Category: Opinion
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Leaving on a Jet Plane
Oh my goodness, this trip has flown! I thought a month seemed plenty of time – and I’m well aware how fortunate I’ve been to be able to do this – but in some ways it feels like I’m only beginning. If you’re reading this, you’ll already know I’ve been doing my best to share…
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A Time of Change
It feels to me like Finland is going through a lot of changes right now. When people in other countries told me they look to Finland for good practice, I don’t think it was misplaced. I’m finding evidence of that everywhere I go. There is creativity, and expertise borne of long experience. People agree entitlements…
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You’ve Got to Have a Dream…
Today I’m in Oulu – the biggest city in northern Finland, and about as far from Helsinki as Edinburgh is from London. Oulu is home to the headquarters of Luovi Vocational College, the biggest provider of vocational special needs education and training in Finland, with over 30 locations across the country. Colleges like Luovi are…
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Resounding success
Image: Resonaarigroup, disabled musicians employed by Resonaari, in performance. Used with permission If you listen to people who use a service, they will tell you what works and what doesn’t. Paying attention is often the difference between changing lives for the better and falling short of the mark. It’s not just about providing the best…
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Best job in the world
Every so often, a day comes along when this feels like the best job in the world. Today was one of them. Don’t you love being around people who know their stuff, care passionately about what they do and are 100% committed to young people living their best possible life? I was at the Häme…
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Surely this is in our gift
I love this image. Maybe you don’t get it at first glance? And that’s exactly the point. Check out the dungarees – hard-wearing clothes for tough jobs. And then look to the bottom right corner. The guy is in a wheelchair. It doesn’t yell: “Hey, look, this person is disabled!” He’s just someone doing a…