OLL suggests including student exercise as a strategic target for municipalities and wellbeing services counties

The county and municipal elections are important in terms of exercise, because municipalities provide many exercise services, and the wellbeing services counties develop regional exercise policies and coordinate exercise counselling. Exercise promotes physical and mental wellbeing and consequently reduces medical care costs, says Mio Kortelainen, President of the Finnish Student Sports Federation.

“Good exercise facilities and the community spirit created by exercise help students to integrate with other students and the local area also after graduation,” says Kortelainen.

“A sedentary lifestyle is a problem for all population groups, but solutions should be sought with means suitable for each group. For students, this means cooperation with student organisations, higher education institutions and other relevant actors. Wellbeing reports and strategic assessments should also include metrics about the levels of exercise done by students,” says Kortelainen.

Four solutions for exercise promotion

Making student exercise a strategic target is the first of the four solutions suggested by OLL to municipalities and wellbeing services counties to promote exercise by not only students but all residents.

The second solutions encourages the development of city areas that enable getting around easily of foot or by bike and building outdoor gyms near campuses, for example, in cooperation with student housing foundations and higher education institutions. The third solutions helps students do exercise by means of student discounts, sports vouchers and inexpensive facility rents.

The fourth solutions focuses on fluent service chairs for students. According to OLL, wellbeing services counties should develop their services with student health care and university sports services to enable students quick access to exercise counselling.

– Achieving the goals requires that the candidates have a clear understanding of the promotion of exercise and its benefits for the well-being and health of students and all residents. We are hoping for plenty of pro-sports and pro-student candidates for the elections, says President Kortelainen.

OLL’s regional and municipal election goals are available on the Federation’s website.

For more information:

1st Vice President Marika Uusi-Illikainen, marika.uusi-illikainen@oll.fi, 044 780 0216
Head of Communications Niko Peltokangas, niko.peltokangas@oll.fi, 046 921 1215