PARTICIPANTS’ FINLAND
National programme and action plan to strengthen inclusion and reduce loneliness
The programme aims to reduce loneliness and social exclusion in Finland while strengthening inclusion, community belonging, and a sense of meaning. Its goal is to build a society where everyone has both the opportunity and the desire to participate. It is a long-term, research-based, cross-sectoral collaboration addressing core human needs. Participants’ Finland is coordinated by an expert group convened by the Parliament’s Working Group for Reducing Loneliness and Ostracism.
Working together to reduce loneliness and ostracism
This video presents the unique collaborative work of Participants’ Finland in addressing loneliness and ostracism in Finland. Members of the Participants’ Finland expert group share their organisations’ roles and perspectives and describe how joint efforts contribute to building inclusion and belonging.
17 MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN BELONGING AND TACKLE LONELINESS:
1. Professionals identify and address loneliness more systematically in basic-level services.
2. Cooperation between home and school is strengthened in a way that supports a sense of belonging and prevents loneliness.
3. Volunteering is strengthened as a form of civic participation across different life stages.
4. In the Finnish Model for Leisure Activities, children and young people who experience loneliness or are at risk of social exclusion are identified more effectively.
5. The mental health skills of individuals and communities are strengthened as part of everyday life, education, and services.
6. Perinatal mental health in families is strengthened, and the intergenerational transmission of loneliness from parent to child is prevented.
7. The activities of sports clubs increasingly support a sense of belonging and long-term engagement in sports communities.
8. Communication on a community-oriented operating culture is strengthened in a systematic way and reaches a wide range of stakeholders.
9. The potential adverse effects of digitalisation that may increase loneliness are identified and addressed.
10. Decision-makers have sufficient access to up-to-date and understandable information to reduce loneliness and social exclusion.
11. The cost impacts of loneliness are taken better into account as part of ex ante impact assessments of decisions.
12. Citizens’ activity and awareness of the importance of considering others are strengthened.
13. Skills related to a sense of meaning are strengthened as part of well-being, education, and a sense of belonging.
14. Municipal incentives to strengthen communities and participation are reinforced.
15. People of different ages more easily find their way to community-based activities and low-threshold support provided by organisations.
16. The preventive work of organisations in alleviating loneliness is strengthened, and the knowledge generated within organisations is utilised more systematically.
17. Decision-makers’ commitment to implementing the Participants’ Finland programme is strengthened across government terms.
Interested? Contact us!
You can reach us at: yhteys@osallistujiensuomi.fi
Emil Salovuori
Senior Advisor, non-fiction author, researcher
Founder and coordinator of the Participants’ Finland programme
Niina Junttila
Professor
Founder and coordinator of the Participants’ Finland programme
Petra Heikkinen
Research Coordinator
Interaction Coordinator for the Participants’ Finland expert group
