Thank you for participating: Students’ Mental Health Week at Metropolia 2026
Metropolia’s students, staff, local organizations and associations in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, and four therapy dogs, all joined “hands and paws” to make Students’ Mental Health Week a reality on all four Metropolia campuses from 9th to 15th March 2026.
The goal of the events was to encourage discussion on students’ mental health, to support a meaningful campus culture, and to reduce the experience of loneliness among students. Strong and open collaboration was visible both in the diversity of the program and in the warm encounters across campuses.
This year’s theme was faith in the future – together we highlighted the importance of hope, student experiences and community in supporting study life and everyday well-being. You can spot faith in the future walls, created by students, on the campuses even after the event. Altogether, students contributed over 400 wishes and dreams for the future on these walls. The faith in the future walls, faith in the future bingo, workshops and well-being stands encouraged students to share their thoughts, seek peer support, and build a stronger student culture together.
The “Active commuting to campus” campaign encouraged students to walk, cycle, or otherwise be physically active on their way to campus, or to make an everyday exercise promise for the afternoon. As a reward for participation, students received a chocolate bar. Over the course of four days, the campaign reached 230 actively commuting students.
We want to hear from you
Student feedback is especially important to us – please let us know your thoughts about Students’ Mental Health Week. What worked particularly well? What would you like to see next time? Your feedback helps us to develop future events to fit students' needs even better. Staff members are also welcome to share their thoughts.
You can submit your feedback through the feedback form.
Thank you for co-operation
Special thanks to all the participating students, HTO, UIO, Mystery, TXO, KaMa, AOK, Me BiEn, Trombi, Demoni, Queerpolia, chaplains, METKA, library and information services, MErkat, career services, study counsellors, MeMove, HyMy Village, WelcomeHub, international services, campus coordinators, the many external organizations and associations, public sector actors – and, of course, the four therapy dogs.
Want to know more about the organizations and partners who visited campuses?
- Nyyti ry
- Culture House Kupla – Itäkeskus
- Etelän-SYLI ry
- Loisto setlementti: sexual health and sexual violence work
- Mielenterveysaktivismijärjestö Koala
- Itä-Helsingin Clubhouse
- FSHS (Finnish Student Health Service)
- Helsinki Missio
- Sosiaalipedagogiikan säätiö
- Youth Shelters
- Mental Health Central Association
- Espoo Mental Health Association EMY
- Ohjaamotalo Espoo
- VAMOS living room
- Kulttuuripaja Kide Vantaa
- Nice Hearts Vantaa
- Tikkurila Clubhouse
- Helsinki Clubhouse
- Kohtaus
- TAKU – Union for Art and Culture Professionals
- Finnish Kennel Club (care dogs)
See you again at the next Students’ Mental Health Week, week 11 in 2027!
Best regards,
Metropolia Student Wellbeing Services
Questions or ideas?
Maarika Kortelainen
maarika.kortelainen [at] metropolia.fi (maarika[dot]kortelainen[at]metropolia[dot]fi)
+358 40 714 5111