Evaluations of the Finnish Model for Leisure Activities (2022–2023, 2025–2026)
Evaluation 2025-2026
FINEEC evaluates the Finnish Model for Leisure Activities in the timeframe of 2025-2026. The evaluation has been commissioned from FINEEC by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The Finnish Model for Leisure Activities was recorded in the Youth Act as of 1 January 2023. The aim of this evaluation is to determine how the legislation has worked in practice.
Evaluation 2022-2023
The evaluation produces information on how the objectives set for the model have been achieved and on the functionality and effectiveness of the model. As indicated by the assignment, the success of the model was evaluated with an emphasis on children’s and young people's experiences of the model. The evaluation took into account the points of view of municipalities and networks of local actors and their experiences of the functionality of the model with regard to the objectives set for it. In the evaluation, the strengths of the Finnish Model for Leisure Activities were highlighted and recommendations were given for its implementation and development. The evaluation has been commissioned from FINEEC by the Ministry of Education and Culture.
The collection of data for the evaluation was implemented in six municipalities where the Finnish Model for Leisure Activities has been found successful. Positive examples were used in the evaluation to highlight successes and well-functioning experiments that can also be utilised in other municipalities. The municipalities participating in the evaluation were municipalities of different sizes from the areas of different regional state administrative agencies and they had received different amounts of funding. A total of 88 comprehensive school pupils and 67 local actors were consulted when data was collected for the evaluation. Forty-three guardians responded to the survey aimed at guardians to supplement the collection of data. The themes of the discussions on every visit were tailored in accordance with the operating environment in the municipality.
According to the results, children, guardians and, for example, municipal decision-makers all found the model meaningful. The leisure activities of the model have opened up opportunities that not all children and young people have had before. However, attention was paid to accessibility – to its physical, psychological and social dimensions – in different ways and the respondents felt there was always room for improvement.
Clarity, flexibility and continuity were hoped for in the practical activities of the Finnish Model for Leisure Activities both at the national level and in local implementation. Within the model, a clearer and simultaneously more diverse verbalisation would be needed generally for the definition of leisure activities: what do leisure activities mean in this model? What is the main objective of the activities? In addition to a definition, more specific information about the effectiveness of the model would be needed. The number of pupils engaging in leisure activities or those not engaging in any is not known and the functionality of the model cannot be measured on the basis of the number of users.
The same topics were emphasised in the responses of both adults and children in the results. Nice and competent instructors were appreciated and the absence of fees was found important. A sense of community was emphasised in the activities. Adults found the practices used in the surveys of their wishes and in consultations of opinions clear and appropriate. However, municipalities would need more accurate information on leisure activities than what the survey of wishes concerning leisure activities provides in its current form. Instead of the surveys concerning their wishes, children and young people emphasised the importance of the small but meaningful everyday moments when they were consulted about organising the activities.
The evaluation team has prepared the following development recommendations based on the evaluation:
Local recommendations:
- Cooperation networks within the municipality are meaningful from the point of view of high-quality activities. The versatile opportunities offered by different actors in the municipality need to be surveyed.
- Cooperation between the leisure activities and the school need to be enhanced.
- More emphasis need to be placed on outreach leisure activities and finding pupils who would like to have a leisure activity.
- Accessibility of leisure activities need to be increased in municipalities.
- Within the model, children’s and young people’s inclusion should be increased even more.
- A variety of methods should be used boldly when consulting children and young people about their wishes and opinions.
- The flexibility of leisure activities should not be feared.
National development recommendations:
- A clear place must be found for the Finnish Model for Leisure Activities alongside other actors in the field of leisure activities as well as an objective within it.
- The pupil survey as a method of consulting children and young people need to be developed further.
- National information on the functioning of the model is needed.
- The equal opportunity for leisure activities provided by the model must be highlighted and strengthened.
- Exceptions in which the operating environment is taken into account are required when the activities are organised. Trying different types of sport and shorter periods of engaging in the different activities should be made possible as part of the operation of the model.
- The need for a uniform registration system should be evaluated.
- The Finnish Model for Leisure Activities should be implemented and developed in the long term.
- In the long term, it would be advisable to examine the legislative basis of the model.
More information about the evaluations:
