Side by Side Project: Promoting Antiracism
The objective of the Side by Side project (2024-2025) is to offer support to adults who have moved to Finland and are facing racism. The project is value-driven and believes strongly in social justice, equal opportunities, and mental health for all. The project was co-ordinated by Finnish Refugee Council and was co-funded by the European Union.
The Side by Side, an EU co-funded project was piloted between 2024-2025. The project was coordinated by the Finnish Refugee Council and MIELI, as a partner organization contributed to designing the volunteer’s training and peer-support group model. The project not only offered safer spaces for migrants to share their experience and gain practical tools from each other to strengthen their wellbeing, but also offered guidance to organizations in combatting racism and organized trainings on antiracism. By raising awareness on antiracism among public and the third sector professionals, the project aimed to develop welcoming strategies and practices.
After the project
Though the project has come to an end, the peer-support group model will continue to exist under MIELI without Borders. Volunteers’ trainings will be organized annually or by request in English and/or Finnish. For info-sessions on the impact of racism on mental health, cultural sensitivity and/or workshops for volunteers on antiracism, you can contact: melis.ari(at)mieli.fi
