Category: General

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Human Rights Day – 10th December – Fundamental and Human Rights

Written by nursing student Hanna Rauvola

International Human Rights Day is celebrated tomorrow 10.12.2022. After the 2nd world war the importance of human rights and world peace emerged and these two things still work as the main goals of the organization. Universal Declaration of Human Rights was accepted in the United Nations General Assembly on 10th of December in 1948 and the purpose of the declaration was to summarize the most important and universal rights that belong to everyone. Since then, the international Human Rights Day has been and still is current, because the human rights are not fully implemented in any country in the world.

Fundamental and human rights

International human rights deal with humanity and values and as a basic idea of human rights work equality and freedom: in human rights no distinction between individuals in made because of gender, nationality, ethnics, skin color, religion, residence, language, political party, age or social, cultural and financial situation. Human rights are worldwide, inviolable, untransferable, unbreakable, detached from each other and touch all people simply because they have been born into this world.

From the point of view of human rights freedom of speech affects every individual, but mutually other people’s opinions and freedom of speech should be respected. Every individual should also be allowed to live without being insulted or threatened. Every individual should be allowed to belong in any religion or believe in anything they want as well as others freedom of religion should be respected. No one should be dominated or forced in any kind of sexual action, and everyone should have the right to love exactly who they want. Everyone should have the right to a home and go to school as well as have the right to be spared from persecution because of religion, sexual orientation or opinions, alternatively the individual should have the right to flee from home country and seek for protection in another.

For National Fundamental Rights to exist, it requires for the International Human Rights to exist first. These mean the rights given to individuals by the state within its borders and are mentioned in constitution. The fundamental rights are fundamental, untransferable basic values, which secure the freedom for every Finnish citizen that any state, municipality or authority has no right to intervene. The fundamental rights include the right to live, the right for immunity and privacy, the right to move freely, assets protection, freedom of speech, securing the equality as well as the right to work, the right for social security and the right for education. However, sometimes all parts of the human rights are not recognized as fundamental rights of the individual.

But who’s responsible for the realization of these rights?

The main responsibility for the realization of these rights is at state. The human rights are secured in international human right treaties and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for the international human right politics. In Finland according to the constitution the public authority must secure the fulfillment of human rights and the Finnish constitution protects the inviolability of human dignity, the freedom of an individual and the rights as well as promotes justice in society. The Ministry of Justice, on the other hand prepares the constitution and changes in fundamental rights provisions as well as coordinates fundamental- and human right -politics in the home country. By administrative sector each ministry in responsible for the implementation on their part.

However, each one of us can make an impact on an individual level to help the human rights to be realized by treating people equally and respecting everyone’s rights. 

Each one of us is born free and equal – That’s why we all have the same rights and responsibilities.

Sources:

https://rauhankasvatus.fi/ihmisoikeuksien-paiva/

https://oikeusministerio.fi/perus-ja-ihmisoikeudet

https://mielenihmeet.fi/ihmisoikeudet-ja-perusoikeudet-maaritelma-ja-merkitys/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMU6g1NAn48

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Mental Health Week 20th – 27th November 2022 – Mental health of university students

Written by nursing student Hanna Rauvola

On the week 47 (20.11.-27.11.2022) was the celebration of nationwide mental health week. Mental health week has become a national tradition, which has timed on the week 47 since 1974. The week starts yearly with the candle event on Sunday of the week 46. At this event the candles are lighted up in memory of those who have lost their life through suicide. This year the theme was chosen to be hope: “The good will start before the struggles will end”. The point is to remind, that no one needs to be completely intact to also feel the good sides of life, there’s always hope and there’s always someone that understands.

Mental health touches us all and evokes many kinds of thoughts and feelings. When your mental health is in order, you may not think about it actively, but difficulties in mental health can come along in any stage of life regardless of age. Mental health week is here to remind all of us about the importance of our own and others mental well-being, cherishing it and about the right to get help in difficult moments, every day and throughout the year.

Pandemic years, the war in Europe, loneliness, climate anxiety, financial worries…For the last few years, we have faced many challenges affecting to individuals and environment. These challenges have burdened people’s well-being in incredible ways and many of us might have experienced different kinds of difficulties or struggles with mental health especially during these few years, not to mention those who struggle even without these extra challenges.

What is mental health?

Mental health is the main part of overall well-being and health. WHO defines mental health as a state of well-being, where an individual is able to see its own abilities, survive from different kinds of struggles in life, work and take part in community activities. It includes the knowledge of own abilities and bounds, skills to recognize and handle own feelings as well as psychological flexibility in change and problem situations.

Many things affect in mental health and the experience of own mental health is very individual, because every one of us have completely individual and unique lifepath which strongly affects in own recourses.

Factors that protect and weaken mental health

Protection- and risk factors can be divided in internal and external factors. Internal protection factors include physical health and genetics, taking care of own well-being, everyday choices that are good for own well-being, good self-esteem and problem-solving skills, emotional- and interaction skills, ability to create and maintain good relationships as well as acting according to own values. External protection factors include childhood experience and good early relationships, positive family relationships, social support and the experience of being accepted the way you are, educational opportunities, work and subsistence, support received from the working community, being heard and appreciated, opportunities to influence, a safe living environment as well as near and easily accessible assistance services.

Internal risk factors mean individuals genetic risks and predisposition to illness or the illness to become true. External risk factors are independent of the individual and are for example financial difficulties, homelessness, stressful relationships, dangerous living environment, discrimination and minority stress as well as traumatic experiences.

Various forms of support and services

As an important starting point is an individual’s control of everyday life and taking care of healthy lifestyle: enough sleep, high quality and sufficient amount of food as well as exercise. Also social network, good relationships, hobbies and including things that bring you pleasure into your everyday life strengthen and maintain mental health. Different kinds of relaxing and mindfulness -exercises might fit for some people, and you will find these exercises for example from “Suomen mielenterveys ry” -web sites. However, sometimes your own resources are not enough to correct reduced mental health and external support is necessary.

YTHS offers different kinds of services for university students, for example local- and remote receptions. In YTHS services work multiprofessional team that consists of many healthcare professionals from different fields. At first, you need to contact the assessment of the need for treatment either in Selfchat or by phone, where your situation and urgency of treatment will be charted, you will receive self-care instructions and you will be directed to the necessary services or treatment. Alternatively, if you already have a permission to make an appointment, appointment can be booked independently in the Self-online service.

Reception for adults and reception for young people are arranged by Pori basic security (Porin perusturva). Reception for adults is meant for over 23-year-olds and reception for young people is meant for under 23-year-olds. These services are meant for short-term help and support needs, for example in crisis situations of life, relationship issues as well as in situations concerning mental health or substance use. Visits are free of charge and conversations are confidential. You can contact the reception by phone, book an appointment with doctor’s referral or alternatively go to the reception during appointment-free reception time:

  • Reception for adults appointment-free times (over 23-year-olds)
    • Wednesdays at 9-11.30 and 12.30-14.30
    • On Fridays at 8.30-11.00
  • Reception for young people appointment-free times (under 23-year-olds)
    • On Thursdays at 12.00-15.00

Those times are mainly settled but exceptions are possible. By looking from the internet, you will easily find the information about the current opening hours.

The third sector, in other words the organizations also produce different kinds of low threshold services nationwide, for example MIELI ry crisis phone, Sekasin-chat, Sekasin Gaming and Solmussa-chat. In addition, there’s also available different kinds of peer support groups, online therapies and self-care trainings. It’s important that you think the most suitable service for you, which offers the help and support according to your own needs.

  • MIELI ry’s crisis phone serves throughout the year and is available in finnish 24/7 as well as in Swedish, English, Arabic, Ukrainian and Russian on weekdays for a limited time. Calling to the crisis phone is anonymous and confidential. Numbers for crisis phone in different languages you will find by opening the link below:

https://mieli.fi/materiaalit-ja-koulutukset/materiaalit/kriisipuhelin-juliste/

  • Sekasin-chat is meant for 12-29-year-olds. It is nationwide conversation platform, where you get to talk about mind boggling things anonymously and confidentially. On the other side of the chat works the professionals and trained volunteers of the organization. Chat is open every day throughout the year from Monday to Friday at 9-24 as well as on Saturdays and Sundays at 15-24.
  • Sekasin Gaming is a Discord-community for 13-29-year-olds and it shares social support for those who need it: conversation company and peer support in a safe and professionally moderated active platform.
  • Solmussa-chat serves adults regardless of age from Monday to Thursday at 15-19. You can find the chat from Tukinet-web site. The service is free of charge, anonymous and there you can discuss about any mind boggling things or difficult stage of life totally confidential. On the other side of the chat works either well-trained volunteer or a professional of social- and health care.

If you are worried about your own or your loved one’s ability to cope, it is important to have the courage to talk about it despite of the difficult topic. Mental health problems often don’t show visible symptoms but should be treated just like other illnesses, and sometimes the experience of being cared is crucial for an individual. So, let’s remember to take care of ourselves and others!

Sources:

https://www.mtkl.fi/tiedotteet/mielenterveysviikko-starttaa-teemana-on-tana-vuonna-toivo/

https://mieli.fi/vahvista-mielenterveyttasi/mita-mielenterveys-on/mista-mielenterveys-rakentuu/

https://sekasin247.fi

https://www.pori.fi/sosiaali-ja-terveys/mielenterveys-ja-paihdetyo/aikuisten-vastaanotto

https://www.pori.fi/sosiaali-ja-terveys/mielenterveys-ja-paihdetyo/nuorten-vastaanotto

https://tukinet.net/teemat/solmussa-chat-783075200/

https://mieli.fi/vahvista-mielenterveyttasi/harjoitukset/

https://www.punainenristi.fi/hae-apua-ja-tukea/auttavat-puhelimet-ja-palvelut-kotimaassa/

https://terapiatalonoste.fi/tietopankki/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1YzH65PU-wIVv0WRBR0cJQwaEAMYASAAEgLjafD_BwE

https://mieli.fi/materiaalit-ja-koulutukset/materiaalit/kriisipuhelin-juliste/

https://tukinet.net/teemat/solmussa-chat-783075200/

https://mieli.fi/materiaalit-ja-koulutukset/materiaalit/kriisipuhelin-juliste/

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In the case of a Transient Ischemic Attack every minute counts 

Written by nursingstudents Roosa Erkkilä, Minttu Marila & Jutta Hautamäki

On Worlds TIA Day, October 29th, we need to be paying more attention to prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of cerebrovascular disorders. Worlds Stroke Organization, WSO, and Aivoliito ry want to affect that fewer and fewer people would suffer from cerebrovascular disease and for all of whom suffer from TIA can receive professional and high-quality care. Approximately 25 000 suffer from transient ischemic attack every year. 

“This year HUS Neurocenter and Finnish Neurological Society’s cerebrovascular division is organizing a social media campaign directed especially for young adults. The campaign is aiming to raise awareness that cerebrovascular disorder can occur at any age. It’s vital to recognize the symptoms of it and to call for help immediately because every minute is precious when a transient ischemic attack occurs.  During the week, the 16 social media influencers selected for the campaign will share information and stories about cerebrovascular disorders. On the campaign pages in Terveyskylä Aivotalossa you can take part in TIA quiz, in which prizes will be drawn between participants. The prizes are Oura- rings, activity bracelets and storytell gift cards. At the campaign pages you can also find experience reports from those who have suffered from TIA from a young age. You can also find information about cerebrovascular disorders, their symptoms and how to act if you recognise symptoms in yourself or others. In addition to HUS Neurokeskus and the Finnish Neurological Society, Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Abbott, Storytel and Polar acted as supporters of the campaign.” 

https://www.hus.fi/maailman-aivoverenkiertohairio-avh-paivaa-vietetaan-29-lokakuuta

(Photo: Word image bank)

So what is cerebrovascular disorder? 

TIA causes brain dysfunction, which can result for example speak and motor difficulties. Dysfunctions in the brain can also be caused by a brain injury, a brain tumor or brain inflammation. The tissue damage caused by TIAs affects the patients ability to function in many ways. The consequences are individual and they depend on the location and extent of the damaged area. TIA can cause either permanent or transient body paralysis symptoms, sensory deficits, disturbances on speak function and other mental performance. One in two TIA patients will have a permanent disability and the other half will have a sever degree of disability. One in four recovers completely, more than half recover on their own and one in seven will need institutional care. 

Cerebrovascular embolism, or stroke 

Stroke is a disease in which the area of a suddenly blocked artery, the brain tissue is deprived of blood flow and oxygen. Because of this, a local part of the brain tissue goes into permanent necrosis. A blockage is often caused by a blood clot in a narrowed artery. The symptoms of a stroke can be: limb dysfunction or numbness usually on one side, symptoms of paralysis, difficulty to produce speech, slurred speech, various visual disturbances and dizziness. 

Cerebral haemorrhage 

In a cerebral haemorrhage, an artery ruptures, causing blood to leak either into the brain matter or into the space under the subarachnoid mater. SAH, or subarachnoid haemorrhage, is most often caused by the rupture of a congenital bulging of an artery on the surface of the brain. Paralysis symptoms usually develop a little slower in cerebral haemorrhage than in stroke. Depending on the size and location of the leak, symptoms range from mild to severe. In the early stages of bleeding, headaches often occur, but not always. 

TIA or transient ischemic attack 

In a Transient Ischemic Attack or TIA for short, the symptoms will pass after 24 hours at the latest. Usually, a TIA symptom will pass within an hour. The first TIA is usually a good warning sign to start looking into what risk factors are behind the attack and hopefully this way an actual stroke can be avoided. The situation is still not flawless even when symptoms might go away, as almost one out of ten patients still experience a stroke within a week after the TIA symptoms. 

IIThe symptoms of a TIA usually depends on which artery in the brain the vascular disorder develops. Headache and pain are not associated with the symptoms, and they usually start completely unexpectedly and suddenly. Most common momentary symptoms include weakness of the upper or lower limbs on one side of the body, paralysis on one side of the face (mouth is drooping?), difficulty to understand speech or speaking, blurred vision in one eye, difficulty to form words, difficulty swallowing, or dizziness accompanied with seeing everything in two. It is to be noted that sudden dizziness only does not signal a vascular disorder. 

(Photo: PixaBay)

Who can be at risk of getting sick? 

Risk factors for cerebrovascular disorders are largely similar to those for cardiovascular diseases. The risk of getting sick doubles after the age of 55 for each decade. The more risk factors a person has, the greater the risk of developing cerebrovascular disorders. However, some of the risk factors are such that you cannot influence them yourself, for example hereditary factors, age and male gender. However, most of the risk factors are treatable and preventable. It is important to pay attention to healthy lifestyles and to take good care of diseases that increase the risk. High blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases have been linked to risk factors for cerebrovascular disorders. Smoking, heavy alcohol use and little exercise have also been found to be a risk factor to cerebrovascular disorders. 

In cerebrovascular disorders, prevention plays a major role, as it reduces the risk of developing cerebrovascular disorders and prevents their recurrence. Risk factors must be mapped out and treated. Some diseases are treated with medication, but you can also reduce the risk with your own lifestyle. Healthy lifestyles include regular exercise and eating nutritious food. The diet should include a lot of vegetables, berries, fruits, whole grains, fish and saturated fats. Quitting smoking and using alcohol in moderation are also positive factors. However, don’t try to change everything at once, but make small, sustainable changes in your everyday life. 

Sources:

https://www.aivoliitto.fi/ajankohtaista/maailman-avh-paiva-29.10/

https://www.aivoliitto.fi/aivoverenkiertohairio/faktat/#a1a5514f

https://www.aivoliitto.fi/aivoverenkiertohairio/sairastumisen-jalkeen/sairastunko-uudelleen/#694bb1b4

https://www.hus.fi/maailman-aivoverenkiertohairio-avh-paivaa-vietetaan-29-lokakuuta

https://www.tays.fi/fi-FI/Ohjeet/Hoitoohjeet/Aivoverenkiertohairiopotilaan_ohjaus/Aivoverenkiertohairioiden_yleisimmat_ris(76709)

https://www.terveystalo.com/fi/tietopaketit/aivoinfarkti-ja-aivoverenvuoto/#Aivoinfarkti

https://www.terveyskirjasto.fi/dlk00591 https://www.terveyskirjasto.fi/dlk00001

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A bone-week brings with it important info about Osteoporosis

Written by nursingstudents Roosa Erkkilä, Minttu Marila & Jutta Hautamäki

On last week 17.10-23.10.2022 was the celebration of bone week and it´s every year in October. On this year, the theme of the bone week is” No Sooner Said Than Done – your choices matter”. The meaning of that week is to advance recognizing of osteoporosis and to support advancing of the bone health and self-treatment of osteoporosis. Especially the impacts of nutrition and exercising are brought into relief on this year´s bone week. The international osteoporosis day and the white shirt day are part of the bone week. 

Every year the World Osteoporosis Day (WOD) is being celebrated on 20th of October. It´s dedicated to raising awareness of the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis, as well as metabolic bone disease. Bone fractures from osteoporosis are to be taken seriously. Especially hip- and vertebral fractures leads to spiral of more fractures, that can cause chronic pain, immobility, and permanent disability. The world osteoporosis foundation has been arranging worldwide campaign since 1997. 

What does the osteoporosis then mean? 

 “Osteoporosis means that the bone´s mineral density has decreased and bone´s structure has changed so that the bone´s strength weakens. Then the bone can be fractured from a minor injury. 

The bone tissue ’lives’ entire time, old bones are decaying and new are formed to replace. Until the 30th year of age, bones are being form more than it decays, so the bone strength increases. After that, more bones are decaying than being formed, so when getting older, bone strength slowly decreases. Osteoporosis is clearly more common with women than men.” 

Who can get osteoporosis? 

Although osteoporosis is most common in the elderly, osteoporosis can also occur in women of all ages and in men. 

The greatest risk of developing osteoporosis is in postmenopausal women, because the decrease in estrogen production during menopause increase the loss of bone mass. 

In men, bone decreases more slowly. Osteoporosis can be divided into primary and secondary osteoporosis. 

Primary osteoporosis (no single clear cause) 

  • Postmenopausal osteoporosis 
  • Age-related osteoporosis 
  • Genetic vulnerability 

Secondary osteoporosis (indications of some clear cause) 

  • A disease e.g., hormonal disorder, celiac disease, rheumatism, disease of thyroid and diabetes 
  • Medication e.g., long-term treatment of cortisone and cancer treatments 

Sources: 

https://www.suomenosteoporoosiyhdistys.fi/rakasta-luitasi-turvaa-tulevaisuutesi/

https://luustoliitto.fi/luustoliitto/luustoviikko/

https://www.terveyskirjasto.fi/dlk00053

https://luustoliitto.fi/osteoporoosi/mita-osteoporoosi-on/

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International Week of Happiness at Work 19th – 25th September 2022

This week we celebrate the international Week of Happiness at Work. It was started in 2015 by two Dutch women, Fennande van der Meulen and Maartje Wolff. The purpose of the week is to include happiness in the work environment and in this way improve the well-being of employees.

We found out which things in particular make people feel comfortable and happy at work, and we also wanted to put together tips so that everyone could influence it themselves. It has been studied that well-being and happy employees are more loyal, more cooperative, more productive and more creative.

What things help employees to be happy at work?

Many things can be directly linked to the supervisor’s behavior and way of leading, but every employee also has a big responsibility for their own behavior and for creating the work atmosphere. It must be remembered that each employee values the things that affect his or her comfort at work. For example, for some, a good salary and a permanent employment are more important than other things besides that.

  • Treating every employee equally, regardless of their skills or backgrounds. Here is a good example where both supervisor and employees can influence.
  • Advancement opportunities give employees more motivation to perform their work. Motivation is one of the biggest ways to keep employees interested.
  • A sufficient amount of resources, so that employees feel that they can focus on the work itself, and no energy is spent on sorting through the chaos. By taking this into account, work burnout is also avoided.
  • The versatility of the work increases meaningfulness and gives opportunities to do different tasks. In this way, employees are also able to develop themselves, and do not become passive.
  • Flexibility in the workplace and among employees gives a feeling of appreciation. It can be seen even in small things, such as giving the employee the opportunity to express free wishes, or even the freedom to plan their own working days and weeks.
  • Appreciation of employees and an open conversational atmosphere enables freer discussion, which also makes it easier to resolve conflicts. The mutual appreciation of employees develops slowly, sometimes to progress you may need help from the management.
  • Organizing social events is an excellent way to help employees build friendships with each other. Even if the employees would’t be close friends, good relationships help the open atmosphere mentioned earlier.
  • Good employment benefits, such as sport and culture vouchers, are an excellent way to support the employee’s free time, and give the employee the opportunity to choose the preferred destination for using the vouchers.
  • Being recognized and rewarded for one’s work gives the employee the feeling that the work they do is important.
  • A positive way of communicating increases the reception of information. The supervisor can increase the positive working atmosphere at the workplace, e.g. by walking with a smile and talking constructively.

We wanted to share tips that would help everyone at work improve their well-being and in this way increase their happiness at the workplace.

In addition to good social relationships, nutritious food and enough sleep help you cope at work. Outdoor activities, fresh air and exercise give us more energy than you might think. Many times after a working day you feel tired and the couch is tempting, but we still encourage you to take a little break outside, for example a short walk.

Our own attitude is one of the biggest indicators of the course of our day. The twists and turns in private life and the balance are reflected in everyone’s work self. We can’t influence everything, and not everything always goes the way we want, but we can change our attitude and the way we see things.

The members of Sotekki wish you a happy working week!

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Food waste week 12.-18.9.2022

This week we are celebrating food waste week for the tenth year in a row. So what is food waste?

It refers to edible food that has, for one reason or another, ended up in the trash. The most common cause for food waste is people’s poor foresight when it comes to food consumption. Either too much food has been bought or plans have changed, and lunch out with a friend is more appealing. Another common reason for food waste is in its preparation and storage. It’s not necessarily know how to use leftover food, or the best before and expiry date markings are mixed up. These biggest causes of food waste can be fixed if we want to!

The amount of household food waste has been studied in Finland, the results of which showed that up to 100 million kilos of food is thrown into the trash per year.

8 tips from members of Soteekki for saving food waste:

  1. Let’s start with the best motivator, saving money!! Imagine how much money will be saved when you only buy the amount of food you know you will eat.
  2. Don’t go to the store hungry! When you’re hungry, it’s easier to buy food that you can think  you can eat at that moment, but in reality, you bought too much food.
  3.  Feel free to try new taste experiences, you might be surprised! We found a salad recipe which idea is to use food, that otherwise would end up as waste, from the cupboard and get a tasty dish!  Torstaisalaatti | Maku (meillakotona.fi) ps. Did you know that most of the food waste is  vegetables?
  4.  Plan the food for the coming week in advance and make a shopping list before going to the store. See what food ingredients you will need at home and what is already in the cupboards.
  5. Are milk cans or meat packages nearing their expiration date? Put them in the freezer and use them at a better time. However, if you don’t warm to the idea of freezing milk, here’s a recipe for the best pancakes in the world! Maailman paras pannukakku – Resepti | Kotikokki.net
  6. In all S-Kauppa’s and many K-Kauppa’s after 21:00 you get a -60% discount on products equipped with -30% labels. When making discoveries like these, remember to freeze the ones you dont use straight away! However, don’t buy unnecessarily just because of the cheap price.
  7. Make larger portions of food so you don’t have to go to the store every day. If eating the same food for many days bothers you, invite your friends to dinner!
  8. There are websites and applications for your phone, which you can use to save food waste at affordable prices! These include for example: fiksuruoka.fi, matsmart.fi and ResQ Club application which you can download to your phone. At the ResQ Club application you can see the day’s waste products from local stores, cafes and restaurants.

Come with us towards a more ecological tomorrow and give your contribution! The earth (and wallet) thanks you!

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Soteekki international day 29.4.2022

Internationality is a subject that has been discussed a lot during our Soteekki practise. It resurfaces again and again every time from a different point of view. In Soteekki we want to offer an equal chance to participate not only on the services but also the action inside the world of Soteekki. Together we take these steps forward little by little and treasure this idea.

On Friday 29th of April Soteekki had an international day. This event was planned by Soteekki’s own international team. The main goal was to bring together international students and people from Soteekki. We were hoping for an easily approachable event where people could enjoy multiculturality, have fun together and get a chance to get to know to Soteekki before starting their own practice.

Beautiful Vietnamese dolls and balancing dragon flies.

The day started at 10am when Agora hall doors were opened. There were games to get to know each other, games to celebrate Finnish culture and beautiful souvenirs from different parts of the world. We started with our own Soteekki people and even though we’ve worked together for the past three weeks, you can always learn something new about each other.

After lunch we finally got some international guests. For a bit we just got to know each other and after that carried on to tasting some Finnish delicacies. There was mämmi, breadcheese, salted liquorice and of course to celebrate Vappu: sima and mini doughnuts. We had also some fun little competitions and games like Alias, traditional boot throwing and finally a tug of war.

Would you like to try these delecacies?
Honoring the Finnish traditions; of course there was some Sima and doughnuts for Vappu!

Favourites from our little taste testing ended up being sima and breadcheese. To our surprise even mämmi was bravely tasted and as always it really divided opinions. There were some heated debates both for and against. While planning we also looked up traditional foods from different countries. There would’ve been nothing better than to get some of these to taste too.

Multiculturality was also present through clothing. Every member of the international team brought something from their own culture to wear for the day. You could see fashion from Africa and Vietnam and also very traditional finnish bathrobe and rain boots. These were proudly presented on catwalk with backround music to set the mood.

The best part of the whole event was definitely the spirit and how everyone just threw themselves right on the fun! You couldn’t miss the laughter and glee ringing through the walls. All the joy was heard all the way back in the Soteekki office! It was also the last day of Soteekki for our nursing students so you couldn’t really hope for a better final day. We are grateful to get the chance to organize this event. Thank you to everyone who took part on the fun with us, to all members of the international team and of course our amazing supervisors that made this thing possible.

We must all pull together! Strong together!
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A Get-Together to remember

Written By : Nursing Student Vanessa Sayang

SAMK’s International Office hosted a “Get Together Day” at Silokallio on April 6, as part of its efforts to welcome exchange students from other nations in 2022. The majority of the participants came from Pori and Rauma campuses.

Me and my three international colleagues were invited to be part of the organising team in Soteekki as part of our practice, primarily to cover for games and other activities for the students. One of our objectives was to introduce Finnish culture and traditions through games and food tastings.

This blog will go into greater detail about the students’ experiences on this eventful “Get Together Day”.

Photo Credits : Laura (on the right)

Laura Adorni is an Italian exchange student at SAMK, Pori, studying Business and Administration.

She considers herself bold and adventurous, which is why she chose Finland as her study destination. The natural beauty of Finland drew her in, and she decided to learn more about it by studying here.

She was keen to urge that additional meetings like this be held in the future to foster friendship and camaraderie among international students, particularly at the start of the semester. Students that attended this event were able to participate in the Finnish Easter ritual and sample a variety of unusual Finnish dishes.

She said the most exciting Finnish tradition for her is going to the sauna and she finds the ritual of jumping into the lake afterwards remarkable. “For me, the experience was so weird, yet it gave me a sense of accomplishment,” Laura said.

Photo Credits : Vanessa Sayang

Nutthanicha Thaosing, a Finn-Thai who has lived in Finland for almost nine years and was one of the Get Together Day organisers, is a student trainee at the International Office.

This was her first time seeing all of the international students and faculty members from various universities. She considers easter tradition as one of the most fascinating aspects of Finnish culture.

Nutthanicha was responsible with assisting the international office in the preparation of event programs.

Unfortunately, the cold weather made it impossible to organise all of the activities as planned for the event.

This event was beneficial for her because she aspires to one day work as a customer care representative for an international company.

She has always admired Finns for their punctuality and discipline. Her go-to-place for recreation and relaxation has always been the woods.

Photo credits : Vanessa Sayang (Janet on the left)

Janet Pitkänen, is a Finn-Ghanian second-year nursing student, got the opportunity to participate in the “Get-Together-Day” for International Students.

Janet participated in this memorable meeting as part of her practical training at Soteekki.

For her, the most interesting part of the event was the socialising. “Even though the students did not know each other, the mood was warm and inviting, ” she said, that “having more events like this is a must-have for the university.”

Since the event presented everyone to Finnish culture, asked as to which part of Finnish cultures she finds most fascinating. “Summer cottages, festivals like Juhannus (Midsummer) where everyone grills all kinds of food. The event starts on a Friday and by Saturday people are drunk, then the building of bonfires (kokko),” said Janet.

When it came to culture and tradition, asked about her favourite tradition back in Ghana and compared to what we have here in Finland. “Sauna”, she said, is an extraordinary Finnish culture.

Also, Finns are quiet individuals, which is in stark contrast to her native nation. She admires this side of Finns because she has wished to be alone and enjoy privacy at times. This is something the Finns have given her that she treasures.

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Nursing is My Calling, Lifestyle, and Passion : Jane Ojo

Written By : Nursing Student Vanessa Sayang

Photo Credits : Jane Ojo

Jane Ojo has always harbored a strong desire to make a positive impact on the lives of others in her community. She chose to make that difference through nursing career.

Jane is in her final year of her nursing studies at SAMK. The journey began in 2019, when she started cultivating the seeds for this career. She’ll be able to enjoy the rewards of her labor later this year when she hopes to graduate as a registered nurse.

Degree Programme in Nursing was not her first qualification. Few years ago she earned a degree in International Business.

But she recalls that nursing is her true calling. She describes this industry as a one-of-a-kind position that allows people to feel good about helping others while also allowing them to grow professionally and personally.

“It gives opportunities and challenges that encourage people to be the best they can be. Commitment is essential for overcoming obstacles on this road. The ideal ingredients to have are committing every ounce of energy to getting through and having the best support system behind you, ” Jane said.

In pursuing her goals, Jane has been supported by her family. The family relocated with her from Turku to Pori to assist her in establishing a new life at the university.

Looking back to when she first started her course, “Everything was new.” she said. However, as she discovered her heart for caring for others, things became easier for her. “I discovered that nursing is my true calling simply by putting a little smile on people’s faces”.

She is currently working on her thesis and obtaining advanced practical training. Jane was visibly smiling and joyful as she contemplated the prospect of finishing her studies and beginning her career as a nurse in earnest.

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Education system in different areas of the world

Written by physiotherapy students Sangita Gurung and Iqra Batool

There is a reason that we humans are the smartest creatures in the world. Because we have acquired skills and knowledge that has helped us to progress and develop further. The key element needed to acquire such smartness is called education that has provided us with the knowledge of surrounding world and environment. Each country or culture have their own set of rules and curricula in their education system. Here we provide few examples of how education is provided to students in different environment and how each system differs vastly from one another. We have interviewed students coming from different part of the world and asked them about their experiences of education in their home countries. 

Q1. What are your thoughts about schooling system in your country? 

Rassendyll (Cameroon): School provide good theory-based education and the student are very knowledgeable with theory content of the topic or subject. There is still lack of practical training because of lack of funding. In his personal experience the school or university environment was very active and a lot of interaction and exposure to different things were provided to him. He went to boarding school where he told us he learns skills like personal hygiene and organizing skills. He thinks that the skills he has today is all thanks to his exposure in his schooling days and it help him right now in his life either it is related to his personal or educational life. 

Karolina (Czech Republic): She mentioned that education is free in her country but way stricter according to her experience. According to her, methods of teaching is old school and memorizing the information is given priority over learning the actual thing. They had very frequent exams both written and oral throughout the semester. They are always graded for all the exams and the 1 is the best grade while 5 is the worst. Student does not have voluntary choices of the subjects as everything was mandatory. According to her the student are in constant pressure to be able to cope up and keep up with the pace of study. 

Matilda (Finland and Luxemburg): She had two different experience of schooling system and they were very different from each other. She had her primary education first in Finland and then her family moved to Luxemburg and then she started her schooling there. She mentioned that here in Finland children usually choose the school which is near to their area and learning environment is more relaxed as they do not pressure the children. Her experience in Luxemburg was very vastly different as school is chosen by parents according to their wishes that means it can be very far from their home and need longer time just to travel to and from the school. Studying environment was very strict and competitive. Children are examined and tested very often and are graded. Very long school days and you are forced to learn languages as you must at least know 3 languages in minimum. Studies were provided on the languages that you choose already at the beginning of your school first year. The education system was bit complicated as well. Most of the family comes from very prestigious professional background so the children had very much influence from early childhood. The school was very academic.  

Q2. What are your thoughts about education system here in SAMK? 

Rassendyll: Education in SAMK is job oriented basically the aim is to make sure that each student graduating from SAMK finds a job very easily and quickly. Overall, education/training is based on what is needed in that profession precisely. According to him, SAMK provides more practical training together with theory in each field, which is a good learning experience and gives motivation to learn new skills and earn new knowledge. Practical training makes a student be ready for work life which is great aspect in SAMK education. He as well mentioned that SAMK education is more focused for Finnish market. They target the job, employment for Finnish market. It would be great that the focus can be widen to more international market.  

Karolina: She mentioned that the studying environment is much easier here in SAMK, teachers are friendly, and they treat you equally. The focus of school is to help everyone to graduate. The school is modern and well equipped. Everything works smoothly here and is nice. Student events and organizations are a plus point. 

Matilda: She told us she had very good experience so far within SAMK and its education system. It is impossible to fail here which means teacher encourages us to pass and graduate and give all of us fair chances to succeed. Teacher and staff are supportive. Food is cheap as well. 

Q3. How do you compare both education systems? 

Rassendyll: According to his experience he told us back in his country social activity, interaction plays a huge role and is part of education system. They had various clubs’ activity provided to student for enhancing their additional skills. They had journalism club, sports club, writing club and many more kind of clubs provided by universities to students, and it helps their social skills as well. While in SAMK he has not been exposed to any kind of these activity and even though there are games and social event parties they are very closed group.  

Karolina: She told us sometime forced environment prepare you for upcoming life difficulties. According to her even though things were hard and pressurized during her academic year in her country still it has taught her various skills that is useful now in her life. While in SAMK she said she has right to choose that put her to ease. 

Matilda: She said both schools have its own strength and helped her to develop. She said the schooling in Luxemburg made her competitive and she gained language skills while in SAMK you have right of choice. Workload in SAMK is easier and you have free days which help student to work on their pace instead of pressurizing themselves.  But sometimes she finds herself less motivated to use free independent time to study as she need push from within herself. 

Wao, amazing! Each of their experiences differ so much from each other and from SAMK education system. Almost all of them have had strict school environment which has affected their future greatly, in some ways the effect has been positive while in other ways it’s been negative. Having a strict environment helps the student to be well-behaved, responsible as well as improve social and personal skills while on the other hands it can also have negative effect especially in regards with mental health. 

In our opinion, it is important to make sure that the schooling being provided to students should be thoroughly planned and implemented with giving equal rights to all students. Students do not learn by memorizing subjects or studying theories, they learn by understanding and practicing their skills to be able to become successful in life. They deserve to be given choices and chances in life to find the best and suitable career for themselves. It is important to motivate them instead of being too strict with rules which often results in demotivation of learning new things. With that being said, rules and regulations are extremely important to be able to make a system work and to be able to teach students the values and its importance. Rules are important but students’ wellbeing should not be affected by those rules. 

With this, we would like to end this blog here by saying thank you to the readers. We would like to mention to the readers that everything written in this blog is pure personal opinion and personal experience of different students. Hope you enjoyed reading😊.