Posti initiated a three-year collaboration with HelsinkiMissio in January of the previous year. This collaboration supports HelsinkiMissio’s “School to Belong” program. The program assists school communities in identifying and alleviating the loneliness experienced by young people, and it provides tools to manage loneliness. More than 94,000 young people from over 100 educational institutions across Finland are already participating in this national program.
“Young people’s loneliness is a serious issue, and we at Posti are committed to reducing it. HelsinkiMissio’s ‘School to Belong’ program is doing this work. The program aims to decrease the loneliness experienced by young people and enhance their well-being. The collaboration is carried out in conjunction with schools,” says Anna Salmi, Posti’s SVP of People, Communications, and Sustainability.
Loneliness is a social problem that is increasingly affecting young people. The experience of loneliness heightens a young person’s risk of developing mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. Diminished academic success and motivation, as well as problems with self-esteem, are associated with the experience of loneliness. One in four young people does not have a group to which they feel they belong, and an equal number report that they do not have any close friends.
According to the results of the “School to Belong” loneliness survey (2022) commissioned by HelsinkiMissio, young people’s experiences of loneliness have remained high even after the lifting of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The “School to Belong” program has discovered solutions to reduce loneliness. The belief among young people that they can influence their feelings of loneliness has increased by four percentage points per year in the schools that have participated in the program.
“The ‘School to Belong’ program, made possible by Posti and other partners, assists the entire school community in recognizing and reducing the loneliness of young people. At HelsinkiMissio, we want young people experiencing loneliness in educational institutions to receive the support they need and for schools to become more communal places,” says Panu Janhunen, a “School to Belong” program expert.
This year, the Valentine’s Day activity will be implemented again, where HelsinkiMissio and Posti invite Finns to write Valentine’s cards to the students of educational institutions participating in the “School to Belong” program. A year ago, Finns sent more than 9,000 cards to students.
“The work of ‘School to Belong’ is carried out in collaboration with young people, respecting their voices, and it is reflected in the excellent results. We encourage other companies to join us in making this important work possible,” says Salmi.