Promoting wellbeing

  • Teaching and instruction
26.11.2021 10.44

This article has originally been published in the Espoo Magazine 4/2021
Read other articles in the Espoo Magazine 4/2021

Espoo has been a pioneer in upper secondary school psychology.

The city hired its first upper secondary school psychologist exactly 20 years ago, in 2001. Many other municipalities have made the same decision, but only much later. There are currently 12 psychologists working with upper secondary school students in Espoo.

2023 will bring significant changes to student welfare services, as psychological and social work-related services will be transferred to the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County. 

 “In education, there should be 670 students per social worker and 780 students per psychologist. These personnel-student ratios have been long awaited in student welfare services,” say student welfare psychologists Minna Niinimäki and Jonna Naumoff. 

 “My job is to promote students’ wellbeing and support their studies. The idea is to take a low-threshold approach to supporting students’ mental health and ability to study, so as to address any problems while they’re still minor,” says Minna Niinimäki.

She says that students come to see her about things such as study-related problems, stress management, low mood, anxiety or difficult life situations. 

“It’s great that most young people usually book their own appointments with us directly,” say the psychologists.

However, a student’s parents, teachers or another member of staff may also refer them to a psychologist.  

“It’s the psychologist’s job to analyse the student’s situation and refer them for further examination or treatment as required,” says Jonna Naumoff.

At vocational schools, distance learning has had a detrimental effect on students’ ability to cope. More support measures are also being required to help students progress in their studies. In some cases, students are taking longer to complete their studies, as distance learning has made it difficult for them to learn professional skills.

Text: Tuula Krzywacki 

Student welfare psychologists Minna Niinimäki and Jonna Naumoff are delighted that young people are more confident in reaching out and booking their own appointments.