Expert group: Young people are losing confidence in the future – rebuilding it will take broad action
The final report of the expert group appointed by the Ministry of Education and Culture examines the decline in young people’s confidence in the future. The group presents 36 recommendations to improve the situation. The final report was submitted to the Minister of Youth, Sport and Physical Activity Mika Poutala on Wednesday, 25 March 2026.
According to the expert group, which comprises representatives of eight academic disciplines, the weakening of young people’s sense of their future prospects is driven by long‑term developments. Factors include results from the Youth Barometer, which show that ever fewer young people feel optimistic about their own future. The group stresses the need to strengthen young people’s agency and standing in society.
“The decline in young people’s confidence in the future is deeply worrying. We take this information very seriously, and I welcome the group’s recommendations with optimism. It is also encouraging to see that, despite the bleak mood, young people continue to build their future: according to the latest Youth Barometer, four out of five young people aspire to complete a higher education degree,” says Minister Poutala.
According to the expert group, the key reasons behind the decline in young people’s confidence in the future include:
- global factors, such as the climate crisis, the war in Ukraine and the aftermath of the pandemic
- cuts in social benefits for students and in unemployment security, which have affected young people in particular
- young people’s deteriorating mental health
- increasing pressure related to employment, education and relationships, as well as a stronger focus on individual responsibility
Public debate about young people and the future has long emphasised threats, which has contributed to uncertainty.
“Building confidence in the future is not only about young people. When young people in Finland see their future in a positive light, the whole country can look to the future with confidence,” says Adjunct Professor Tomi Kiilakoski, a member of the expert group.
Cross‑sectoral strategy needed to rebuild confidence in the future
The report recommends creating a cross‑sectoral strategy to strengthen young people’s confidence in the future. The key areas include: promoting a constructive culture of public debate; strengthening young people’s participation in environmental action and in society more broadly; improving opportunities for young people to influence decision‑making; ensuring safety in daily life; reducing pressures faced by young people; securing young people’s financial situation; and improving mental‑health support.
“To strengthen young people’s confidence in the future, we need to listen to them, ensure they can influence matters that affect their own lives and, as a society, offer convincing pathways to a good future,” says Jenni Kallio, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Tampere University and member of the group.
The group was chaired by Henni Axelin, Director of the Division for Youth Work and Youth Policy at the Ministry of Education and Culture. Members of the group were: Kaija Appelqvist‑Schmidlechner (PhD, Adjunct Professor), Jenni Helenius (PhD Economy), Markku Jahnukainen (PhD Economy), Jenni Kallio (PhD Social Sciences.), Tomi Kiilakoski (PhD, Adjunct Professor), Marjo Kurki (PhD Health Sciences, Panu Pihkala (PhD Theology, Adjunct Professor) and Otto Tähkäpää (MSSc).
- The report:
Inquiries:
- Henni Axelin, Director, tel. +358 295 330 205, firstname.lastname(at)gov.fi
- Jenni Palomäki, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 330 277, firstname.lastname(at)gov.fi
- Scientific content of the report: Docent Tomi Kiilakoski, tel. +358 40 504 6432, tomi.kiilakoski(at)nuorisotutkimus.fi