The youth services of the city of Vaasa received 19.1. at the municipal youth work gala, an honorable mention in the digital youth work series. Attention was given for the WasaCraft game activity.

On Friday, January 19, 2024, at the municipal youth work gala of the regions of Ostrobothnia and Central Ostrobothnia, recognition awards were given for activities, projects, events and similar in the youth field within the scope of municipal youth work. Recognition awards are visible recognition of significant work in the field of municipal youth work. The WasaCraft game activity, which brought an honorable mention to Vaasa’s youth services, has been organized since 2022. WasaCraft is an activity aimed at young people from Vaasa aged 13-18, where the idea is to build, create visions and have adventures together with other participants in the Minecraft world.

Young instructors involved in the activity

WasaCraft has been organized randomly according to the young people’s wishes, either as a camp or as weekly meetings. As planned, the instructors are involved in playing with the young people. The activity is organized remotely, on a closed server in Discord. Discord works as a game platform, where real-time joint gaming and communication is possible either through chat, voice or video. -“The important thing about the WasaCraft game activity is that it is also a voluntary activity for young people. A young club director is also leading the game activities online”, says Mika Pietilä, director of youth affairs.

Those young people who do not go to youth centers can be reached online

With WasaCraft, we want to reach those young people who might not otherwise participate in guided group activities. In the operation, interactivity and the development of social skills online are strongly taken into account in accordance with media education. -“The online youth work reaches many young people who would never, for example, come to youth centers to chat”, describes WasaCraft’s peer instructor, 16-year-old Aaro Helo. WasaCraft has received a lot of positive feedback, and the groups usually fill up quickly. A maximum of 12 participants are admitted to the groups, and the activity is free of charge.

Future WasaCrafts will be announced on the Youth Information and Counseling Service Reimari’s website https://reimari.info/ and on social media.