What is Kentauri?
Kentauri is one of the youth work centres of expertise in Finland. Its focus area is the situation and impact of youth NGOs. Kentauri’s aim is to ensure meaningful lives and social inclusion for young people.
The Youth Work Centre of Expertise Kentauri studies the outcomes of young people’s free-time hobbies and NGO activities, develops NGOs’ data production related to youth work, develops NGOs’ impact assessment, investigates the effects of the changing operating environments of youth NGO activities and improves the identification and recognition of young people’s competence.
Kentauri’s operations are funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture, while The Guides and Scouts of Finland, Economy and Youth TAT, Humak University of Applied Sciences and Sivis Study Centre are responsible for its operations.
Research and data
The Youth Work Centre of Expertise Kentauri supports youth NGOs in their systemisation of data production. Kentauri develops data production related to the youth work of NGOs in cooperation with the Nuorisotilastot.fi service.
Kentauri researches the outcome of young peoples’ hobbies and NGO activities on the growth and social inclusion of young people and the social impact of the activities. The research will result in academic publications and publications intended for the general public.
Impact and impact assessment
The Youth Work Centre of Expertise Kentauri strengthens and develops the impact assessment expertise of youth NGOs. Impact expertise is a broad concept that includes the ability to set targets and measure them. Leadership and communications skills are also part of this expertise.
Kentauri surveys the impact assessment expertise of youth NGOs with a training series and by creating new tools to support the organisations.
Changing operational environments
The operational environments of youth NGOs are changing, and this will also affect youth work and activities. The Youth Work Centre of Expertise Kentauri investigates the trends in the changing operational environments and their effects on the youth NGOs’ operations.
Kentauri will organise an educational discussion series on the changing operational environments and will produce scenarios and training materials.
Identification and recognition of competence
Identification and recognition of competence makes it easier to understand the potential of personal competence and makes the competence visible. By identifying and recognising competence it is possible to build learning paths and save resources and to find new opportunities for collaboration.
The Youth Work Centre of Expertise Kentauri develops methods for identifying and recognising the competence acquired in youth NGO activities and together with partners will construct a digital tool for the recognition and identification of competence.
Kentauri is developing the Duunikoutsi mobile app intended to support career coaching for young people, and the digital competence disc Osaamiskiekko that demonstrates how to utilise the competence accumulated in hobbies and voluntary activities in studies leading to a qualification.
More information about Kentauri:
Raisa Omaheimo and Laura Kalervo
+358 400 511 534
raisa.omaheimo@kentauri.fi and laura.kalervo@kentauri.fi