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1. Governance

2. Cross-sectoral cooperation

Governance

Main actors

Social inclusion is promoted by several ministries and actors. Relevant ministries include the  Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of 
Economic Affairs and Employment, the Ministry of the Environment, and the Ministry of Justice. In addition, the Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations Etno, which operates under the Ministry of Justice, and the Advisory Board for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities VANE are central actors in this field. 

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for promoting welfare, social and health services, income security, insurance, working life, and gender equality. The Ministry also cooperates with advisory boards, such as the Advisory Board for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities VANE.  

The Ministry of Education and Culture is responsible for developing educational, science, cultural, sports, and youth policies in Finland. Its role in promoting the social inclusion of young people is significant. The National Agency for Education also contributes to the social inclusion of young people, for example, through the Erasmus+ programme and partnerships. Further information is available on the Agency’s sub-page Inclusion and diversity. 

Employment forms an important dimension of social inclusion, and unemployment may, in the most severe cases, lead to poverty and social exclusion. The role of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is therefore central in this policy field. For more information, visit Youth Wiki/Finland 3 Employment and Entrepreneurship. Housing policy and the measures to eradicate homelessness belong to the responsibilities of the Ministry of the Environment. 

Regarding employment, Low-threshold One-Stop Guidance Centres (in Finnish: Ohjaamo) provide personal and individually tailored support for young people under the age of 30. The legal basis for this multidisciplinary support service promoting youth employment derives from Sections 16 and 17 of the Act on Multisectoral Promotion of Employment (381/2023) (Laki työllistymisen monialaisesta edistämisestä, in Finnish, also available in Swedish). 

Within the Ministry of Justice, the Unit for Democracy, Language Affairs and Fundamental Rights promotes and monitors the realisation of the right to vote and to participate, as well as the general prerequisites for civic participation. Although these responsibilities are strongly related to participation, they also include provisions for social inclusion. For more information, see Youth Wiki/Finland 4.5 Initiatives promoting social inclusion and raising awareness and Youth Wiki/Finland 5.5 National Strategy to Increase Youth Participation. In addition, the Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations Etno operates under the guidance of the Ministry of Justice. It engages in dialogue with immigrants, ethnic, cultural and religious minorities, public authorities, political parties, and NGOs. Through cooperation and discussion, it aims to build trust and an open Finland.

The Ombudsman for Children reports to the Government on the welfare of children and young people and on the implementation of their rights. The Ombudsman also conveys the opinions of young people to decision-makers. These opinions are gathered by surveys, reports and direct meetings with children and young people, including, for example, young people with disabilities, young people who have arrived in Finland without their families, young people with a Sámi or Roma background, and young people whose parents are in prison.  

The Non-Discrimination Ombudsman promotes equality in Finland. Individuals may contact the Ombudsman if they have experienced or witnessed discrimination based on age, ethnic or national origin, nationality, language, religion, belief, opinion, political activity, trade union activism, family connections, health, disability, sexual orientation, or other personal characteristics. 

General distribution of responsibilities

National-level steering documents (see YouthWiki/Finland 4.3 Strategy for the social inclusion of young people) are implemented at the local and regional level, for example, through schools, social and health services, and employment services. The distribution of responsibilities between central and local authorities is organised, for example, through the Youth Work Centres of Expertise, which are approved by the Ministry of Education and Culture. 

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, states that measures promoting social inclusion and wellbeing are implemented in cooperation between central authorities and ‘wellbeing services counties, municipalities, schools, the third sector and parishes.’  

Regarding education, the Programme states that young applicants (under the age of 30) without a vocational qualification have to apply for education and training as a condition for receiving social assistance (p. 78). At the local level, education organisers are responsible for ensuring that students complete their studies as planned (see YouthWiki/Finland 6.3 Preventing early leaving from education and training (ELET)). More broadly, 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, also underlines that ‘[c]lose cooperation between municipalities and wellbeing services counties is required to ensure the functioning of the student welfare system’ (p. 16). 
 

Cross-sectoral cooperation

There are no specific cross-sectoral cooperation mechanisms created for defining policies and measures on youth social inclusion. This is due to the absence of a separate national strategy for the social inclusion of young people.  

On the legislative level, the Youth Act (1285/2016) (Nuorisolaki, in Finnish) states that youth work and youth policy are to be implemented through cross-sectoral cooperation and in cooperation with young people, youth associations, and other organisations focused on youth work. Local authorities have a coordinating body with representation from the local education, social and health care, youth, labour, and police authorities to plan and implement cross-sectoral cooperation. 

The main objectives for such cooperation are described in 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. Accordingly, the general mechanisms for cross-sectoral cooperation in youth work and youth policy development also apply to the promotion of social inclusion. The objectives for cross-sectoral cooperation are described in the Programme’s section Towards coordinated and cross-sectoral youth policy (pp. 13–15). They are not elaborated further here, as they are not specific to social inclusion.  

It should also be noted that advisory boards, such as the Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations Etno, bring together migration experts from national, regional, and local levels, including public officials and civil society representatives. Etno also serves as a network of experts on migration, integration, and equality, promoting dialogue between different population groups.