New Finnish project focuses on reducing social isolation among youths

The Eva Ahlström Foundation has decided to enter into a three-year collaboration with HelsinkiMissio. The foundation will work together with the Berner family, foundations August Ludvig Hartwalls Stiftelse and the Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation, and the Veikko Laine Oy company in supporting this project.

HelsinkiMissio is a social welfare organization that encourages Finns to support “invisible” members of the community and alleviate their loneliness. Loneliness is an even more profound problem than financial poverty, since it affects every age group and social class. Loneliness causes intractable problems in the community, such as unhappy children, depression, an inability to work, and suicide among the elderly. HelsinkiMissio’s work in support of young people aims to reduce social isolation by offering low-threshold help that increases their well-being and encourages personal drive and initiative.

This project is exciting and unique, since it brings together a number of different organizations and families who desire to provide preemptive support that fosters young people’s well-being. We view our involvement as an investment that will allow HelsinkiMissio to develop preventive services that help young people living in Helsinki. Ideally, it is hoped that the project will generate a model and results that can later be applied in other areas of Finland, also.