Digital co-creation : Mission (im)possible?

This chapter discusses the promises and pitfalls of digital co-creation. Drawing on the emerging literature on co-creation of public services the chapter seeks to identify the enabling factors helping bridge the gap between service providers and service users. Of particular interest is how digital means can be used for engaging vulnerable people. The chapter focuses on three technologies: open data, social media, and artificial intelligence. Pros and cons for each of them are discussed. The empirical part of the chapter consists of showcasing some digital initiatives conducted in the research project. The chapter ends with a suggestion that digitally enabled co-creation should be understood as a process consisting of three consecutive phases: sensing, sensemaking, and seizing. Sensing is referred to collecting and organizing data from social media and other sources. It helps a public service organization understand what is happening in the environment. Sensemaking aims to add value to the data extracted in the sensing phase. It links causes to consequences by providing answers to questions of how and why something is happening. Seizing focuses on the change and creating new actionable solutions and opportunities. The outcome of seizing is learning from the data in a way that enables organizations to influence events as they happen.©2022 the contributors. This is a Version of Record of a book chapter published by Routledge in Public Innovation and Digital Transformation on 9 August 2022, available online: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003230854. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

“One’s Social Skills Go to the Dogs” : The potential of social media to elicit information on socially withdrawn youths in Finland

Youths who are socially isolated are largely inaccessible to social work professionals; nevertheless, most are active on social media. Feeling they have been let down by society, many such youths seek comfort in imageboards, where the idea of being anti-social is cherished and where even extremism and hate speech is tolerated. This study relies on a thematic analysis of 323 imageboard messages to identify the challenges socially withdrawn youths perceive as excluding them from society. We use the capability approach as our viewpoint, emphasizing the youths’ actual capabilities to join in, as opposed to the opportunities seemingly provided by society. Our results resonate with the earlier research: Many members of the group labeled ‘withdrawn youth’ suffer from neuropsychological and mental health problems, fear social situations, experience a sense of shame and failure, and harbor bitterness toward society. They consider issues including unsuitable services, the onerous demands imposed by working life, and the hard values prevalent in society to restrict their opportunities to participate in that society and undermine their self-respect. Fear and negative experiences prevent socially withdrawn people from approaching social workers. Accordingly, we recommend social services keep an open mind on using digital options to reach people beyond the conventional service system.© 2023 Authors, Vol. 23 No. 1 (Spring 2023), 109-131, DOI: 10.18060/26067. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Reaching hard-to-reach people through digital means - Citizens as initiators of co-creation in public services

Purpose This paper considers the potential of social media for developing public services. The paper approaches social media as a context that can provide information that might otherwise be unattainable. The focus of analysis is on a special hard-to-reach group of marginalized youths who appear to have isolated themselves from society. Design/methodology/approach The authors answer the question: How can the experiences of socially withdrawn youth as shared on social media be used to enrich the knowledge base relating to the initiation phase of co-creation of public services? The data retrieved from the Finnish discussion forum are analyzed using the combination of unsupervised machine learning and discourse analysis. Findings The paper contributes by outlining a method that can be applied to identify expertise-by-experience from digital stories shared by marginalized youths. To overcome the challenges of making socially withdrawn youths real contributors to the co-creation of public services, this paper suggests several theoretical and managerial implications. Originality/value Co-creation assumes an interactive and dynamic relationship where value is created at the nexus of interaction. However, the evidence base for successful co-creation, particularly with digital technology, is limited. This paper fills the gap by providing findings from a case study that investigated how social media discussions can be a stimulus to enrich the knowledge base of the co-creation of public services.Peer reviewe

Reaching hard-to-reach people through digital means – Citizens as initiators of co-creation in public services

Purpose – This paper considers the potential of social media for developing public services. The paperapproaches social media as a context that can provide information that might otherwise be unattainable. Thefocus of analysis is on a special hard-to-reach group of marginalized youths who appear to have isolatedthemselves from society.Design/methodology/approach – The authors answer the question: How can the experiences of sociallywithdrawn youth as shared on social media be used to enrich the knowledge base relating to the initiation phase of co-creation of public services? The data retrieved from the Finnish discussion forum are analyzed using the combination of unsupervised machine learning and discourse analysis.Findings – The paper contributes by outlining a method that can be applied to identify expertise-byexperiencefrom digital stories shared by marginalized youths. To overcome the challenges of making sociallywithdrawn youths real contributors to the co-creation of public services, this paper suggests several theoretical and managerial implications.Originality/value – Co-creation assumes an interactive and dynamic relationship where value is created atthe nexus of interaction. However, the evidence base for successful co-creation, particularly with digital technology, is limited. This paper fills the gap by providing findings from a case study that investigated how social media discussions can be a stimulus to enrich the knowledge base of the co-creation of public services.</p

Increased Incidence and Clinical Picture of Childhood Narcolepsy following the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic Vaccination Campaign in Finland

Peer reviewe

Secretor Genotype (FUT2 gene) Is Strongly Associated with the Composition of Bifidobacteria in the Human Intestine

Intestinal microbiota plays an important role in human health, and its composition is determined by several factors, such as diet and host genotype. However, thus far it has remained unknown which host genes are determinants for the microbiota composition. We studied the diversity and abundance of dominant bacteria and bifidobacteria from the faecal samples of 71 healthy individuals. In this cohort, 14 were non-secretor individuals and the remainders were secretors. The secretor status is defined by the expression of the ABH and Lewis histo-blood group antigens in the intestinal mucus and other secretions. It is determined by fucosyltransferase 2 enzyme, encoded by the FUT2 gene. Non-functional enzyme resulting from a nonsense mutation in the FUT2 gene leads to the non-secretor phenotype. PCR-DGGE and qPCR methods were applied for the intestinal microbiota analysis. Principal component analysis of bifidobacterial DGGE profiles showed that the samples of non-secretor individuals formed a separate cluster within the secretor samples. Moreover, bifidobacterial diversity (p<0.0001), richness (p<0.0003), and abundance (p<0.05) were significantly reduced in the samples from the non-secretor individuals as compared with those from the secretor individuals. The non-secretor individuals lacked, or were rarely colonized by, several genotypes related to B. bifidum, B. adolescentis and B. catenulatum/pseudocatenulatum. In contrast to bifidobacteria, several bacterial genotypes were more common and the richness (p<0.04) of dominant bacteria as detected by PCR-DGGE was higher in the non-secretor individuals than in the secretor individuals. We showed that the diversity and composition of the human bifidobacterial population is strongly associated with the histo-blood group ABH secretor/non-secretor status, which consequently appears to be one of the host genetic determinants for the composition of the intestinal microbiota. This association can be explained by the difference between the secretor and non-secretor individuals in their expression of ABH and Lewis glycan epitopes in the mucosa

Silkin-pajan toiminta 13–18-vuotiaan nuoren apuna syrjäytymisen ehkäisyssä

The working title of my final project was “The work of Silkin-paja in helping to prevent the social exclusion of young people aged 13-18”. I searched for an answer to the question “how does Silkin-paja help to prevent the social exclusion of young people aged 13-18 ”. The theoretical framework of my final project was based on the theories of social exclusion, social pedagogy and Erik H. Erikson’s life span theory. The material for the final project was collected with a structured questionnaire. I posted the questionnaire form and response letter to the willing respondents who had been selected for the sample. Eight people answered the questionnaire. I sorted the responses into an observation matrix and then analysed them qualitatively. According to the results, there was sufficient support as well as influence from parents in the studies of some of the young people, although the responses also showed some differing opinions. The opportunity for the parents to follow the tuition was realized. The results showed that the parents had said the young people’s studies were more successful in Silkin-paja than in a comprehensive school group and community. The realization of personal instruction and the number of students were considered appropriate for young people. Silkin-paja’s work was seen as supporting the learning of young people and increasing their skills. The results also showed that Silkin-paja helped students to continue their studies in secondary education after the school-leaving certificate was granted. Silkin-paja’s work was viewed as preventing social exclusion. In conclusion, it can be stated that the physical location of Silkin-paja’s reduced size special teaching group and operating model develop skills in various areas of a young person’s life and prevent social exclusion. With the help of multi-professional cooperation, the participation of the parents and a personal tuition plan, Silkin-paja provides a good opportunity for the young person to complete basic education and to apply for further studies. The information gained by the multi-professional work community through interaction and dialogue about the young person’s studies is important when planning the young person’s daily life and future. My proposal for further research based on the final project is about encouraging the parent’s participation in supporting the young person’s school education.Opinnäytetyöni työnimenä on Silkin-pajan toiminta 13–18-vuotiaan nuoren apuna syrjäytymisen ehkäisyssä. Vastausta hain kysymykseen ”kuinka Silkin-paja auttaa 13–18-vuotiasta nuorta syrjäytymisen ehkäisemiseksi”. Opinnäytetyöni teoreettinen viitekehys oli syrjäytymisen, sosiaalipedagogiikan ja Erik H. Eriksonin elämänkaariteorian teorioissa. Aineiston keräsin strukturoidulla kyselylomakkeella. Postitin lomakkeen ja vastauskirjeen otokseen valituille halukkaille vastaajille. Kyselyyn vastasi kahdeksan henkilöä. Saadut vastaukset lajittelin havaintomatriisiin ja jatkossa analysoin ne kvalitatiivisesti. Tulosten mukaan vanhempien riittävä tuki ja vaikuttaminen nuoren opiskeluun Silkin-pajassa toteutuvat joidenkin nuorien kanssa, kuitenkin eriäviä mielipiteitä vastauksista ilmeni. Vanhempien mahdollisuus osallistua opetuksen seuraamiseen toteutuu. Tuloksista ilmeni vanhempien kertoneen, että nuorten opinnot onnistuvat paremmin Silkin-pajassa kuin peruskouluryhmässä ja -yhteisössä. Henkilökohtaisen opetuksen toteutumista ja oppilasmäärää pidettiin soveltuvana nuorille. Silkin-pajan toimintaa pidettiin nuoren oppimista tukevana ja taitoja kartuttavana. Tuloksista ilmeni myös, että Silkin-paja edesauttaa päättötodistuksen saamisen jälkeen opintojen jatkumista toisen asteen opinnoissa. Silkin-pajan toimintaa pidettiin syrjäytymistä ehkäisevänä. Johtopäätöksenä voidaan todeta, että Silkin-pajan pienennetyn erityisopetusryhmän fyysinen sijainti ja toimintamalli on nuoren elämän eri osa-alueiden taitoja kehittävää ja syrjäytymistä ehkäisevää. Eri ammattikuntia sisältävän moniammatillisen yhteistyön, vanhempien osallisuuden ja henkilökohtaisesta opetuksen järjestämisestä koskevan suunnitelman avulla luodaan nuorelle hyvät mahdollisuudet suorittaa perusopinnot loppuun sekä hakeutua jatko-opintoihin. Vuorovaikutuksen ja dialogisuuden kautta saatava informaatio moniammatilliselle työyhteisölle nuoren opinnoista on tärkeää suunniteltaessa nuoren arkea ja tulevaisuutta. Jatkotutkimusehdotuksekseni opinnäytetyöstäni nousi vanhempien osallisuuteen kannustaminen nuoren koulunkäynnin tukemisessa