New head of the Helsinki Youth Services’ Partnership Unit

Vilkama will head the unit responsible for promoting the operating conditions and partnerships of youth and non-governmental organisations and youth groups in Helsinki. The unit is also responsible for the preparation of youth grants. The City allocates more than €3 million in youth grants each year. The Partnership Unit also evaluates, monitors and develops the operational preconditions of the City's Youth Services through projects and networking. 

"Vilkama is ideally qualified to succeed as the new head of the Youth Services’ Partnership Unit. Her selection is supported particularly by her competence related to the City’s grant allocation and vision for the development of grants. In addition to this, she has excellent knowledge of the organisation sector in Helsinki,” says Helsinki’s Director of Youth Affairs Mikko Vatka. 

Head of Unit, Partnerships Veera Vilkama is excited about her new role. “I am very happy for this opportunity to promote cooperation between the City and organisations from a youth services perspective. At the City Executive Office, I have been involved in developing cooperation structures between Helsinki’s entire organisation sector and the City. It is nice to now be able to work more closely with the partners of the City’s Youth Services in particular. Helsinki has a large and competent organisation sector, which is a tremendous asset for us," says Vilkama.

Vilkama has previously worked at the City of Helsinki as an organisation cooperation development manager, at Moniheli ry as a manager in the prevention of homelessness among immigrants, at the Finnish Refugee Council as the head of the Communicty Engagement, at the Blue Ribbon Foundation as a project manager for immigration work and at the Finnish Refugee Advice Centre in various positions.

Vilkama will take up the post of Head of Unit, Partnerships on 1 October 2025.