Severi Boesen has started this week as JYY’s new Communications Intern. The duration of the internship is four months.
Boesen has studied information technology at Jamk and graduated in the spring 2026. During the studies, Boesen worked as a student active and an employee of the student union JAMKO.
“A student community is everyone’s right, and the Foundation of that community at the university is the student union. I’m motivated by presenting that community to students, whether it’s with new students or the higher education consortium”, Boesen says.
“For the average student, at worst associations can appear as grey, byrocracy-filled secret councils, which often is nowhere near the reality. As a former student and later as an active, I know this well. This fall I will be thinking about how to break these beliefs.”
During the internship, Boesen will be working especially on the visibility of JYY and its different areas of operations.
The Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä (JYY) is calling on the city to reject plans to clear an old forest area to make way for a ski slope. The Committee of urban planning of Jyväskylä is considering two alternative drafts for the Laajavuori zoning plan, which will be decided upon at a meeting to be held on August 11, 2026. In one draft, a spruce forest in the recreation and nature area (part of which is over 120 years old) would be cleared to make room for a ski slope, which would split the old forest, which is of significant natural value, in two,
Located near Kortepohja, Laajavuori offers students in Jyväskylä an unpararrelled opportunity to recharge in the natural environment of the surrounding area. According to research, spending time outdoors, especially in older forests, has a positive effect on mental health and well-being, and facilitating this is particularly important given that the mental health crisis among young people and students is at its peak. According to Hiihtokeskus Laajis Oy, opening the new slope would only create about ten new jobs in Jyväskylä directly, meaning its direct impact on employment in Central Finland would be negligible. The other publicly stated arguments in favor of the plan are equally unconvincing.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s efforts to change the definition of boreal natural forest as well as the government’s procrastination on concrete climate actions have led to an unambitious climate policy at the national level. According to a 2026 report by the Ministry of the Environment, the goal of a carbon-neutral Finland by 2035 under the current action plan is impossible, but increasing forest conservation is considered one of the most important measures for achieving this
According to the City of Jyväskylä’s 2025 evaluation report, it remains committed to sustainable development, increasing biodiversity, and the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. A forest over 100 years old binds significantly more carbon than a commercial forest, and clearing it to make way for a ski slope is at odds with these goals, which, according to the city’s assessment report, will not be achieved without additional measures. Old-growth forests are unique, dwindling ecosystems that harbor exceptional biodiversity, which must be protected. Furthermore, the environmental impacts of snowmaking on the northern slope on the already diminishing water levels of Vuorilampi and, for example, on the protected bog located on its shore have largely gone unexamined.
“As climate anxiety among young people grows, it is important that our city listens to students’ concerns and prioritizes the protection of the old-growth forest. Vaguely justified economic goals must not be allowed to affect ordinary city residents’ ability to enjoy a natural forest,” declares JYY Board Member Veronika Heikkinen.
The City of Jyväskylä must keep its promise of an ambitious climate policy, and decision-makers must vote against this zoning change!
Additional information:
Chair of the Board of JYY
Aukusti Heilakka
hpj@jyy.fi
+358 45 137 1964
Each year, national student organizations appoint trusted representatives to advocate for students’ interests. JYY (the Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä) is a member of the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) and participates in shaping the organization’s policies and electing its representatives at the annual General Assembly. The student union may also nominate its own candidates.
This autumn, the JYY Representative Council will decide on the nomination of candidates at its meeting on 15 September, based on a proposal by the JYY Board. The Board can propose candidates for both the SYL Board and the President. The actual election of the seven-member SYL Board will take place at the SYL General Assembly in November.
The JYY Board will make its proposal in its meeting on 9 September. Those interested in becoming candidates are asked to send a motivation letter (free-form) and a CV to the Chair of the Board by email at hpj@jyy.fi. The deadline for applications is 25 August 2026. The application documents will be attachments in the Board and Representative Council meetings and will therefore be public.
The application must clearly state the applicant’s suitability and motivation for the role, as well as any key campaign themes the applicant intends to highlight if nominated. The application must also specify whether the applicant is seeking nomination for the Board, the Presidency, or both.
You may also express your interest in candidacy during the Representative Council’s September meeting. However, those who express interest during the meeting will not be considered in the Board’s proposal, as it will already have been submitted. In such cases, a voting member of the Representative Council must officially propose the candidate during the meeting for them to be eligible for nomination.
Candidates approved by the Representative Council will receive financial support: €300 for President applicants and €150 for Board applicants. This support is intended to reimburse actual campaign material expenses.
Please note: Serving on the SYL Board requires a full-time commitment and the ability to work in Helsinki.
More information about SYL and its work can be found at syl.fi.
SYL (The National Union of University Students in Finland) is a student organization representing approximately 140,000 students across Finland. Its members include all Finnish university student unions. SYL is a key advocate for student life and education policy, promoting the interests of students and giving a voice to younger generations in Finnish society.
More information:
Aukusti Heilakka
Chair of the Board
+358 (0) 44 137 1964
hpj@jyy.fi
Each year, national student organizations appoint trusted representatives to advocate for students’ interests. JYY (the Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä) is a member of the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) and participates in shaping the organization’s policies and electing its representatives at the annual General Assembly. The student union may also nominate its own candidates.
This autumn, the JYY Representative Council will decide on the nomination of candidates at its meeting on September 17, based on a proposal by the JYY Executive Board. The Board can propose candidates for both the SYL Board and the President position. The actual elections will take place at the SYL General Assembly in November.
The JYY Executive Board will make its proposal in its meeting on September 11. Those interested in becoming candidates are asked to send a motivation letter (free-form) and a CV to the President of the JYY Executive Board by email at venla.suosalo@jyy.fi. Applications will be accepted from August 5 to August 31.
The application must clearly state the applicant’s suitability and motivation for the role, as well as any key campaign themes the applicant intends to highlight if nominated. The application must also specify whether the applicant is seeking nomination for the Board, the Presidency, or both.
You may also express your interest in candidacy during the Representative Council’s September meeting. However, those who express interest during the meeting will not be considered in the Board’s proposal, as it will already have been submitted. In such cases, a voting member of the Representative Council must officially propose the candidate during the meeting for them to be eligible for nomination.
Candidates approved by the Representative Council will receive financial support: €300 for President applicants and €150 for Board applicants. This support is intended to reimburse actual campaign material expenses.
Please note: Serving on the SYL Board requires a full-time commitment and the ability to work in Helsinki.
More information about SYL and its work can be found at syl.fi.
SYL (The National Union of University Students in Finland) is a student organization representing approximately 140,000 students across Finland. Its members include all Finnish university student unions. SYL is a key advocate for student life and education policy, promoting the interests of students and giving a voice to younger generations in Finnish society.
More information:
Venla Suosalo
President of the Executive Board
+358 (0) 44 137 1964
venla.suosalo@jyy.fi