Youth in time - qualitative longitudinal study on young people (2014-2025)

Youth in time is a large longitudinal research project on young people's life paths, coordinated by the Finnish Youth Research Network, and conducted in cooperation with the University of Eastern Finland and University of Helsinki. There are altogether ten researchers working in the project. The field work has started in year 2015, and by the end of the year 2016, altogether over a hundred young people from five research sites have been recruited in the project. The research project aims to follow their lives for about ten years after they finish comprehensive school. The research project utilizes mainly qualitative and participatory research methods. The aim is to produce longitudinal and holistic knowledge on young people which will be useful not only to other researchers, but to professionals and decision-makers as well.

Most of the young people in the project will complete their secondary education in 2019-2020. With the new phase of life, the young people are heading for different paths. Others will continue their educational path, others will head to working life. The Young people are also increasingly dispersed from their original research locations throughout Finland, and some also abroad. During the years of the project, the confidential research relationship has grown between researchers and young people. This allows researchers to maintain the connection and to do follow-up interviews in the coming years. At the beginning of 2020, more than 100 young people are still involved in the project.

Project coordinators: Research director Sinikka Aapola-Kari

Researchers in the project: