“This is where I want to put down roots and build my life”

At the time of the interview, Helmi is about four months away from turning eighteen. Her 18th birthday is something she looks forward to—not for the usual reasons, but because it will bring her more responsibility in working life.

“I love working, doing all kinds of different things. As an adult, opportunities and responsibilities increase in various roles. That’s what I’m looking forward to,” she says.

A few months earlier, Helmi transitioned to an apprenticeship program in her practical nurse studies. This means she is gaining professional experience while working as an instructor for children and young people with disabilities at Kappelimäki School and studying independently. She attends classes at Uusikaupunki’s vocational school, Novida, once a week.

“I’ve never really been the type to enjoy sitting in a classroom, so this suits me perfectly. I learn best by doing, and the apprenticeship feels like the right solution for me.”

At just 17, Helmi is already working in her dream field. She has always enjoyed being around people and, even as a child, dreamed of a career working with children and young people with disabilities. In addition to her apprenticeship job, she also works shifts in Pruukis Home Care. However, this summer, she will be working at Santtioranta Camping.

“Even though my heart is in healthcare, it feels great to do something completely different for a while and gain new perspectives and experience from another field,” she reflects.

As Helmi approaches adulthood, many of her peers are eager to explore the world beyond their hometown. But unlike many of them, she has no dreams of bustling metropolises—she wants to stay and work in Uusikaupunki.

“My last years of comprehensive school were tough, and back then, I had a stronger urge to leave. But I don’t feel that way anymore. I want to stay here,” she says. “I’m still a bit undecided about whether to start working right after graduation or join the army. The military has been one of my biggest dreams, so I might go for that first. Maybe I’ll do my service first and then come back here to work.”

In the long run, Helmi dreams of becoming a special education teacher. With today’s flexible study options, including online learning, she is exploring ways to continue her studies without having to move away from Uusikaupunki.

“I’m currently looking into how much of my studies I can complete while still living in Uusikaupunki,” she says.

What Helmi loves most about her hometown is its sense of community. Growing up in Uusikaupunki, she has built a strong network of close family and friends, which provides her with security in everyday life. At the grocery store, she encounters a good balance of familiar and unfamiliar faces, and the city “radiates old-world beauty.”

“During my tough years in middle school, I found a safe haven in the Uusikaupunki theater and the church. They offered me a supportive community when I felt really lost. I’m still actively involved in both,” Helmi shares.

Helmi comes from a large and close-knit family. She now lives with her older sister, a dog, and two pet rats in a house on the same property as her childhood home. Her parents and three younger siblings live just a few steps away in another house.

“Family is the most valuable thing in my life. Even though there are seven of us, and we all have our own schedules and commitments, we always make sure to spend time together,” she says. “Now that I live in a separate house from my younger siblings, it’s been lovely to see that sometimes they just walk in and flop onto my bed. Even if we’re all doing our own thing, we still naturally gravitate toward each other.”

Family, relatives, close friends, and the communities she cherishes at the theater and church have firmly anchored Helmi’s roots in Uusikaupunki’s soil. Even though her studies may take her elsewhere at some point, she already has a plan to return.

“I think every young person goes through a phase where they want to see the world. I believe I will also spend some time living elsewhere—maybe even abroad. But Uusikaupunki is the place I want to return to when I start a family. This is the city where I want to put down roots and build my life.”