Municipal solutions: Making student exercise a strategic target

The strategies of municipalities and wellbeing services counties guide decision-making and service development well into the future. OLL sees that students should be invited to participate in the preparatory work—and taken into account in the strategies.

It is vital that students are acknowledged as a separate group in strategy work, just like children and young people. The needs and challenges of students, especially in terms of physical activities that promote general health and wellbeing, are different from other population groups and require targeted actions.

Supporting student exercise in strategic planning

Almost half, 45%, of Finnish university students do not exercise enough. Although the figure has improved in recent years, it is still alarming. So is the staggering cost of the lack of physical exercise for society: almost €4.7 billion! Reducing these costs requires tackling students’ physical inactivity in a determined and strategic way.

Students’ lack of physical exercise stems from a number of factors, for example from the time spent sitting while studying, pressing schedules and the challenging accessibility of sports services. It is important that municipalities and wellbeing services counties identify these barriers in their strategies and develop solutions that encourage students to exercise more.

For example, opportunities for exercise can be created in urban planning by building safe and attractive cycle routes, campus sports services and free-of-charge, low-threshold sports activities. Students’ everyday physical activity can also be supported by developing public transport and offering affordable season tickets. This will also make sports services more accessible to students, who often don’t have too much money to spare.

Student organisations as drivers of strategy work

Students are the experts of their own lives, and their views should be taken into account when preparing strategies. Student unions and other student organisations play a key role in mediating between decision-makers and the student community. Involving student organisations in the strategy work will ensure that the measures derived from the strategies meet students’ needs.

Students should have the opportunity to get involved through regular consultations, workshops and surveys, for example. In addition, student organisations should be invited to wellbeing services counties’ and municipalities’ working groups to decide on issues related to physical activity and wellbeing.

Metrics and assessments to support student wellbeing

Wellbeing reports and strategic evaluation are key tools for monitoring the effectiveness of decision-making in municipalities and wellbeing services counties. It is important to include metrics about students’ wellbeing and levels of exercise in these assessments to ensure that the measures taken are actually improving quality of life.

Such metrics include monitoring students’ physical activity, use of sports services and experience of barriers and opportunities to exercise. Collecting and using data helps decision-makers to make informed decisions and allocate resources more efficiently.

By involving students in the strategy work and supporting their wellbeing with concrete measures, we can create better and more sustainable solutions for all. Student involvement should not be just for show but a collaboration where students’ views and experiences actually make a difference in decision-making. In this way, the strategies of municipalities and wellbeing services counties can genuinely support students’ wellbeing and active lifestyle.