CENTER FOR CIVIC ACTIVITIES MATARA - NEW POSSIBILITIES TO ORGANIZATIONS IN JYVÄSKYLÄ
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Tue, 28/08/2012 - Tue, 11/06/2013
CENTER FOR CIVIC ACTIVITIES MATARA PLACE TO ALL ACTIVIES IN JYVÄSKYLÄ
Jyväskylä Center for civic activities named Matara is a meeting place for people, building for organizations’ activities, a scene for events and exhibitions. The center is a unique achievement in Finnish scale. Different civic activity centers systems can be found in our country in Espoo, Joensuu, Seinäjoki and Oulu. Matara in Jyväskylä is the first, to whom Finland’s Slot Machine Associationhas provided funding to pay the rents.
Matara is an open meeting place for all citizens, with many possibilities for participation and for making an impact. In Matara you can find a citizens’ living room, access to internet, multicultural center and its gallery, volunteer services and information on health. In Matara you will find events, training and public discussions. For associations and organizations Matara is offices, hotel for organizations, space for meetings and groups support and development services. Matara’s lobby is a meeting place, to read the newspaper and to drink a cup of coffee. In the lobby lounge is a staff to guide and care for the comfort of the lobby.
The aim is to continue to improve enhance cooperation between the third sector, educational institutions and the public sector. The aim is to improve citizens’ possibilities to participate and influence, too. The civic center and educational institutions have set up a working group, which is developing cooperation between the third sector, educational institutions and Jyväskylä. In Matara there is a room for student trainers. In this way, for example, a student may at the same time train in more than one association and learn about the activities more widely and easily.
To get under same roof brings networking and economic benefits. Other activities are easier to understand and easier to organize events together. Since this autumn in Matara will be once a month themed morning meetings with a cup of coffee. Those meetings are open to all, and anyone can suggest subject they want to discuss. The organizers acquire experts and stimulate the debate.
(Sources: Jyväskylän kaupungin tiedotuslehti 1/2012, s. 2, Keskisuomalainen 15.2.2012, s. 6)
