Homma Himaan was a service that supports young people in finding a home and work in one ‘package’.

It gave 18–26-year-old adults the possibility of combining housing and part-time employment. Homma himaan worked via a digital apartment and job search platform.

Homma Himaan was a pilot program, closed in 2018. However, the results and the idea are fascinating due to their integration of youth policies, employment and housing. Provided you had entered the program, as a tenant you were offered a work and a house. The tenants received a salary for the work done for the good of the neighbourhood.

Tasks included, for instance, working as the property manager’s assistant, helping out elderly residents and developing the operations on shared premises. This allowed the residents to compensate part of their rent through work. The aim was to support the youth on their path to independence and at the same time create their own well-being within the residential community around them.

The initiative involved Helsinki Youth Department and social housing providers in Helsinki, such as Y-Foundation, Setlementtiasunnot, Nuorisosäätiö and Nuorisoasuntoliitto/NAL-Asunnot (and the aim is to further spread it across the country). Employee (that are also tenants) determines the working hours, depending on their needs. Yet, residents decide on the content of their work.