Tilda Lassila for the Board of the National Union of University Students in Finland for 2025!

Culture, education and competence are both intrinsic values and key assets to help bring about a more prosperous future. Instead of investing in them, cuts are being made to students’ social security, which was at a low level to begin with, student housing production is being made unprofitable and students’ ability to study full time is being undermined. University studies must be a viable option for everyone regardless of their background. I want to work boldly, tenaciously and with a long-term focus to ensure that absolutely everyone has the right to study – in the future, too. That is why I am applying to SYL’s Board for 2025.

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  5. Tilda Lassila for the Board of the National Union of University Students in Finland for 2025!

Students have the right to a home and a good life

Students have the right to good everyday life without having to worry whether they have enough money for food, rent or medicine. However, the cuts to social security are driving us further and further below the poverty line. We also have more debt than ever before, and the trend shows no sign of improvement.

Having a home is a basic human right that belongs to us students too. You cannot study without a roof over your head. The student housing situation is dire, and solutions to the apartment shortage must be found. It is very alarming that students have even had to queue up for emergency accommodation.

    • Students must have a fair social security system that makes it possible to study full time.
    • Students must not be forced to take out an unreasonable amount of loan, and solutions must be sought to reduce the debt burden instead of adding to it.
    • A sufficient number of reasonably priced apartments must be available, and the sustainable production of student apartments must be guaranteed.
    • The number of months of student aid must be increased. Running out of months of aid must not cause students to have to drop out of their studies.
    • The emphasis on loans must be reduced, not increased. However, as students already have massive amounts of loan, the amount of student loan compensation must be increased and the terms of interest assistance relaxed.
    • Social security for students must be sufficient to factually cover living costs and make it possible to study full time.
    • Investing in students benefits the entire society.
    • Students must have the right to good, dignified everyday life during their studies, too. No-one should have to fear not having enough money for food, medicine or rent.

Students have the right to support and flexibility

Students’ diversity and varied situations in life must be taken into account in higher education institutions. This requires concrete investments in individual arrangements, support for learning and the flexibility of studies. To raise the level of education, university studies must be widely accessible to diverse people from different backgrounds. Study progress is made possible for everyone through individual arrangements and high-quality support services.

    • High-quality support services for learning must be guaranteed for different types of learners at all Finnish universities.
    • Higher education studies must be flexible and take different situations in life into account.
    • Enforced personnel ratios for support services must be added to the Universities Act. The required number of study psychologists and special education teachers, for instance, must be stated in legislation, and the number should be sufficient.
    • Students’ diverse situations in life must be taken into account through flexible studies and completion methods.
    • University studies must be an option for everyone. Special support creates conditions for more accessible and equal studies.
    • Students are diverse and have different situations in life. The need for flexibility in studies is emphasised especially because an increasing number of students have to combine work and studies.

Right to study – everywhere

There is no possibility for higher education studies amid war, conflicts or genocide. SYL must bear its global responsibility and contribute to the right to study being realised elsewhere too. SYL has a long history as a pioneer of Finnish development cooperation, and it must continue to advocate development cooperation in the future, too.

    • SYL must defend development cooperation and be actively involved in development cooperation activities, both now and in the future. With the government wanting to drive development cooperation activities into a corner, SYL must act as an opposing force.
    • SYL bears its global responsibility and strives to act with solidarity, promoting student rights and human rights in general, democracy and justice elsewhere in the world, too.
    • Government funding for third-sector development cooperation operators, such as SYL, must be guaranteed.
    • The Students at Risk grant system must be continued and developed. Instead of running down the funding, efforts should be made to expand the activities to cover support measures for a larger group of students fleeing war and violence.
    • SYL is an equal and international operator, and these values should be reflected in concrete action to promote global responsibility.
    • We are all responsible for building peace and a sustainable future at a global level. SYL, too, must do its part.

Who is Tilda?

  • Student of politics, media and communication at the University of Helsinki
  • In charge of communication, sustainable development and the municipal elections on HYY’s Board in 2024
  • Has lots of experience of advocacy work and organisational affairs
  • A solution-oriented person capable of cooperation and getting things done, a passionate builder of a fairer society
  • Also passionate about books, Taylor Swift and Finnish rock music

CV

    • I have been responsible for communication, sustainable development and the municipal elections, among other duties.
    • I have, for instance, conducted diverse advocacy work communication and run various campaigns including the EU election campaign and communication for a demonstration.
    • I have made a new Sustainable Development Plan for our Student Union as well as taken part in several working groups and projects on sustainability and responsibility in cooperation with the University.
    • I have been involved in developing HYY’s development cooperation activities together with volunteers and SYL.
    • I have met with city council members and drafted a municipal election programme as well as been involved in preparing the update of the sections on urban policy in the Policy Paper.
    • I have improved my substance knowledge, advocacy work skills and self-management, for instance.
    • I have been a member of HYY’s Representative Council since the 2022 Representative Council elections when I was elected as an actual council member
    • As one of the chairs of my Representative Council group, I was responsible for organising and chairing group meetings, leading the group, communication both within the group and with other groups and promoting the group’s goals.
    • My areas of responsibility included culture, external relations and alumni. I also helped with the Board’s collective duties such as event organisation.
    • I was responsible for advocacy work.
    • Youth Council’s Representative on the Education Committee, 2019
    • Member of the Uusimaa regional youth council, 2019
    • Secretary of the board of the Kallio general upper secondary school’s student body 2018–2019, chair 2019–2020 and member of the Board 2020–2021
    • Group leader in the Kaskipartio scout troop 2017–2020 and manager of the member register in 2021

    • Get in touch!

      I am happy to answer any questions you may have or discuss my campaign themes and students’ situation!

      tilda.lassila@hyy.fi

      050 595 0327

      Instagram: @tildalassila

      X: @tildalassila