An Active Youth – A Healthy Mind: Online Course for Youth Work

Young people’s well-being is widely discussed—and for good reason. Research shows that mental health challenges among young people are increasing while everyday physical activity is declining. Because the body and mind are closely connected, a decrease in physical activity also directly affects young people’s mental well-being.

The aim of the online course is to provide practical tips on how to reduce sedentary behaviour among young people and strengthen their mental well-being through physical activity. The course has been co-created with youth work professionals and runs alongside the Liikutaan! digital tool.

The course takes approximately 60 minutes to complete. It is free of charge and opens in your browser without the need to log in. Access the online course via the link below.

Learning objectives and content of the online course

After completing the course, you will:

• understand the effects of physical activity on young people’s mental well-being
• recognise the importance of your own role in promoting young people’s physical activity and gain new ways to strengthen it in a manner that suits you
• understand the role of the operating environment and organisational culture in promoting physical activity, and be able to assess your own work community’s culture from the perspective of movement.

At the end of the online course, you will find an evaluation form that helps you assess the current state of physical activity promotion in your work community. We encourage you to use the form to support the development of your own work or that of your work community.

The materials have been produced as part of the Youth Work as a Promoter of Physical Activity project (2024–2025), which received funding from the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture as part of the national Finland on the Move programme. The aim of the programme is to encourage people of all ages to be more physically active.

Images used in the online course:

• Articulate Rise image library
• iStock, under MIELI Mental Health Finland’s licence

Sources:

• Youth Work as a Promoter of Physical Activity materials. MIELI Mental Health Finland, 2025.
• White, L. et al. (2024). Physical activity and mental health: a systematic review and best-evidence synthesis of mediation and moderation studies. Accessed 09/2025.
• Xu, Z. et al. (2024). The effect of walking on depressive and anxiety symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Accessed 09/2025.