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1. Existence of a national strategy on social inclusion

2. Scope and contents

3. Responsible authority

4. Revisions/updates

Existence of a national strategy on social inclusion

There is no separate national strategy for the social inclusion of young people. Instead, Finland’s national strategy for the social inclusion of young people is based on the Strengthening young people's wellbeing through multidisciplinary measures: National youth work and youth policy programme 2024–2027 (Vahvistetaan nuorten hyvinvointia monialaisin toimenpitein: Valtakunnallinen nuorisotyön ja -politiikan ohjelma (VANUPO), in Finnish), published in 2024. The Programme is the central public document of youth policy in Finland. It acknowledges that young people themselves have highlighted the need to strengthen inclusion (see p. 42). This Programme also supports the objectives of A strong and committed Finland: Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's Government (Vahva ja välittävä Suomi: Pääministeri Petteri Orpon hallituksen ohjelma, in Finnish), published on 20 June 2023, which sets out the Government’s main policy priorities. 

Both programmes are aligned with the Youth Act (1285/2016) (Nuorisolaki, in Finnish), in which the promotion of social inclusion is recognised as a central theme. According to the Act, its purpose is to ‘promote the social inclusion of young people and provide them with opportunities to exert an influence and improve their skills and capabilities to function in society’. Overall, young people are to be taken into consideration at two levels: in youth policy specifically, and at the general policy level. For further information, see The Government Report on EU Policy, published on 28 January 2021. 
 

Scope and contents

In the Government Programme (2024–2027), young people’s social exclusion is identified as a key concern in Finnish society. The issue is addressed through the following measures (see pp. 80, 104–106, 214): 

•  Creating an action plan to prevent social exclusion among young people. 
•   Referring young people to employment services quickly. 
•  Addressing disparities in wellbeing and mental health problems. 
•  Implementing preventative work in both national languages (Finnish, Swedish) and in the Sámi languages. Outreach youth work and youth workshops are also mentioned as preventative measures. 
•   Promoting youth work in schools and educational institutions. 
• Ensuring young people’s access to leisure activities. 
• Reinforcing the role of youth councils in municipalities and wellbeing services counties.
• Promoting democracy and human rights education. 
   

In the National Youth Work and Youth Policy Programme (2024–2027), measures related to social inclusion can be found throughout the programme. These include, for example:

• Strengthening the resilience of young people in facing social crises and challenging situations with the support of youth work, educational institutions, municipalities, third-sector actors, parishes, and other religious communities. 
•  Strengthening equality, gender equality, and non-discrimination in accordance with the 2023 Government statement to Parliament on promoting equality, gender equality and non-discrimination in Finnish society (Valtioneuvoston tiedonanto yhdenvertaisuuden, tasa-arvon ja syrjimättömyyden edistämisestä suomalaisessa yhteiskunnassa, in Finnish) through sports, culture, and youth sector measures, including education, government grant activities, and equality plans.  
• Implementing the OECD Youth Recommendation on Creating Better Opportunities for Young People and applying OECD good practices for strengthening young people’s inclusion. 
•  The Programme’s core target group is 12–25-year-olds.
   

Both programmes identify the following target groups among young people:  

• Young people in need of short-term psychotherapy and other effective psychosocial treatments. 
• Children and young people with neuropsychological disorders, who are targeted through a fixed-term programme focusing on rehabilitation and rehabilitation services provided under Kela’s discretionary rehabilitation. 
•   Children and young people under the age of 18 who are eligible for the coeliac allowance. 
•  Individuals at risk of falling behind in their studies. 
•  Individuals without access to leisure activities. 
• Homeless young people. 
•   Preventing the social exclusion of young men and addressing inequality issues affecting boys and men, especially to prevent the social exclusion of young men (See YouthWiki/Finland 4.6 Access to quality services, for more information about the Boys and men matter report (2026)).  
• Individuals experiencing substance misuse problems or engaging in violent behaviour. 
   

Responsible authority

According to the Youth Act (1285/2016) (Nuorisolaki, in Finnish), the Ministry of Education and Culture is the primary authority responsible for implementing the National Youth Work and Youth Policy Programme. It carries out this task in collaboration with several other ministries, including the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and the Ministry of the Environment. For more information, see Youth Wiki/Finland 1.3 National Youth Strategy. These ministries also have a central role in implementing the objectives set out in the Government Programme (2024¬–2027). 

It should be noted that the Government Programme (2024–2027) states that indicators will be developed to monitor the achievement of its strategic objectives. Where necessary, the Government may adopt corrective measures on the basis of monitoring results. To date, however, no comprehensive monitoring or evaluation focusing specifically on measures promoting the social inclusion of young people has been conducted.

Revisions/updates

The Government adopts a new youth policy programme every four years. The current National Youth Work and Youth Policy Programme is implemented during the years 2024-2027. For more information, visit: Youth Wiki/Finland 1.3 National Youth Strategy.