My Mental Health #ImportantPartOfMe is a campaign initiated by Akava to gather young people’s experiences of mental health and well-being

As part of our My Mental Health #ImportantPartOfMe campaign, we are inviting higher education students and young adults to share their thoughts on the challenges they experience concerning their mental health and well-being. The aim of the campaign is to provide decision-makers with information about the current situation facing Finland’s young people. We will also be presenting our proposals for solutions to today’s problems.

Higher education students are studying for and graduating into a very different world: working life is subject to continual change and young people are encountering a multitude of pressures. Many of them are struggling to deal with the reconciliation of studies and work, an uncertain financial situation, mental health issues and coping as well as employment challenges. From their perspective, the future seems uncertain in many ways.

The concern for the well-being of young people is considerable, especially since we know that mental health issues are becoming increasingly common among this age group.

‘We want our campaign to give young people the opportunity to freely express their feelings about their daily lives and the issues they face as well as what makes them feel good and improves their mental and physical well-being’, explains Pauliina Ryökäs, President of Akava Students.

During March and April, we invite young people to visit our website at www.tarkeaosaminua.fi to tell us what issues they feel are challenging for their well-being. All experiences are shared anonymously online.

‘We are gathering the experiences and stories of young people in order to better understand how we might support and help them. We will compile all the experiences shared through our campaign site and, together with our experts and co-operative partners, formulate solution proposals to the challenges young people are facing’, says Maria Löfgren, President of Akava.

We will relay information about the situation of young people and our solution proposals to the President of the Republic of Finland, Members of Parliament and ministers in autumn 2024.

The campaign is being run by Akava together with Akava Students and Akava affiliates as well as with support from the Finnish National Youth Council Allianssi, the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL), the National Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (SAMOK), MIELI Mental Health Finland and Nyyti.

The article published on the Akava website on March 20th, 2024.