Minna Zechner

Here are the majority of the projects and networks that I have been or am involved in.

Projects

SustAgeable: Economic and social sustainability across time and space in an ageing society is funded by Strategic Research Council 2021-2024 with a possible three-year extension. The project seeks solutions to protect and promote well-being of the population while restoring the economic sustainability of the welfare state. The multidisciplinary work is guided by the framework of economic and social sustainability. The empirical work packages contribute to refining the concept of sustainability in the context of a welfare state with an ageing population. The project is coordinated by Finnish institute for health and welfare (Maria Vaalavuo) and other partners are University of Eastern Finland, VATT Institute for Economic Research, Labore, Finnish Centre for Pensions and MDI-Consultancy for Regional Development.

Gerontological social work and complex and needs of older adults (Gerontologinen sosiaalityö erityisen tuen tarpeisiin vastaamassa, GERIT) is a project that aims to respond questions regarding gerontological social work and the complex needs of older adults, such as how are these needs recognized in services, how older adults are steered or left out of gerontological social work and how working methods and approaches meet the needs of these older adults. The project is coordinated by University of Helsinki (Marjaana Seppänen) and other partners are University of Eastern Finland and University of Lapland. The project is funded by the state grant from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 2021-2022.

Link to health and wellbeing in Lapland (Linkki lappilaiseen hyvinvointiin) is a pilot for implementing social prescribing practices in the small municipalities of Kemijärvi, Muonio and Enontekiö in Finnish Lapland. The project is coordinated by the Lapland hospital district and funded by the Institute of Health and Welfare (THL) 2020-2021.

PRO SOS develops adult social work by various piloting activities that relate to empowerment, multi-professional social work, using games and making an impact through social work. The project is funded by the European Social Fund with participating municipalities and coordinated by Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences/SONet BOTNIA 2017-2019.

Connected for Health is a partially EU-funded project where social and health care services are piloted in open access FTTH networks in the three Nordic countries of Finland, Sweden, and Denmark 2015-2016. The project is coordinated by the Regional Council of South Ostrobothnia.

SOHVI is a project where experiences of social welfare clients' experience-based knowledge is used to develop the knowledge base of social welfare workers as well as services. Funded by the European Social Fund 2012-2014, coordinated by Turku University of Applied Sciences.

ForeMassi2025 predicts long-term educational needs in the fields of welfare and safety. In addition formulating of new service innovations are on the agenda. Funded by the European Social Fund 2011-2013 and coordinated by Laurea University of Applied Sciences.

The New Care Consumer: Older People and Local Welfare Mix, Funded by the Academy of Finland and lead by Professor Anneli Anttonen, University of Tampere 2009-2012.

TRANS-NET - Transnationalisation, Migration and Transformation: Multi-level analysis of Migrant Transnationalism is funded by the European Commission 7th Framework Programme), and lead by Professor Pirkko Pitkänen, University of Tampere, 2008-2011.

Squaring the Care Circle. The Finnish and Italian Families Searching for New Ways to Care for Older People? Funded by the the Academy of Finland and lead by Professor Anneli Anttonen, University of Tampere 2005-2008.

SoTCa: Social Capital, Trust and Care ­- Formation and Distribution of Informal and Formal Care Capital in Welfare Societies Funded by the Academy of Finland and lead by Professor Anneli Anttonen, University of Tampere 2004-2007.

SOCCARE: New Kinds of Families, New Kinds of Social Care: Shaping Multi-Dimensional Policies for Social Care is a comparative European research project studying informal and formal social care arrangements for young children and older people Financed by the European Commission through its 5th Framework Programme, Key Action for Socio-Economic Research, 2000-2005. Project Leader: Professor Jorma Sipilä, University of Tampere.

Networks

Vaiva is a collective that comprises of seven academics from different organizations. We focus on ailment to which care is an ethical response. We study how ailment shapes the lives and societies. https://vaiva.info/

International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) that is the worldwide association of schools of social work, other tertiary-level social work educational programs, and social work educators. https://www.iassw-aiets.org/

Sosnet - Finnish National University Network for Social Work that a university network comprising of the six universities in Finland with social work degree program in social work: https://www.sosnet.fi/EN/Sosnet

The Finnish Society for Growth and Ageing Research promotes premises for good ageing. It aims to increase understanding and knowledge of ageing issues and to further collaboration among professions working with older people. https://gerontologia.fi/finnish-society-growth-and-ageing-research

Parliament’s age network (Eduskunnan IKÄ-verkosto) has members for the Finnish parliament and universities and non-governmental organizations and it aims to share information on ageing-related issues. https://www.ikainstituutti.fi/eduskunnan-ika-verkosto/ (in Finnish only)

International Interdisciplinary Network on Smart Healthy Age-friendly Environments NET4AGE-FRIENDLY (CA19136) https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA19136/#tabs|Name:overview

Under the University of the Arctic (UArctic), Thematic Network on Social Work https://www.uarctic.org/organization/thematic-networks/social-work/ and the Thematic Network on Ageing and Gender in the Arctic https://www.uarctic.org/organization/thematic-networks/ageing-and-gender-in-the-arctic/

Normacare, the Nordic research network on marketisation in eldercare brings researchers together to investigate and compare how market-inspired steering principles have emerged, evolved and operate in eldercare in the Nordic countries 2011-2014.

Reassess is a Nordic Centre of Excellence. Reassessing the Nordic Welfare Model funded by NordForsk, 2007-2011.

RECWOWE is a Network of Excellence of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) on 'Reconciling Work and Welfare in Europe' 2006-2011.

Globalisering, makt og kjønn i Norden or Globalization, power and gender in the Nordic countries is a network of Nordic researchers funded by The Joint Committee for Nordic Research Councils for the Humanities and the Social Sciences (NOS-HS) 2008-2009. The network leader is Professor Lise Widding Isaksen from the University of Bergen.

The Network for European Social Policy Analysis, ESPANet http://www.espanet.org/

European Sociological Association Research Network on Ageing in Europe http://www.ageing-in-europe.net/

Sosiaalipoliittinen yhdistys or The Social Policy Association of Finland http://sosiaalipoliittinenyhdistys.fi/

CEREN Study Group on Glocalisation, coordinated by Sirpa Wrede from the University of Helsinki.

© 2023 Minna Zechner