No student organizations without spaces, no VYY without organizations: A concrete story about how advocacy work is not always a sprint but a marathon

One of the main tasks of the Student Union of the University of Vaasa (VYY) is to advocate for our students' interests; Promoting the interests and well-being of students so that things are better in the future than they are now. One important aspect of this well-being is also our campus and its spaces. Especially through the spaces of organizations, a lively campus and visible student culture are made possible. They bring us students together.

Currently, the organization rooms do not serve student organizations and our students in the best possible way. The rooms  are cramped and impractical. We have addressed this matter during the entire campus development project, which began in 2017. The main focus of the project was the rearrangement and renewal of the spatial solutions. The goal of the project is for students and staff to have new roomsavailable by 2024.

Influencing the new organization roomsis a concrete example of student advocacy that goes beyond years, board and representative council terms, and requires time, resources, and determination to influence.

In 2019, the chair of the board visited the cramped organization roomsin Technobotnia with the university staff. A similar visit was also made in 2022, with the aim of demonstrating the crampedness and restrictions of the rooms.

Roosa Kesonen, the 2021 board member responsible for Campus and Municipal Affairs, gathered data of the current needs of the rooms, and made a statement on  what is needed in the new spaces. The advocacy goals were agreed more closely with the boards of VYY and the student organizations, and they were also passed on to the boards of the following years. In previous years, many of our students have also been involved in influencing the different stages of the project, thanks to which various perspectives and goals have been formed. In addition, we have benchmarked the spatial solutions of organizations in other universities.

During the spring and autumn of 2022, student organizations and associations encountered a crossroads. A situation where action must be taken now, not later.

Where are we now?

We both served as the chairpersons of two student organizations in 2022. During that time, we began working hard on reforming the organization's spaces starting from early spring. At times, the road felt difficult, complex, and endless. In fact, the case is a perfect example of what advocacy work is at its best and most challenging. Although we have both served in different advocacy organizations, advocacy has often remained a complex entity that can be difficult to grasp in its roughness and importance. It is a long-lasting and endless process.

In the fall, things progressed rapidly. We sat in different meetings, pondered, drew plans, and spent hours with each other, the Student Union, and its staff to achieve the best possible outcome. Eventually, everything succeeded.

At the beginning of 2023, the University of Vaasa's board approved a proposal made by the Student Union and the student organizations CoMedia, Warrantti, Hallinnoijat, and Tutti for new student organization roomsin the Tervahovi building. The upcoming spaces are an improvement for each organization compared to the current ones in Technobotnia's student organization corridor and Fabriikki. In the end, advocacy succeeds through cooperation and clear goals.

Floor plan of the Tervahovi 3rd floor. The locations of student organizations rooms are indicated by their logos.

Elmo Paloniemi
Chair of the Student Union Board 2023

Sara Güven
Board Member responsible for Campus and Municipal Affairs 2023