Young people’s lives are affected by many different things. For some young people adolescence can be a turbulent time and the future may look challenging. Parents often need support with upbringing of young people in today’s society. Parents may want to share experiences with other parents and school personnel. Additional support to parents may be provided by other professionals, such as youth workers.

This thesis was commissioned by the youth services of the City of Hämeenlinna. The aim of this thesis was to study how the STEPS program meets today’s needs and the needs of young people and their families. In addition, the goal was to describe the content of he STEPS program and how it is visible in the schools in city of Hämeenlinna.

The starting points of this study were different aspects of educational sciences, social interaction in group situations, as well as community and its impact on young people’s lives. This thesis was a qualitative study. The target group were secondary school aged young people. The core of this study was to collect experiences from both young people and their parents. The research data were collected with questionnaires.

On the basis of the results, the respondents’ experiences from the STEPS program were positive. The STEPS program was seen as a necessary and important model for young people. The STEPS program provides tools for young people for communal and social attachment in their lives, and support for parents in dealing with the challenges of upbringing. Based on the study, there is a need for future research, for example on the impact of the STEPS program. The further study could target those young people and families who have participated in the whole STEPS program, from 5th to 9th grade.