Did you know that here in Helsinki was held Norddiakoni
Intensive course – “Mental health and Wellbeing – focus on homeless and
underprivileged populations” on 21.-26.4.2016? Well in case you did not, I will
tell you about it.
There were participants from Finland, Norway and Sweden,
students and teachers. What all the participants had in common was that they
all took care of other people and their wellbeing. I took part on it
23.–24.4.2016. It was rather interesting. Topics of the seminar were social
inclusion, loneliness, mental health and undocumented immigrants and overall
what we should, could and would do to those issues?
Students and teachers were discussing after the
presentations of the various measures that should be done. How to activate
people who feels loneliness or hopelessness in their life and those who suffer
from poverty and unemployment. How to help those who live with the help of
social benefits from year to year. How to help people who have stopped trying.
Not to forget the people who have been forced to leave their country against
their will, leaving everything behind just to find themselves in a country,
with their high expectations of life and yet their new home country might only
have a little to offer. In the worst case, they might not even have a legal
permission to be in the country. They would have to live their lives without
rights in welfare state.
What kind of activities do we need? What do we do? Because
all the people have the right to be a member of our society.
All of the intensive course presentations were global,
thought worthy and demanding subject’s activity. For example think about
loneliness, homelessness, undocumented immigrants, poverty and hopelessness.
Even though the topics covered the underprivileged of the society, not a single
subject seemed hopeless. I personally followed the presentations with great
interest. I got the feeling that we should come up with something right now, so
that we can minimize people´s worries and make the world better place to live.
We must and we can do something to help each other. I suggest that we
start the change from ourselves; our attitudes and how we face the people. We
should take care of people and to be interested in other people’s wellbeing like
we are with our children and loved ones.
Päivi Rissanen, who has been mental health patient for 27
years gave a presentation that brought hope and reassurance that nothing is
impossible. Päivi´s survival is quite incredible. Her presentation condensed the
whole aim and understanding of the intensive course. Having been a mental
health patient for 27 years and now being Ph.D. Päivi told us that we need
discussions and debates as well as interaction between people, respect for
others, trust, caring and understanding. Rissanen´s survival story is quite
touching and sweet. She took the help of a nurse, who saw her as herself as an
individual rather than a mental patient. I love that Päivi shared her story
with the rest of us. Hope is what we should all remember, isn’t it?
Who am I?
Marja Walldén-Hirvonen, student
Degree Program in promoting the social exclusion of health
and well-being. Masters degree (YAMK), Diaconia University of Applied Sciences,
Helsinki, Finland
