Emma
Soini

I support the goal of making early childhood education more accessible to everyone, but at the same time, it is important to consider the sustainability and quality of preschools and primary schools. Right now, the city of Vaasa is facing a staff shortage, and many early childhood educators are overwhelmed with work, which affects both their well-being and that of the children. We cannot make early childhood education free of charge without first ensuring that we have enough qualified and well-trained staff. It is also important that the work of early childhood educators is valued fairly, both financially and through better working conditions. Making early childhood education free can be a good idea, but we must not do so at the expense of the staff or compromise quality to finance it. So, while I support more accessible early childhood education, a more thoughtful solution is needed that takes into account both staff and quality.

Schools in overall have gained significant benefits from using digital devices, such as the ability to participate remotely via Zoom and Meet. Teachers have also gained access to a wider range of assignments and learning materials through technological platforms like Sanoma. However, it is important to remember that students learn in different ways. Many benefit from having at least part of the learning material in traditional books. Especially younger children tend to learn better when the teaching material is in paper form. On the other hand, in middle school and high school, as students\' abilities develop, the use of digital books can be more effective. I believe that learning materials don’t have to be entirely digital, but it’s important to consider different learning styles and maintain traditional books as part of the teaching materials. This could also encourage reading outside of school.

Sports and leisure activities brighten everyone’s daily life, provide a good break from everyday tasks, and have been proven to improve concentration, work and study ability, and creativity. In a performance-driven society, where success in studies and work is constantly emphasized, it is important to remember that everyone also has the right to well-being and to enjoy life by pursuing personal growth. Furthermore, hobbies play a crucial role in disease prevention, which in the long term also saves healthcare costs. For this reason, I strongly support that Vaasa financially supports a wide range of leisure activities and the goal-oriented work of sports clubs, as part of helping children and young people achieve their dreams.

Culture, as well as free-time activities, enables well-being and satisfaction among citizens. Culture is an important part of citizens\' identity and finding their own voice. Just like art, culture should also be promoted as part of school activities. I believe that a broader range of craft and art subjects would strengthen students\' self-confidence and empathy, as well as help them find joy and a sense of meaning outside of their studies.

It is an important part of our city\'s autonomy that all Vasa residents have the opportunity to influence how we use our shared resources. It is great that we offer many free and easily accessible services, such as outdoor gyms, sports fields, and even a spot for winter swimming. Furthermore, all of these are just a short distance from the centrum of Vasa.

It is important that Vasa implements a targeted climate policy that promotes sustainable decisions. This means that the city of Vaasa makes public transportation accessible and user-friendly for everyone. This is important even for the equality.

Even more people are dividing their time between their home town and their summer residence. The flexibility of work and the development of digitalization are influencing citizens\' living arrangements in different locations. In the future, the role of the municipality could be completely new from a citizen\'s perspective, where multiple locations are experienced as the citizen\'s home municipality. It is also important to consider living in different locations in terms of the citizen\'s rights and obligations. For example, collecting municipal taxes from those who live in two different municipalities could be part of Finland\'s cost-saving measures.

It is important that Vasa implements a targeted climate policy that promotes sustainable decisions. This means that Vasa actively uses and develops renewable energy sources, for example in electricity production and transportation.

Vasa has good opportunities to plan housing in a way that allows all residents, from small families to individuals, to live in an apartment that meets their needs. This is also related to climate policy. While it may be efficient to build high apartments for students, detached houses might be a better option for small families. Additionally, it is important to remember that every resident should have short distance and easy access to nature from their home.

I believe that recruitment works best when the employer makes their decisions without prejudices and bases their choices solely on the candidate\'s qualifications and skills. At the same time, it is understandable that employers want to form at least some impression of the candidate before making a decision, so that they can feel confident in their choice. However, I believe that the recruitment process should be as transparent as possible, so that personal opinions or the employer\'s previous experiences do not overly influence who is chosen for the position. It would be beneficial if every employer hired a labor law expert specifically for the recruitment process to ensure that the hiring is done correctly. The person who succeeds best in the job is the one who has the right interest and experience in the field.

Unfortunately, we cannot change history, and hindsight is of no use, but instead, we can influence the future. My goal is to make Vasa a municipality where both nature and its residents thrive. Sustainable development is important for the resilience of nature, and nature, in turn, is an important resource for people.