Maarit Tuttavainen-Tarsa and Suvi Syrjäkorpi, students of VAMK Social Services, produced a nature guidebook in English as part of their Bachelor’s Thesis. This nature guidebook is made for international students of VAMK, University of Applied Sciences. The guidebook is also available for other institutes to use with the client organization´s permission.
Suvi Syrjäkorpi and Maarit Tuttavainen-Tarsa. Photo: Eliina Salmela
The purpose of this nature guidebook is to be a practical, compact and inspiring tool in getting to know Finnish nature as it is an essential part of the Finnish culture. This nature guidebook can enhance contacts between people from different cultures on a journey to learn more about this remarkable and significant aspect of the Finnish culture.
- Our research showed that international students of VAMK find Finnish nature an interesting issue. Nature is an essential part of the Finnish culture, comments Maarit Tuttavainen-Tarsa.
This guidebook has essential information about the Green Care –method which deals with the well-being effects of nature. The guidebook also provides basic information about Finnish nature and climate. Several nature attractions and activities around Vaasa region are presented.
- We have taken pictures of various nature spots around Vaasa region. These photos are used to make this guidebook visually interesting and vivid, remarks Suvi Syrjäkorpi.
The nature guidebook was realized as a blog, which enables the readers to have a chance to add their own comments. The aim with the nature guidebook was to inspire the readers to get interested in Finnish nature and the well-being effects of nature as well as to inspire the readers to move around in natural environments. In addition, the nature guidebook could be used as a practical handbook e.g. for the peer tutors in orientation of the new international students.
This guidebook is meant to be a practical handbook to help explore the nature spots around Vaasa region by yourself or in a group.
- Hopefully, each new international student of VAMK has an opportunity to get to know this nature guidebook at the beginning of their stay in Finland. It can open their eyes to see closer to the Finnish landscape and mentality, comments Hilkka Vuorensivu, student counsellor at VAMK who, as the chairperson of the Wellbeing Team, was the client of this Bachelor’s Thesis.
The nature guidebook can be found here: https://luontoopas.wordpress.com/
More information about the Bachelor’s Thesis:
Maarit Tuttavainen-Tarsa, tel. +358 50 5010373
Suvi Syrjäkorpi, tel. +358 45 6710750
More information from the client organization:
Hilkka Vuorensivu, tel. 040 5163510