President of the Finnish Student Sports Federation: The Finland on the Move programme not properly implemented for students

Summary:

1. The inter-administrative Finland on the Move programme is a step in the right direction, but the needs of students and the potential for exercise in higher education are not identified.
2. The Government Programme enables the development of funding for exercise among higher education students and the improvement of opportunities for students in terms of exercise and other wellbeing policies, provided the political will exists.
3. Cuts in the livelihood of students make it difficult to increase the amount of exercise.

President of the Finnish Student Sports Federation: The Finland on the Move programme not properly implemented for students

Emilia Junnila, President of the Finnish Student Sports Federation, sees potential in the Finland on the Move programme included in the Government Programme to make students more active. However, she is concerned about cuts affecting students, which can scupper any good intentions.

“The Finland on the Move programme is definitely something we need, because our sedentary lifestyle is a major problem both in terms of human health and also financially. It is also great that the Government is committed to expanding Higher Education on the Move to all higher education institutes and encouraging municipalities to offer their facilities to a greater extent for students to use,” says Junnila.

“The Government promises to promote students’ double careers and higher education institutes that welcome top athletes. We should also make sure that all this radiates into the promotion of exercise and physical activity of all students. As higher education funding is evaluated in order to speed up the completion of studies, it gives us an opportunity to include exercise and wellbeing services in the funding model, even if they are not mentioned in the Government Programme,” suggests Junnila.

Junnila says that the 80 million euros budgeted for the Finland on the Move programme is less than half of the funding proposed by the physical exercise sector. Student exercise is given little mention in the Government Programme. For example, the Finnish model for promoting exercise is not expanded to include students.

Students must be presented as their own group

“Students must be considered as their own group when implementing policies in the Government Programme,” Junnila urges. Investing in children and young people is well justified, but student exercise is influenced in society by different means.

“The capacity for studying must be improved by promoting exercise in cooperation with student health care and sports services. The new Government Programme only covers occupational health care and people in working life. The improvement of walking and cycling conditions must also include students and higher education.”

The new Government is planning to introduce a programme to address young people’s mental health issues and problems in wellbeing. According to Junnila, students should be considered in the Government Programme as a group of their own, as a third of students is suffering from depression and anxiety. The role of exercise in preventing and treating such problems has been found to be important, so higher education exercise must also be factored in to solve the matter.

Junnila says that exercise services for higher education students must be identified better as part of the service provision in the sector. In the Government Programme, this viewpoint is only promised to sports services entrepreneurs. Higher education exercise must also be included when the Government begins to strengthen cooperation between the Finnish Student Health Service and other healthcare and social welfare.

Cuts do not increase exercise

Junnila shares the concerns of the National Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (SAMOK) and the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) about cuts to students’ income.

“It’s great that the new governing parties have realised that all areas of government should promote a more active lifestyle, but unfortunately this is not reflected in the funds budgeted for it in the Government Programme. Cuts in housing benefit, the abolition of adult education allowance and any measures that force students to complete their studies as soon as possible reduce opportunities for students to get enough exercise. Students have less energy for exercise if they are constantly worrying about their income and take on a job during their studies.”

Increasing the VAT of sports services certainly does not make it any easier for students, or anyone else for that matter, to do exercise. A clearer system for VAT applied to the sports sector, although it is in a way a welcome improvement in the Government Programme, will hardly compensate for higher prices for gyms and group exercise.

Cuts in grants to organisations will also weaken lobbying for better exercise services for 300,000 students.

“How can we ensure that students’ voices are heard in decision-making if the national lobbying organisations’ capacity is eroded?” asks Junnila.

The Finnish Student Sports Federation was campaigning during the parliamentary elections and government negotiations to identify students as a distinct and important group in the promotion of a more active lifestyle. Judging by the Government Programme, this work must be continued also during the parliamentary term.

“Students and higher education exercise will be happy to be involved in promoting a more active lifestyle during this parliamentary term as well. We hope that the additional ministerial post in the Ministry of Education will emphasise exercise and maintain cooperation with the higher education sector. Cooperation will be needed to address the various exercise needs of people as well as possible.”

Additional information:

Emilia Junnila
President
+358 44 7800 211 / emilia.junnila@oll.fi