On this page

1. National strategy

2. Formal education: main policy measures on ELET

3. Addressing ELET through non-formal and informal learning and quality youth work

4. Cross-sector coordination and monitoring of ELET interventions

National strategy

Besides the Eurostat definition of early leavers from education and training, two additional national definitions are used in Finland: a) not having an upper secondary school leaving certificate; b) all newly graduated under-30-year-old individuals who are not working or studying (NEET), and young people with only basic education. This is the definition used for the Youth Guarantee (see Glossary).

The national strategy to prevent early leaving from education and training has included various measures, such as raising the minimum school leaving age to 18 years. According to the Finnish National Agency for Education, the aim of expanding compulsory education is to promote the passing of studies and prevent interruptions.  According to Roope Uusitalo, a professor of public administration at the VATT Institute for Economic Research, although the reform does not make an upper secondary degree compulsory like primary school, continuing education until the age of 18 increases the probability of completing an upper secondary degree and thereby promotes employment opportunities in the future (see Suomen Kuvalehti 28.7.2022, in Finnish). Other measures include, for example, providing cost-free secondary studies for students and the mandatory responsibility of municipalities to assign an education or training place for students in compulsory education. 

The National Youth Work and Youth Policy Programme (VANUPO) 2024–2027 mentions decreasing the number of young people who are not in employment, education, or training as one of its main objectives. This objective is pursued through various methods: 

• Strengthening employment, youth, education, social, and health services.
• Making low-threshold services, such as Ohjaamo one-stop guidance, central in supporting the employment and education of NEET youth.
• Continuing the implementation and development of youth workshops and youth work as a multidisciplinary and preventive service.
• Reforming the Health Care Act, the Social Welfare Act, and child welfare legislation, according to the Government Programme.
• Taking youth’s perspective into account in the social security reform and the Social Security Committee’s work. 

Formal education: main policy measures on ELET

Current policy measures on ELET are outlined in the Government Programme (2024–2027). Young people must apply for further education or training if they are under 30 years of age and have not obtained a vocational qualification. In addition, the skills and competence levels of young people in lower and upper secondary education will be raised, and the number of young people completing a higher education degree will be increased. The objective is that by 2030, 50 per cent of young adults will have higher education degrees. Students with challenges in completing their studies will receive special support. In addition, there are preventive measures for ELET, for example, through government measures to support learning and school attendance.   

In line with the Act on Compulsory Education (in Finnish, also available in Swedish), the instructions for upper secondary education and vocational education by the National Agency of Education (in Finnish) specify that it is the responsibility of the educational organiser to plan and implement the support measures the student needs so that the student completes their studies as planned. They also have a responsibility to contact the student's guardian or legal representative if studies are not progressing as agreed. If the student aims to interrupt their studies, the educational organiser is obliged to evaluate and plan the necessary support measures together with the student. 

Section §11 of the Act on Compulsory Education (in Finnish, also available in Swedish) further specifies that the educational organiser is responsible for overseeing that the student fulfils their obligation to apply for further education. If the student fails to do so, the educational organiser is obliged to report this to the respective municipality and the guardian or legal representative of the child of compulsory education age. Statistics Finland produces annual statistics on the number of young people studying at different educational levels as well as the number of students who discontinue their studies. For further information regarding upcoming reforms for learning support, see Eurydice/Finland 13.2 National reforms in general school education. 

Addressing ELET through non-formal and informal learning and quality youth work

Based on the Youth Act, outreach youth work, youth workshop activities, and youth work in general refer to efforts to support the growth, independence, and social inclusion of young people in society. There are various actors whose work is connected to the prevention of ELET. 

The mission of outreach youth work is to reach young people in need of assistance and provide access, for example, to education and facilitate entry into the labour market. Youth workshops are part of the Youth Guarantee, which strives to ensure a place in an educational institution, apprenticeship training, workshop, rehabilitation, or similar activity after completing basic education. These activities are funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture. According to Into – Association for Outreach Youth Work and Workshop Activities (in Finnish), outreach youth work reached 20,659 young people during 2024. It can be noted that the concept 'Youth Guarantee' does not currently appear in the Government Programme 2024-2027 or the National youth work and youth policy programme 2024–2027.    

Children of the Station is a politically and religiously unaffiliated national organisation established in 1990, and its goal is to ‘support the safe growth of children and youth, enable the wellbeing of them and their families and inhibit social exclusion’. Information about the organisation’s concrete action models and concepts can be found on their website. The Service Operation Saapas (in Finnish) by the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland (in Finnish) and Nauha ry (in Finnish) can also be mentioned as youth work providers. 

The State Administrative Agency’s youth work teams promote youth workshops. The workshops are an intervention-based method, offering support in education and work-related issues, in order to prevent exclusion from education and working life. The workshops are implemented with support from the Ministry of Education and Culture. 

Helsinki YMCA has a Ninu model, which offers support to young people at the transitional phase from the 9th grade of comprehensive school to upper secondary studies. The idea of the model is to give personal support throughout the year and concretely help young people to apply to secondary studies with their own mentor worker. The City of Helsinki, Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations (STEA), the Ministry of Education and Culture, and the State Administrative Agency are mentioned as bodies funding the activities of Helsinki YMCA, according to their 2025 Action and Financial Plan (in Finnish). 

Cross-sector coordination and monitoring of ELET interventions

On a ministrative level, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the Ministry of Education and Culture, and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health address issues regarding ELET interventions.

Based on the Youth Act, cross-sectoral co-operation at the local level is coordinated by a body established for the general planning and implementation of co-operation among local authorities. It includes representatives from education, social, health and youth services, and can also include labour and police administrations. Labour market partners and employers may also contribute. From the beginning of 2025, employment and economic development services (TE services) have been transferred to municipalities. See YouthWiki Finland/ 3.2 Administration and Governance for more information regarding the TE services reform. 

The Act on Pupil and Student Welfare (in Finnish, also available in Swedish) states that pupil welfare services are realised through multi-sectoral co-operation between municipal educational administration and wellbeing services counties, together with students and their guardians. Multi-sectoral individual pupil welfare services include, for example, school social work and physical and mental health services. All actors working with pupil welfare services are also part of collective pupil welfare services. 

The Social Insurance Institution of Finland (KELA) offers a possibility for young people aged 16–29 years, who study, work, or are temporarily outside the labour market, to attend Oma Väylä (“My Way”) rehabilitation. This support structure is especially targeted at young people who are diagnosed with an ‘autism spectrum disorder without accompanying intellectual impairment (Asperger syndrome), an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or an attention deficit disorder (ADD)’. 

The previously mentioned youth work activities of the Regional State Administrative Agencies include granting state aid to subsidise the wages of outreach youth workers. Each region in Finland has its own outreach youth work coordinator (in Finnish), who is responsible for training, development, and promotion functions of the youth workshops. In addition, the regional coordinators promote the concept in their respective regions and work in collaboration with the Regional State Administrative Agencies and the national coordinator. It should be noted that from the beginning of 2026, the majority of Regional State Administrative Agencies’ responsibilities will be transferred to the new Finnish Supervisory Agency (see Glossary).  

The Time Out programme (in Finnish) realised in collaboration with Into – Association for Outreach Youth Work and Workshop Activities, the Defence Forces, the Centre for Non-Military Service, the State Treasury and municipalities, offers targeted support for young people of conscription, military service and civil service age. The Ministry of Education and Culture is responsible for national coordination. In addition, the Time Out co-operation group includes the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.