integration can make it difficult for young people to become engaged in working life and society.
The starting point for the preparation of the Youth District Alliance is national collaboration with, among others, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and, at the local level, with employers, educational institutions, the wellbeing services county, organizations, associations, and other regional stakeholders.
The goal is to develop an operational model that reaches young people in their own communities and supports their education, employment, and social inclusion.
– In the district Alliance, we are working together with employers, educational institutions, organizations, and other partners to develop new kinds of practical solutions that will allow us to reach and support young people more effectively than before. The initiative is linked to research, and best practices are evaluated as part of ongoing service planning. Peer-to-peer development among major cities is also part of the initiative, says Regina Saari, Director of Employment and Growth.
The selection of Hervanta is supported by the fact that the area is included in the 2026–2029 Neighborhood Development Programme and the “Tampere for All” development programme’s target areas. Northwest Tampere, on the other hand, is a rapidly developing district with an active network of organizations and businesses.
The goal is for the operating models and best practices developed in this project to be utilized later in other parts of Tampere as well.
The Committee for Vitality and Competence authorized the Employment and Growth Services service group to prepare a project plan and the Director of Employment and Growth to submit a funding application to the state aid authority. The application will be submitted to the state aid authority after the Government Decree on State Aid for Projects Promoting Youth Employment has come into effect.
