The Academy of Finland's Strategic Research Council has provided funding for the six-year research programme Children and Young People – well-being future factors (YOUNG). The aim is to use research to find solutions that can ensure equal opportunities for a good life and safe growth and development for all children and young people.
One of the five consortia selected for the programme is SchoolWell, which includes Jamk University of Applied Sciences and the universities of Jyväskylä, Helsinki, Oulu, Eastern Finland and Tampere. The funding received by the consortium is EUR 3 million for the first three-year period.
SchoolWell studies the well-being of children and young people and the means of promoting it in a comprehensive school environment. Well-being is considered holistically as a physical, mental and social entity. The multidisciplinary consortium includes researchers in learning and teaching, sports and health sciences, youth psychiatry and social epidemiology. Likes of Jamk University of Applied Sciences brings a special perspective on everyday mobility to research.
"Researchers and experts from Likes bring expertise to the project on how mobility and taking a break from sitting too much during the school day can in many ways support comprehensive well-being and learning," says Principal Researcher Tuija Tammelin.
The project will build socio-pedagogical solutions to promote the well-being of children and young people in school life. In addition, research-based means will be developed for the proactive identification and buffering of welfare inequalities and their consequences. The aim is to develop practices that support well-being together with students and professionals.
Comprehensive school, which reaches the whole age group, is a key tool for promoting the well-being of children and young people. The plan is that the operating models and materials developed in the project can be applied in all Finnish schools to promote the learning and comprehensive well-being of children and young people.
The researchers responsible for the schoolwell consortium's subprojects are:
Kirsi Pyhältö, University of Helsinki (Consortium Leader)
Tiina Soini-Ikonen, University of Tampere
Tommi Tolmunen, University of Eastern Finland
Janne Pietarinen, University of Eastern Finland
Timo Jaakkola, University of Jyväskylä
Tuija Tammelin, Jamk University of Applied Sciences
Marko Kantomaa, University of Oulu
Mika Niemelä, University of Oulu
More info on:
Tuija Tammelin, Lead Researcher
[email protected]
Tel. +358 400 247 998
Jamk University of Applied Sciences
Academy of Finland press release
Projects financed (in Finnish)
