Frequently asked questions and answers about the Finnish model for leisure activities
The purpose of the Finnish model for leisure activities is to promote the wellbeing of children and young people by enabling them to engage in fun and free hobbies during the school day. The choice of activities is based on the children and young people’s own preferences. The model will be planned, created and tested in collaboration with leisure activity providers. During the pilot period, which was carried out in 117 municipalities throughout Finland from January 1 to June 5, 2021, leisure activities were offered for students in grades 1 through 9 and students receiving supplementary education. In the school year 2024–2025, leisure activities were offered in 258 municipalities.
Based on applications, the Ministry of Education and Culture has granted municipalities a total of EUR 14 million in special funding for the school year 2024–2025. The funding will make it possible to organize a total of more than 11,000 groups for various leisure activities about 2,000 schools. Nearly 150,000 children and young people are participating in the organized activities. The aim is to make the Finnish model for leisure activities a permanent practice in these municipalities. The municipalities will provide detailed information about the leisure activity groups and registration on their websites.
The wellbeing of children and young people is essential to the flourishing of society as a whole. The Finnish model for leisure activities is a holistic means of helping children and young people to spend their leisure time safely and meaningfully and avoid loneliness by engaging in activities where they learn new skills and make new friends. The model also supports families, as integrating activities into the school day frees up evening time for families to spend together.
It is particularly important to provide leisure activity-related information for children and young people who do not participate in such activities. The role of professionals in a wide range of areas, such as teachers, student welfare providers, school coaches, multilingual counsellors, and regional youth organization professionals, is to help children and young people who do not have hobbies to find an activity they would like to participate in during the school day. It is highly important that the expertise of the aforementioned actors and others who work with children be put to good use in implementing the Finnish model for leisure activities.
Municipalities must choose and arrange activities based on the views expressed by children and young people, and this information must be obtained before school-specific leisure activity plans are prepared. For information on children and young people’s views regarding leisure activities, municipalities have been offered the chance to either utilize the 2024 school student survey conducted by the Ministry of Education and Culture, or gather such information themselves. The information must be gathered on a school-specific basis. The next nationwide survey of the leisure-related interests of children will be conducted in 2026.
112 000 children and youths participated in the Ministry of Education and Culture’s nationwide school survey in 2024. Children and youths were asked about their wishes regarding leisure activities during the school day. The survey was sent to over 2000 schools providing education for grades 1-9 across Finland. Students were allowed to pick their favourite leisure activities and activities they would like to try out of a list of 85 activities. 85 per cent of the students have a leisure activity. It was found that 15 per cent of students do not have a leisure activity they enjoy. The most popular leisure activities for middle school students were parkour, film, gym and fine arts.
The form does not specify the duration of leisure activity sessions – each municipality is free to decide this independently. However, the sessions must be long enough for the children and young people to properly experience and enjoy the activity.
The Finnish model for leisure activities includes a national leisure activity week held every year in schools across the country. The main goal of the event is to help children and young people find a new hobby by trying out activities in the arts, culture, science, sport and other fields during the week. In 2024, the leisure activity week will take place from May 6th to May 12th. The idea for the week came from children and young people themselves.
The sessions must offer activities in such a way that they meet the needs and preferences of children or young people – that is, they must be enjoyable, free of charge, and must be integrated into the school day. The grant application form provides more detailed criteria. The form does not specify the duration of leisure activity sessions – each municipality is free to decide this independently. The sessions must be long enough for the children and young people to properly experience and enjoy the activity. A suitable length is therefore e.g. about an hour.
The persons in charge of the activities must be 18 years of age or older. However, activity group instructors can also be under the age of 18.
In the 2024–2025 school year, activities based on the Finnish model for leisure activities will be offered in 258 municipalities. As a general rule, the leisure activities should take place on school premises or on premises close to the school. However, other locations are also possible if required by the nature of the activity (such as horse riding, skiing, bowling, swimming, or a museum or art gallery club).