Plan for facilitating a transformative event in asylum seeker context
Vikman, Taru (2017)
Vikman, Taru
Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu
2017
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017061113264
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017061113264
Tiivistelmä
The author of this thesis was faced with some of the challenges of asylum seekers while volunteering with free-time activities in the reception centre of Punavuori in Helsinki. Already from these experiences arose the basic target of the thesis and the basic idea for the event for which a plan is made during the thesis process. It is clear that by choosing this thesis topic the author is also seeking personal transformation through the meaningful cause of improving the wellbeing of others and their capacities for self-improving it.
The aim of this thesis is to improve the wellbeing of asylum seekers with the means of designing an event with transformational potential. The objectives are to gain more understanding in the context and daily challenges of asylums seekers, to discover which parts of their wellbeing could be influenced with the means of organizing an event, and to collect insights from previous literature on how to design engaging events with transformational potential. The final objective is to apply the insights gained through fulfilling the previous objectives into planning an actual event for the asylum seekers in Punavuori reception centre.
These objectives are approached from the perspective of a volunteer and a student of hospitality management, not from the perspective of a professional in event organizing or social work. The author’s personal input to this topic is valuable from the perspective of personal experience of organizing activities in this specific context, her interested familiarization with the event and experience literature from this perspective, as well as good intentions of truly wanting to responsibly help the participants of the event to make a difference in their own lives.
The thesis comprises of a literature review that is divided into two main chapters covering the context of the asylum seekers as well as event, experience and transformation design. The framework of the Event Canvas is utilized for guiding the event design process which is documented in the thesis. The final product is the event presented with the Event Canvas coupled with a brief practical event program.
Based on the insights of the literature review and the design tools utilized in the process, a plan for an event was created with the goal of increasing the asylum seekers’ sense of self-efficacy, sense of contributing to others and sense of opportunity of shaping their own lives. The basic idea behind the design concept is to facilitate the asylum seekers in planning and, in the future, realizing their own ideas for free-time activities.
The objects of the thesis were met, and the resulting event plan is evaluated to have some transformational potential. The event design is a good attempt at shifting the viewpoint from a ‘passive aid-receiver’ to an ‘active contributor’. Yet, the event must be seen as an element of a longer project for fulfilling its true potential. The schedule of the thesis was tight, and therefore the author has decided to still add a few additional steps before realizing the actual event to ensure its success. The thesis project was conducted between April and June in 2017.
The aim of this thesis is to improve the wellbeing of asylum seekers with the means of designing an event with transformational potential. The objectives are to gain more understanding in the context and daily challenges of asylums seekers, to discover which parts of their wellbeing could be influenced with the means of organizing an event, and to collect insights from previous literature on how to design engaging events with transformational potential. The final objective is to apply the insights gained through fulfilling the previous objectives into planning an actual event for the asylum seekers in Punavuori reception centre.
These objectives are approached from the perspective of a volunteer and a student of hospitality management, not from the perspective of a professional in event organizing or social work. The author’s personal input to this topic is valuable from the perspective of personal experience of organizing activities in this specific context, her interested familiarization with the event and experience literature from this perspective, as well as good intentions of truly wanting to responsibly help the participants of the event to make a difference in their own lives.
The thesis comprises of a literature review that is divided into two main chapters covering the context of the asylum seekers as well as event, experience and transformation design. The framework of the Event Canvas is utilized for guiding the event design process which is documented in the thesis. The final product is the event presented with the Event Canvas coupled with a brief practical event program.
Based on the insights of the literature review and the design tools utilized in the process, a plan for an event was created with the goal of increasing the asylum seekers’ sense of self-efficacy, sense of contributing to others and sense of opportunity of shaping their own lives. The basic idea behind the design concept is to facilitate the asylum seekers in planning and, in the future, realizing their own ideas for free-time activities.
The objects of the thesis were met, and the resulting event plan is evaluated to have some transformational potential. The event design is a good attempt at shifting the viewpoint from a ‘passive aid-receiver’ to an ‘active contributor’. Yet, the event must be seen as an element of a longer project for fulfilling its true potential. The schedule of the thesis was tight, and therefore the author has decided to still add a few additional steps before realizing the actual event to ensure its success. The thesis project was conducted between April and June in 2017.