Recruitment of Tripla – three new specialists for HYY: Tiia Niemi, Janne Kajander and Heidi Rättyä

HYY has been in full-on recruitment mode, resulting in three amazing new specialists for our work community.

HYY’s Board has selected three new specialists for the Student Union: Tiia Niemi in charge of social policy, Janne Kajander in charge of communications and Heidi Rättyä in charge of educational policy. Niemi started in her position in October and Kajander in November, whereas Rättyä started on a part-time basis this week.

As our specialist in social policy, Niemi is in charge of issues related to students’ subsistence and international students as well as advocacy work and influencing related to these themes. In addition to this, her work entails the promotion of equality in HYY and at the University of Helsinki. Niemi shares issues related to student housing with Matias Takala, our other specialist in social policy.

‘I am especially interested in improving students’ subsistence and equality. Low income must not prevent people from different backgrounds from seeking higher education studies. Everyone must have the opportunity to get educated and to focus on their studies full time’, Niemi states.

Niemi has extensive knowledge of social benefits due to her previous work experience as a specialist making decisions in Kela. She also has experience of international affairs from her past work in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, for instance.

As our communications specialist, Kajander is responsible for directing, planning and realising the Student Union’s communications. This year, HYY has renewed its brand and website. For the rest of the year, Kajander will be working especially on developing communications, as the next large projects include drafting HYY’s new communications strategy and plan.

‘Working as HYY’s communications specialist is my dream job. HYY already felt like home after my first couple of days working here’, Kajander comments on his job after the first few weeks.

Kajander has previously worked in the field of communication on the Board of the Student Union of the University of Tampere (Tamy), after which he founded his own communications company Kaja Communications.

Specialist in Educational Policy Rättyä’s job description includes not only educational policy but also issues related to working life and the EU. Her partner on the educational policy sector is Jenna Sorjonen. Rättyä has previously been honing her skills on the boards of the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) and the Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä (JYY).

‘It feels amazing to be able to move to employee status in the student movement after first working in positions of trust for a couple of years. HYY is an inspiring community and a pioneer in many issues, and I am looking forward to my new duties as HYY’s specialist in educational policy’, Rättyä describes her initial feelings.

Rättyä will continue on SYL’s Board until the end of her term, beginning full-time work in HYY in January. She already started in the job on a part-time basis this week.

Niemi’s predecessor Hannele Kirveskoski started a new job as a specialist in wellbeing policy at the Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (SAMOK). Kajander and Rättyä both came to HYY as fixed-term substitutes: Kajander is deputising for Ruut Luukkonen, who is on family leave, whereas Rättyä is working as the substitute of Anne Soinsaari, who started in a fixed-term position as the chief of public affairs and communications at the University of Helsinki.

Who?

Tiia Niemi

Specialist in social policy

Studied general history at the University of Helsinki and history at the University of Aberdeen

Goes swing dancing, plays the guitar and goes jogging during her free time

Janne Kajander

Communications specialist

Studies communication studies at the Tampere University

Does all kinds of things he happens to get excited about during his free time – currently this means football and university politics in particular

Heidi Rättyä

Specialist in educational policy

Studies to become an English and Russian teacher at the University of Jyväskylä

Further information and requests for interviews:

Janne Kajander

Communications specialist

janne.kajander@hyy.fi

050 543 9609