en-Youth Work – funkOn

Youth Work

Social impact through working with youth has been part of Funk On’s operations since the beginning. Many members of the Funk On team have personally had challenging youth experiences, during which various forms of art brought safety and balance to their lives. For example, Funk On’s CEO Aarni Somerharju has openly shared his own childhood experiences of marginalization and the cycle of child protection services, where he found salvation in street art and graffiti culture. In later years, most of the Funk On professionals have trained as social workers, such as child protection specialists and school teachers. It is therefore only natural that our professional artists want to offer their expertise to young people, thereby making a meaningful impact.

Since 2023 Funk On has been Finland’s leading organization in organizing street art activities for youth. During the 2023–2024 school year, Funk On organized over 400 hours of street art activities in 8 different cities in Southern Finland, which is a staggering amount in the scale of subcultures. Behind the popular Funk On street art hobbies and graffiti workshops lies the approach of understanding and engaging with youth in a thoughtful and considerate manner. All youth programs are substance-free and easily accessible.

Funk On street art activities vary from single workshops to hobbies lasting the entire school year. The activities are always tailored to the target group, so there is no specific formula for organizing the activities. The most common working methods are drawing with markers or creating graffiti with spray paint.

We all have challenging times, during which even small positive encounters can improve the day or even change the direction of life.

Youth Work

We offer authentic, inspiring, and new ways to get noticed.