The Organisational Advisory Board of Northern Ostrobothnia has made the theme of the 2026 Organisational Act Award a non-threshold cultural act. The theme aims to highlight associations that make culture accessible, inclusive and accessible. Proposals can be submitted from 1 to 30 September 2026. The application period is not yet open, but it is already a good time to consider which association or operating model deserves recognition. More detailed instructions and an electronic form for nominating candidates will be published on the Northern Ostrobothnia website at the beginning of September. The winning association will receive 1,000 euros to support its activities. The organisation act of the year will be announced at the Regional Parliament of Northern Ostrobothnia on 3 November 2026. Additional information: Strategy Manager Ilpo Tapaninen (tel. +358 50 301 7546 or e-mail ilpo.tapaninen@pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi).

The current survey of organisations in Northern Ostrobothnia charts the current state of the associations' operations and their future development needs. The answers to the survey will be used to make the activities of associations visible, to plan training and support services, and to promote the operating conditions of associations in municipalities and the wellbeing services area, for example. The results are also used in national advocacy work. The survey is carried out nationwide in different counties, and a national summary of the results is also compiled. The results for Northern Ostrobothnia will be published in August 2026. The survey is aimed at all associations operating in the province (except religious and political associations). We ask that only one answer be given for each association. Individual responses will be treated with confidence and in accordance with data protection legislation. Information about individual associations or identifiable information is not published or shared with third parties.  More information on data protection: The data protection page of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia It takes about 20 minutes to complete the survey. Please reply by 5 June 2026. Every answer is important! The questionnaire opens in Webropol via this link:  https://link.webropolsurveys.com/S/050311448F194FDD Warm thanks for your time! The survey is carried out by the Organisational Advisory Board of Northern Ostrobothnia. Secretary Auli Suorsa tel. +358 50 386 8443 / auli.suorsa@pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi  

The Advisory Board for Organisations in Northern Ostrobothnia is concerned about the weakening operating conditions of organisations and their impact on people's daily lives, well-being and municipal services. At the first meeting of its term of office, the Advisory Board outlined that the role and effectiveness of organisations must be strengthened with greater determination. Organisations are a key part of the region's vitality, inclusion and sense of community. “The role of organisations in people’s daily lives, well-being and community is now more important than ever before. That is why we need even closer cooperation between municipalities, the wellbeing services county and organisations. Strong advocacy work is needed to secure the work of organisations”. In this way, the priorities of the work of the Advisory Board were summarised by the newly elected chairperson, the Secretary General of the Association of Young Friends, Raija Näppä. Jussi Ylitalo, Regional Director of the Regional Sports Association of Northern Ostrobothnia, will act as the Deputy Chair of the Advisory Board. Influence work needs information to support it. It will be collected by the Advisory Board with an organisation survey for Northern Ostrobothnia, which will be published soon. Organisations in the region are expected to be active and have plenty of answers. Right now, it is worth participating in joint advocacy work. This year, the North Ostrobothnia Association Award is awarded for the eighth time. The theme of the year is Oulu 2026 in the spirit of the European Capital of Culture. The nomination of candidates will be opened at the beginning of September. The instructions will be found on the website of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. The prize will be awarded in November at the Provincial Parliament. The North Ostrobothnia Organisational Advisory Board was elected for the first time in 2014. There is a wide representation of organisations from different fields and public organisations. The key task is to make the organisation's activities visible, to strengthen the opportunities for citizens and organisations to participate, to promote regional cooperation and to bring the organisations' views into the regional development work of the region. The advisory board is appointed by the provincial government. Additional information: Chairman Raija Näppä / raija.nappa@nuortenysavat.fi tel. +358 (0)40-1981441 Secretary Ilpo Tapaninen / ilpo.tapaninen@pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi tel. +358 (0)50-301 7546 Website of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia / Council of Organisations - Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia [caption id="attachment_51285" align="alignleft" width="503"] The Council of Organisations of Northern Ostrobothnia met for the first meeting of its term of office 2026-2029 in the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia in Siikasali on 6 May 2026.[/caption]

The Organisational Advisory Board of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia visited Pyhäjärvi on 14.8.2025 to get acquainted with the association activities and the cooperation between the city and the associations. In Pyhäjärvi, organisations are involved in building everyday well-being, strengthening security of supply and creating a sense of community – and the model of cooperation has also been recognised at the provincial level. There are as many as 126 registered associations operating in the city, whose activities extend to a wide range of areas of life. The Advisory Board of Associations has drawn up guidelines for municipalities on organizational work, the key principles of which include: - the appointment and resourcing of organizational contact persons, - the provision of free and accessible facilities for activities of general interest, - clear and co-developed assistance processes, - the participation of organisations in the development of welfare plans and services, and - a joint cooperation document that brings together the rules of the game. During the visit, it was found that Pyhäjärvi is already implementing these instructions in an exemplary manner. The city has appointed a community ombudsman, spaces for associations have been organised in innovative ways and forms of grants have been developed together. In addition, the organisations are involved in the city's activities throughout the organisation, and representatives are involved in numerous different committees and steering groups. In this way, the valuable experience of associations will be utilised in well-being work. The example of Pyhäjärvi shows that it is good for municipalities and associations to go hand in hand. When cooperation is based on trust and partnership, the result is a future-oriented, prosperous and vibrant community. 👉 Practical examples of association activities can be found in the blog of Helena Liimatainen, coordinator of association work, published on Pohde's website: Pyhäjärvi takes care of people and associations. In Oulu 18.8.2025 Auli Suorsa, Specialist Culture The provincial programme for Northern Ostrobothnia 2026-2029 will be prepared during the spring and autumn. The blogs written by experts from the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia cover the preparation process and themes related to the programme.

This year, the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia is awarding the award for the seventh time. This time the theme is young people, the future and hope. “Young people are the future of the province. Taking care of their well-being should be everyone's concern. The Council for Organisational Affairs of Northern Ostrobothnia wanted to highlight the work done for young people as the topic of this year's organisation award and thus bring good practices to everyone's attention. We hope for plenty of proposals", says Esa Aunola, Chair of the Advisory Board for Organisations, from the North Ostrobothnia Village Association. Proposals are submitted using an online form, which will be published in the news section of the North Ostrobothnia Regional Council's website on 1 September 2025. Proposals for the winner of the prize can be submitted until 30 September 2025. When making a proposal, the following should be taken into account: An organizational act does not have to be an isolated act, but can be understood and interpreted more broadly. The selection focuses on the crossing of borders and effectiveness, as well as the role of volunteering in the association's activities. The applicant must be a registered local association. As an award, the association that won the organizational act of the year will receive 1,000 euros to support its operations. The decision on the organisation is made by the Regional Government of Northern Ostrobothnia. The prize will be awarded at the Regional Parliament of Northern Ostrobothnia in November. Information about the organisation award can be shared. The announcement can be found on the North Ostrobothnia Regional Council's Instagram and LinkedIn channels. Additional information: Ilpo Tapaninen, Strategy Manager, Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia, tel. +358 50 301 7546. Organisational Advisory Board website: Organisational Advisory Board - Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia

In 2024, the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia celebrates its tenth year of operation. No special festivities are planned, but during the year we want to emphasise the effectiveness of the organisation's work even more strongly. “The role of the organisations of Northern Ostrobothnia in the development of the region and in promoting the well-being of the citizens of the municipality has been significantly strengthened year by year. In ten years, cooperation has intensified and effectiveness has increased", said Chair Esa Aunola at the meeting of the Organisational Advisory Board for Northern Ostrobothnia on 5 February. In particular, the importance of lobbying was highlighted in the discussion. There is a need for this, and cross-sectoral cooperation between organisations is a strength. During the jubilee year, we want to invest in advocacy in the work of the Advisory Board. The aim is to reach both decision-makers and citizens, and to highlight the work and results of organisations and also the Advisory Board in different forums. The programme includes meetings, negotiations, statements, a report on cooperation between municipal organisations and information on the Advisory Board's activities in different channels. The jubilee year is crowned by a traditional organisation award for a distinguished organisation operator. Its criteria and instructions for participation will be published at a later stage. Active participation in the development of the region is one of the key tasks of the Advisory Board. This meeting offered a new opportunity when the advisory board participated in a climate workshop organised by the Canemure project of Oulu University of Applied Sciences and the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. The members of the Advisory Board were able to present measures for the climate work in Northern Ostrobothnia and share their own practical experiences. “Participation in the workshop was very active and a lot of ideas emerged. Their contribution was valuable to us and will help us understand the overall picture of climate work", said Ritva Isomäki, Senior Specialist for Climate Work at the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. The ideas received will be used in updating the climate road map of the province. Its core idea is "Everything matters". In Northern Ostrobothnia, organisations and their work are also part of the solution. Additional information: Read more about the work of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia and its meeting documents on the website of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. For more information on the results of the climate workshop, please contact Ritva Isomäki, Senior Specialist at the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia (tel. +358 40 685 4026, ritva.isomaki@pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi). The chairman of the Advisory Board is Esa Aunola, North Ostrobothnia Village Association (tel. +358 40 551 3986 aunola@ppkylat.fi) and the secretary is Ilpo Tapaninen, Strategy Manager, Regional Council of North Ostrobothnia (tel. +358 50 301 7546).  

The organisation work carried out in the region is highlighted with the annual award for organisations in Northern Ostrobothnia. This year's theme was the provincial advisory board for organisations, which chose the experience of inclusion. In other words, the search for an organizational act has strengthened the well-being and sense of participation of the target group. “This is the fourth time the prize has been awarded. Through it, an organisation or association can bring its own activities to wider awareness. We hope for a large number of diverse proposals", says Ilpo Tapaninen, Head of Strategy at the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. The nomination of candidates will be opened at the beginning of September. The winner of the prize is selected by the regional government and the prize is awarded at the regional parliament in November. The prize is 1,000 euros. Further information: The organisation award and the activities of the organisation council (Pohjois-Pohjanmaa Regional Council website) Esa Aunola, Chair of the organisation council / Pohjois-Pohjanmaa Villages Association / tel. +358 40 551 3986, esa.aunola@ppkylat.fi Strategy Manager, Secretary of the advisory council / Ilpo Tapaninen Pohjois-Pohjanmaa Regional Council / tel. +358 50 301 7546, ilpo.tapaninen@pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi [caption id="attachment_33548" align="alignnone" width="500"] The 2021 organisation award was given to the Raution Village Association and the Raution Trade Cooperative for community activities to maintain the vitality of the village. (Photo from village shop Rautio fb-page).[/caption]

Organisations play an important role in the development of the region and in promoting the well-being and inclusion of local residents. This has been understood and internalised in Northern Ostrobothnia. In the future, the role of organisations as part of multidisciplinary development work will be further strengthened and consolidated. This is the central goal of the North Ostrobothnia Organisational Advisory Board, which is now starting its third term. "We want organisations to be involved in the implementation of the newly published provincial programme for Northern Ostrobothnia," says Ilpo Tapaninen, Director of Planning. It is also tasked with strengthening cooperation between organisations and between organisations, the public sector and the business sector, working together with the inclusion work of the North Ostrobothnia Welfare Area and promoting the organisation's activities. Visibility and recognition for good work are gained, for example, through the annual organisation award. The Advisory Board has a diverse representation of organisations from different fields. In addition, there are municipal members, as well as expert members from the state's regional administration, the Regional Council and the wellbeing services county. The Regional Government appointed the following members to the Organisational Advisory Board of Northern Ostrobothnia for the 2022-2025 term of office: Representatives of organisations: Executive Director Esa Aunola, North Ostrobothnia Village Association Regional Director Esko Hassinen, North Ostrobothnia Sports and Sports Association Executive Director Riikka Hautala, Rising Coastal Region Association Executive Director Timo Nevanperä, North Ostrobothnia Youth Association Member of the Board Helena Kinnunen, Finnish Quality Association Secretary Arja Sutela, Youth Friends Association Executive Director Marko Miesmaa, Ostrobothnia Scouts Association Executive Director Anna Katajala, North Ostrobothnia Social and Health Security Association Regional Director Heli Hietala, Finnish 4H Association, Central and North Ostrobothnia and Kainuu Chair Marja-Liisa Pylväs, Pensions Union North Ostrobothnia District Chair Risto Örling, Member of the Board Kaija Sepponen, Executive Director Pertti Kukkonen, Auta Lasta ry Chairman Anna-Liisa Lämsä, Mielenvireys ry Development Manager Tanja Tanhua, Oulu Deaconess Institute Foundation Municipal Representative: Pasi Laukka, Head of Community Activities, City of Oulu Expert members: vs. Ilpo Tapaninen, Director of Planning, Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia Specialist, Culture, Auli Suorsa, Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia Specialist Kukka Kukkonen, Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of Northern Ostrobothnia Wellbeing Region of Northern Ostrobothnia (Member to be named later) Ilpo Tapaninen, VP Design, tel. 050 301 7546, ilpo.tapaninen@pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi Link to the NGO Advisory Board's website. Link to the Regional Programme for Northern Ostrobothnia.

The Government of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia appointed the Advisory Board for Organisations for 2022-2025 at its meeting on 20 December 2021. The tasks of the Advisory Board are to participate in the regional development work of the county, to make the organisation's activities visible and known, to promote the opportunities for citizens and organisations to participate, both between organisations and between organisations and the public sector. The Advisory Board for Organisations acts as a working group, ensuring that organisations are widely involved in the implementation of their tasks. Organisations are asked to nominate their candidates for membership of the Advisory Board by 15 February 2022. The nomination is made through this link The nominee nominated by the Organization undertakes to work for the benefit of the entire organizational field of the Province. The Regional Government of Northern Ostrobothnia will appoint an Organisational Advisory Board on 14 March 2022. Criteria for the selection of the members of the NAC: The advisory board is formed from organisations in different fields in such a way that it is as multidisciplinary and comprehensive as possible. The area of operations of the organisations is the whole of Northern Ostrobothnia or a larger area than that of Northern Ostrobothnia or a large area located in Northern Ostrobothnia. The organisations are active in promoting diverse organisational cooperation in the region. The representative of the organisation involved is able to commit to the work of the NGO Advisory Board for the whole term of office 2022-2025.   Please note: Between 10 and 12 members are elected to the NAC. All members of the Advisory Board are full members. The full members do not have alternate members. The NAC meets five to six times a year, mainly during daytime. Members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses incurred for meetings in accordance with the KVTES. Any loss of earnings will also be compensated. No meeting fees are paid. In addition to the association members, the Advisory Board includes representatives of the Regional Council and the state's regional administration, as well as 1-2 municipal representatives.   For further information, please contact Ilpo Tapaninen, Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia, tel. +358 50 301 7546 or ilpo.tapaninen@pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi

This was stated by Heli Hietala, Regional Director of the 4H organisation, when he told the North Ostrobothnia Regional Council about 4H's experiences of participating in organizing clubs and coordinating activities in connection with the school. Hietala stated that through the activities, the association can reach out comprehensively to schoolchildren in the locality, familiarize itself with its own basic activities and possibly find new enthusiastic members for longer-term activities as well. According to 4H's experience, the model has intensified cooperation in localities, and the association has been able to implement important practices through clubs, such as the entrepreneurship education model in the case of 4H. "Partnership in the Finnish model of hobby therefore offers the association opportunities for development and growth", says Hietala. The implementation of clubs also places demands on associations. They must have the know-how and experience of working with children and young people, as well as the ability to implement club content according to their wishes. It is important that children are provided with high-quality activities and good experiences that inspire them to continue their hobby. As a long-term organizational actor, it has been easy for 4H associations to get involved in the implementation of the model. Its expertise is of a high standard and the infrastructure is in good condition. There are many local associations and activities with children. The contents of the clubs, such as cooking and handicrafts, are basic. Challenges have also been identified along the way. The times of the clubs differ from the normal activities of the association, the coronavirus has brought a coefficient of difficulty to the practical activities; There is room for improvement in the flow of information and coordination of activities. Local coordination is needed, and 4H has also taken responsibility in this role. All in all, 4H has experienced its participation in the Finnish model in a positive way. Heli Hietala encourages other organisations to join in. "The Finnish model of coaching offers many opportunities for associations and they should actively offer their cooperation in the implementation of club activities". The importance of the model is highlighted by the fact that its development has been highlighted as one of the key projects of the Regional Programme for Northern Ostrobothnia 2022-2025. All actors are therefore needed to make the model a way of working that meets the needs of Northern Ostrobothnia. The meeting of the North Ostrobothnia Organisational Advisory Board held on 9 December 2021 was the last of its four-year term. Action is considered important. The decision on setting up the advisory board for the upcoming council term will be made at the last meeting of the provincial government during the year. The news was written by Auli Suorsa, Specialist, Culture / Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia More information: On the Finnish model of the activities of the 4H organisation from the Organisational Advisory Board of Northern Ostrobothnia (Planning Director Ilpo Tapaninen tel. 358 (0)50 301 7546)