Background In Finland many youngsters hang out with their friends in shopping centres. To some of them a shopping centre can be the most important space of their social life.

Nuorten Palvelu ry is a national non-governmental organisation in Finland. Since 2010 the organisation has worked in cooperation with different companies and commercial property owners. The aim is to enhance youngsters’ wellbeing in commercial spaces and also develop the communication and understanding between youngsters and the adults who work in these spaces.

Methods Include e.g. educating shopping centre security guards interact better with youngsters.

Description of the problem Security guards encounter a lot of youngsters in shopping centres. There is a need for a new kind of profession that has more knowledge, tools and worktime to interact and work with the youngsters who spend a lot of time in shopping centres. Youngsters are a specific target group in how much a single adult can affect their lives in both positive and negative ways. There is a little or no education in this matter in the official education of security guards in Finland.

Results A security guard with more understanding, tools and worktime will work as one of the security guards in a shopping centre in Southern Finland for 4 months in the beginning of year 2016. Nuorten Palvelu ry will educate and supervise him prior and during this experiment. This is done in close cooperation with the employer of the security guard (Securitas Oy) and the shopping centre manager (Citycon Oyj). By the Safety2016 conference we will have the results of the experiment. The security guard will continue his work after the 4 month period if the practice proves needed.

Conclusions This is a new kind of practice of private security profession that has proven needed by youngsters, security guards and shopping centre managers. The aim is to create a form of work that can be spread out to other shopping centres after this experiment.