The name Y4 comes from the Finnish slogan Yrittäjyys Ylös Yhteiskunnassa Yhteistyöllä, which translates broadly as Boosting Entrepreneurship in Society through Cooperation. The goal of the Y4 process is to make Central Finland the worlds most entrepreneur-proactive region; one which appreciates, motivates and encourages the development of an entrepreneurial way of working, as well as of entrepreneurship and innovativeness.
A Y4 agreement has been signed by no less than 36 public sector organizations in Central Finland. They have made the commitment that when formulating decisions the impacts on entrepreneurship will always be taken into account.
The father of the Y4 process, honorary counsellor Jorma Nokkala, believes the enterprise award means a great deal for Central Finlands image. The entrepreneur-positive atmosphere is set to boost the regions appeal in the eyes of new entrepreneurs and companies.
According to Y4 entrepreneurial delegate Petri Palviainen Y4 is a social innovation: It has shaped prevailing attitudes and given birth to new ways of operating. At the regional level thought is given right at the drafting stage to how a particular issue will affect entrepreneurship. In addition public actors have learned entrepreneurial ways of working. Organisations have become networked and brought services aimed at entrepreneurs closer to the entrepreneurs themselves.
In Palviainens view municipal decision-makers and officials now have a strong understanding that businesses constitute the backbone of an areas well-being.
What is more, all of Central Finlands vocational institutes have made a commitment to support entrepreneurship. Students pursue studies with a clear connection to entrepreneurship and in addition they have the opportunity to act as entrepreneurs in the course of their education.
spaces for entrepreneurship in which students set up and run real businesses.
According to Jyväskylä Vocational Institutes Head of Development, Satu Väisänen, 350 students are currently involved in 40 such businesses. Support for the students is provided by real-life entrepreneurs who act as advisors. 40 teachers see to it that the risks associated with running a business do not become too big.
Were on hand at the different stages of entrepreneurship. We offer adults the opportunity to obtain a vocational or special vocational qualification in the subject. This provides the dynamic competence to set out as an entrepreneur or to handle a generation-change situation, for instance.
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Photo (above): In Central Finland studies in entrepreneurship have become an established part of vocational education. Every student has the opportunity to choose entrepreneurship studies and learn in practice what it takes to run a business. 
By Pia Tervoja Photo by Simo Peteri