What busses and promoting curiosity have to do with each others?

My professional passion has divided into two; on Educational field to Pedagogical development, work community development. I am a passionate defender of curiosity, joy of learning and open, real life learning environments. The other part of my professional heart beats for busses and on-wheel services. Yes, I am cannot resist busses, trailers nor bigger vans that are built to serve community in a flexible and new way.

Passion for pedagogy and busses

I got idea of Internet bus in late 90´s and at 2001 Internet bus Netti-Nysse started to serve the citizens of Tampere in Finland. The basic purpose of Internet Bus Netti-Nysse was to encourage and help local people to start using the computer and the Internet for the joy and benefit of everyday life. The bus also served media education of pre-schoolers, and was accessible during diverse cultural and educative activities, festivals and neighbourhood celebrations. Multi-sectoral co-operation lived by Netti-Nysse for 13 years. That time, with excellent team, many adventures and fine customers will always have special place in my heart.

Netti-Nysse Internet Bus

Finland is in the middle of a big reformation of health and social services, which has raised the debate about services on wheels. In a vast country with few people, services in remote areas and in small villages are under discussion. The strongest option is to prefer new kinds of co-operation and deliver flexible services on-wheels. Our coalition of on-wheels service experts actively develops both the service models and technical solutions for these needs.

I updated my knowledge on mobile or on-wheel services recently with foreign customers. One cannot imagine what has been put on-wheels: health, administrative services, training and cultural activities, but also showers for homeless people, sauna and gym. It is more a question of imagination and need. Libraries around the world have always offered their services on-wheels to be able to reach all people and come near. Librarians really do care their customers.

A beautiful mobile library from Slovenia

Nowadays also in mobile services cross sectoral co-operation and flexibility are the key words. New technology gives new possibilities. It is not only the handsome vehicles, but the new kind of human-sized service. Those who like to work in mobile unit, have difficulties to adapt back to stable offices.

This is a story to tell, that one can fall in love with so many things. In the end one notices that it all is really about community building, social capital, real life learning environments and curiosity. The core values follow you and have different manifestations.

-Elina