Housing Services’ Kirsi now Housing Specialist – Saila transferring from Student Services to customer service

AYY wants to put some effort on communal living. Living comfortability and residential democracy have been highlighted strongly in the Operational Plan and the Real Estate Strategy. These themes now also gain their own employee when Kirsi Veijola, who previously acted as Housing Secretary, transfers to the position of Housing Specialist and tackles exactly these topics.

Kirsi is enjoying her new position from the start. “It is lovely that working hours have been resourced for these important themes. I will have the opportunity to really tackle and dedicate time to matters regarding the comfortability of living, for example.”

The new job also has tangible effects on Kirsi’s working day. “I will no longer be seen at the Housing Services customer service desk. I will miss customer service but, at the same time, it is nice that my work is no longer so tied to the Service Office opening hours. My physical work station has also relocated.”

First on Kirsi’s to-do list is supporting the Castle Wardens and developing their operations. From now on, she wants to be the Castle Wardens’ point of contact and chief support who will assist in taking care of this volunteer duty that is significant to the community. She plans to attend house meetings as and when possible and requested. “We also have a ton of other material from feedback and ideas gathered along the years so, thankfully, I do not have to start with an empty desk. In addition, we will be taking advantage of the ITP course results. New tools can surely also be found in the community pedagogy studies that I will take up alongside work from January onwards.”

As the biggest needs for change in AYY’s Housing Services in the future, Kirsi names e.g. changes to living choices in the regulations as well as promoting communal living. “Right now, residential communities are established by chance or by friends looking for an apartment together. At the moment, however, it is not possible to apply for a big shared apartment with single rooms, for example, as a group,” describes Kirsi. “The biggest challenge in communal living is probably sharing the common areas with strangers with different cleanliness standards. It would be important to have a clear process for telling AYY about problems in the common areas. At the same time, the residents must be able to count on the notification having been received and, when necessary, something also being done about it.”

When asked for wishes and tips for residents, Kirsi answers immediately: “Join the activities. Take part in the house meetings. House meetings are the right place for making a change. Through them, you can easily achieve tangible improvements to your living!”

Kirsi’s place at the Housing Services’ customer service desk is taken by Saila Rappumäki, familiar from Member Services.

“I’ve been interested in housing matters for a while now. Before my work in Student Services, I held the position of Emergency Housing Coordinator, and Housing Services have also been included in my current contract. Now that I got the chance, I decided to move to Housing Services entirely.”

Saila’s induction to the new position has started well. She had already done some Housing Services tasks in the past. For example, she has approved applications for apartments, made apartment offers, signed rental agreements and answered the occasional email. Now, she has had the chance to get to know the Housing Regulations and the law on residential apartments’ rent in more detail.

Saila thinks it might be difficult to let go of her old work at first, what with overhearing Student Service matters discussed all day. She is, however, excited about her new duties. “In a way, the work in Housing Services is more challenging and multidimensional than in Student Services. More things need to be adapted here, and that is the aspect that interests and motivates me.”

Kirsi has started her transfer into the Housing Specialist position in late autumn. Saila will be fully transferred to Housing Services from the beginning of 2019.