What does MIELI Mental Health Finland do?

MIELI Mental Health Finland is a mental health organisation whose mission is to promote mental health, provide crisis support and prevent mental health issues. We want to build a society in which people can talk about mental health safely and without stigma. 

MIELI is the world’s oldest non-governmental organisation dedicated to mental health and has helped people living in Finland through their life crises for over 120 years. We operate at a national level through 54 local member associations. Our operations are run by almost 150 professionals and over 3,000 volunteers. 

Support and help for crises and difficult life situations 

Correctly timed and easily accessible support during a crisis helps prevent mental health issues. MIELI crisis support services can help you if you are facing difficulties and you feel you are unable to work through them on your own. 

MIELI’s Crisis Helpline is available around the clock every day of the year. We have 22 crisis centres around Finland that can give you someone to talk to in person or remotely. We also organise support groups for people struggling with various difficult life situations. Suicide prevention centres in Helsinki and Kuopio provide help and support for people who have attempted suicide as well as their loved ones. 

MIELI ry also coordinates Victim Support Finland, a nationwide service provided in collaboration by five organisations and the church, and participates in coordinating Sekasin Kollektiivi, which provides help to adolescents. 

Promoting and boosting mental health at every age 

You can boost your mental health and learn mental health skills throughout your life. We promote the mental health and mental well-being of children, adolescents, people of working age and older people. 

Mental health skills for people working with children and adolescents 

MIELI provides training, materials and tools for professionals working with children and adolescents to help them improve their mental health skills. 

Mental health skills in daily life and working life 

MIELI provides information and tools for building a more mental health friendly working life. We also organise Mental Health First Aid training for everybody interested in improving their mental health skills. We promote the mental health of older people through various activities. 

Improving the everyday lives of the elderly

MIELI supports the mental health of the elderly by providing well-being training and crisis help as well as various restorative activities and other open civic activism to benefit older people. The goal is for every older person to find their lives as meaningful as possible and to be able to receive help and support for improving their mental health when they need it. 

Meaningful volunteer work 

We have over 3,000 volunteers across Finland. Our volunteers work in our member organisations. 

Active communication and influencing 

Everybody has the right to good mental health. We are active influencers and participants in public conversation. We work to reduce stigma and negative attitudes around mental health, for example through campaigning. Our annual campaigns are the Mielinauha campaign and Mental Health Art Week in the spring as well World Suicide Prevention day on 10 September and World Mental Health Day on 10 October. 

National and international influence 

Well-functioning social structures promote mental health and prevent mental health issues. MIELI advices decision-makers on how to improve the well-being of people living in Finland. We do this through our statements, the Advisory Committee on Mental Health Policy and its statements as well as conversation with different ministries and decision-makers. We also participate in various international networks.