Youth refers to the stage of life between childhood and adulthood, but it is not a straightforward concept.
Childhood and youth, as well as youth and adulthood, often overlap considerably. The biological, social and legal transitions of youth intertwine, and individual experiences and life circumstances vary widely.
According to the Finnish Youth Act, young people are defined as those under the age of 29 (Youth Act 1285/2016). The UN, on the other hand, defines youth as those aged 15 to 24 (UN 2013). When young people themselves are asked, they typically consider youth to span roughly from ages 10 to 20 (Myllyniemi & Berg 2013).
Young people in Finland are not a homogenous group – their life situations, needs and interests vary, just as they do in any age group. Due to the challenge of defining this age group, youth often ends up overshadowed by childhood in political discussions. Youth Council generally uses the definition set out in the Youth Act when referring to young people in Finland.
Number of Young People in Finland
There are nearly one million young people – defined as those aged 15 to 29 – in Finland.
Each age cohort within this range consists of around 60,000 individuals, although the age groups from 24 upwards are slightly larger. The overall trend is that these age groups are shrinking, meaning the number of young people in Finnish society is declining.
Young people in Finland live across the country and lead their daily lives in a range of environments. Urbanisation strongly influences their lives, as those under 30 are particularly likely to move to cities, with those holding higher educational qualifications doing so more frequently than others. Young women in Finland, in particular, move to urban areas in pursuit of higher education and employment opportunities, whereas young men are more likely to live in rural municipalities and regional towns.
Young people with foreign backgrounds form an increasingly significant share of the youth population in Finland. The number of second-generation immigrants is also on the rise. In 2021, there were around 97,000 young people aged 15–29 in Finland with a foreign background.
Political and Societal Interest Among Young People in Finland
Research shows that Finnish young people have a high level of political and societal interest. However, their societal engagement and political participation are increasingly polarised; while some young people are highly active, others show little desire to participate or feel a deep distrust towards societal institutions.
Societal inclusion is unequal: for example, family background and level of education influence the extent to which a young person is equipped to engage in society. The forms of societal and political participation among Finnish youth have also expanded and diversified. In addition to more traditional forms of engagement, participation can also include, for instance, discussions on social media and consumer choices. However, even these forms of participation are stratified – for example, by level of education.
Voter turnout among young people in Finland has been increasing, especially among those who have just reached voting age. Nevertheless, young people still vote significantly less often than other eligible age groups. Overall, Finnish youth are underrepresented at all stages of decision-making – as voters, candidates, and elected officials. Voting activity among young people in Finland also varies by gender, with young men voting less frequently than young women. Additionally, voter turnout among young people whose first language is other than the national languages is lower compared to their peers who speak Finnish or Swedish as their mother tongue.