“Communication always fails, except by chance”, said professor of communication Osmo A. Wiio in the 1970s. This adage finds a timeless echo 50 years later in the mind of a communications trainee at the National Union of University Students in Finland when he discovers he has accidentally replaced the photo of the Union President with his own or posted the same Instagram reel three times.
My three-month traineeship is ending today, and I could not be more grateful for the time I got to spend at the spearhead of student advocacy. The weeks have been filled with launching election compasses, maintaining the website, preparing the General Assembly and delivering the social media content that the people crave. From the very the start of my traineeship, people have trusted my skills and given me the space to bring my ideas to life, which has resulted in me developing my skills very quickly and turned this novice communicator into at least a strong intermediate one. For this experience, I want to extend a special thank you to communications sensei Antti, who has guided, taught and encouraged me with a sunny disposition and an expert approach throughout the autumn.
In addition to professional growth, the traineeship has allowed me to forge friendships with the amazing people at SYL. I look fondly back on passionate debates about where to have lunch that day, clever banter about political upsets and, above all, the sea of happy smiles on the marathon-length corridors of Lapinrinne. I also want to extend my thanks to the other big boss of communications, Tilda, who never failed to make me laugh while solving communication problems.
This year, working on communications for a student organisation felt particularly important: after the government cut millions of euros from students and universities, the need for advocacy communications was undeniable and acute. It has been admirable to see and support the determined and unyielding advocacy of SYL staff and Board in all sectors, and I wish that same vigour and success for the next year’s newly elected board.
“If a message can be interpreted in many ways, it will be interpreted in the way that is most damaging”, is another one of Wiio’s adages. To leave no room for interpretation on what I thought of my autumn at SYL, I’d like to extend one more thanks to all the people at SYL who welcomed me with open arms and hearts and made the traineeship lit, as the youth might say.
