A meeting place can be the start of a new friendship

A person can be lonely for many reasons. Other people’s company and meaningful activities are available at meeting places all around Espoo, and help is also available by phone. With some luck, you can even find a friend.

Friends Jenni and Emilia from Espoo meet weekly for walks and other activities. The women, both a little under 40, are close, like sisters, and have shared the sorrows and joys of life for two years now. 

“Emilia has introduced the power of sisterhood to my life. She has encouraged me, and together we have overcome many difficulties,” Jenni says, gratefully.

Emilia has also gained an important supporter, someone to walk beside her.

“Jenni has a lot of traits that I admire. She is a stable, sincere and honourable person. I trust her completely,” says Emilia.

Jenni and Emilia met when both were going through a very challenging phase in their lives. They desperately needed a friend that neither had at the time. 

“I felt very lonely as my closest friends were far away, and I had no resources to maintain any relationships other than with my partner. I wanted someone I could talk to without censoring my dark thoughts and feelings,” says Emilia.

Jenni had left work after falling ill and was desperately in need of interaction. They both contacted the Espoo Mental Health Association EMY to enquire about friend activities. 

“We got each other’s phone numbers from EMY’s contact person and scheduled a day to meet up. At the time, we lived near each other. I still remember Emilia’s pink jacket as she walked towards me,” Jenni recalls the duo’s first encounter two years ago.

Both Jenni and Emilia immediately understood each other. A strong trust was born, and slowly, so was a warm, supportive friendship.  

(The text continues after the photo.)

Jenni and Emilia found each other by calling EMY. It is one good way to get help for loneliness – the main thing is to ask for support because it is available.

Espoo has 25 meeting places where you can go without prior notice to meet other people or do something together without planning ahead. Meeting places are so-called low-threshold activities, which means that everyone is welcome. You can join by entering through the door. 

The meeting places are mainly open during the day, but there are also activities in the evenings.

“Some of the meeting places are aimed at adults, some are aimed at the elderly and some at families with children. In some cases, the activities may be targeted at young adults, for example,” says Tiina Pajula, who works as an activities manager with the Espoo Mental Health Association EMY. 

Attached is a map where you can find your nearest meeting place. It does not matter if you do not belong to the target group for that particular place, as you can get help from all the meeting places. 

“As long as you go to a meeting place and say that you want to participate in activities, you will definitely get help. Many clients wish that they had known about our service earlier, so don’t hesitate,” Pajula says encouragingly. 

Meeting places can have a theme, such as supporting mental health, providing food aid, or groups for girls and women. There is not always a theme: you can just sit on the sofa, have coffee and chat.

“Some conditions have also been set; for example, you must be sober while visiting most meeting places. But there are also meeting places that you can visit while under the influence, such as the one in Leppävaara.”  

(The text continues after the photo.)

Emilia and Jenni’s friendship is an encouraging example that, even as an adult, you can find friends and people to connect with. 

Both encourage others to seek and ask for help.

“Even if you feel alone, you are not alone, as plenty of people are in the same situation. Loneliness is nothing to be ashamed of, but it is a good idea to seek out peer groups that others have also joined to find connections,” Emilia emphasises.

“Even as an adult, you can find a friend through different channels and with the help of others. I have a family, so I’m not lonely in that sense, but I still desperately needed another woman to share my thoughts with,” Jenni says.

EMY offers help to people who feel lonely, so do not hesitate to reach out.

“Together, we can figure out a way to help you feel less lonely and find meaningful things to do,” Pajula says.

You can also find your own community in a surprising way: for example, volunteering at a meeting place is a good avenue to getting involved in the activities. 

“You can volunteer with a specific target group, such as children or seniors, even if you do not belong to the target group. Come to the meeting place and tell us about your desire to volunteer,” Pajula says. 

The 25 meeting places in the Espoo region offer lonely people a place to meet other people and engage in different activities. 

The meeting place network was launched as part of Espoo Mental Health Association EMY’s ‘Samaan suuntaan’ project in December 2020. The project aims to increase cooperation between parties working in mental health and substance abuse prevention in the Espoo region and to increase the inclusion of the most vulnerable people. 

Read more about Emy’s activities and meeting places on Emy’s website (external link, opens in a new window)(in Finnish).
 

Espoo has many different meeting places(external link, opens in a new window).

Watch a  Recording of the webinar and additional information: ’Kohtaamispaikoista voimaa arkeen’ – learn about Western Uusimaa’s meeting places: https://emy.fi/kohtaamispaikoista-voimaa-arkeen-webinaari/(external link, opens in a new window) (in Finnish)

Text: Susanna Cygnel 

This article has originally been published in the Espoo Magazine 3/2023.
Read other articles in the Espoo Magazine.