Hobby opportunities to be ensured and culture invested in

Efforts must be made in municipalities to support exercise in daily life and maintain accessible and affordable options for exercise. Hobby opportunities for the children of low-income families must be supported, so that all children have the chance to engage in one regular hobby. One model that works well could be, for example, to establish a municipal fund that both municipalities and private operators pay into, with money then granted as financial support for hobbies for children from low-income families.

In municipalities it must be ensured that hobby and sports societies and other sports and exercise operators are equipped and able to organise their activities. Our aim is for every child and young person to have the opportunity to participate in one free-of-charge hobby around their school day.

Everyone must have the opportunity to be heard and influence decision making that affects their own life and living environment. People’s opportunities to influence must be increased, along with information being provided about how decision making can be influenced. Organisations work to facilitate participation, and thus municipalities and wellbeing services counties must work with them.

Culture is at the heart of what it means to be Finnish, and it must therefore be defended. Cinemas, theatres, art exhibitions, concert venues, libraries and other opportunities to enjoy culture increase people’s sense of happiness and satisfaction in life. Efforts must be made in municipalities to help culture thrive and ensure opportunities for a variety of activities, despite the national government implementing substantial cuts to culture funding.

Reduced public funding is forcing culture creators to seek out new forms of funding. Municipalities can support culture operators with matching funds, where they commit to paying the equivalent amount to each private donation up to an agreed threshold. There are a number of ways to implement this, with some tailoring to suit the municipalities’ situations required.

• Sports and exercise services and everyday exercise opportunities to be open and accessible to as many as possible, whatever their situation.
• Each child and young person to be entitled to one free-of-charge hobby.
• Operating prerequisites for organisations and societies to be safeguarded.
• Residents’ opportunities to influence to be increased.
• Efforts must be made in municipalities to safeguard the operating prerequisites for culture and to promote the organisation of free-of-charge cultural events or ones that are open and accessible to as many as possible.
• Every municipality to develop an action plan featuring concrete measures to reduce loneliness.