Participation and Agency: Building Hope for Children and Youth
Experiencing poverty decreases children’s and young people’s sense of belonging, ability to act and hope for the future. Feeling that one is part of society, receiving support for growth and development and being heard are not accidental. They are enabled by structures and culture, but does this happen in practice? Strengthening participation and agency is, at its core, a question of values. This was a key insight derived from the roundtable discussion organised by the Family everyday life, economics and wellbeing (FamilyEconomics -research project).
Low incomes among families with children are not merely an economic issue. They shape everyday life and limit opportunities. For many children and young people, financial scarcity narrows their ability to participate, act and imagine a future. Economic polarisation, which began in the 1990s, combined with recent cuts to social security, defines the boundaries of everyday life for many families.
How can you participate actively if you lack resources? How can you feel like an agent of change if trust in the future is weak?
Participation and agency can create hope, but poverty makes this harder. Belonging, support and being heard do not emerge in a vacuum. Fundamentally, strengthening these experiences is about values.
Do we truly recognize the intrinsic value of a good childhood and youth in all areas of society and political decision-making? Currently, Finland lacks systematic child impact assessments for policy decisions, and child-friendliness is not an automatic part of governance. Even when children are consulted, the most vulnerable voices often remain absent from public debate.
There are plenty of knowledge and good practices to support participation and well-being. However, too often, proven services exist, but the financial resources to implement them do not. Research tells us what works, but this knowledge is not fully used. This gap must be acknowledged.
Promoting children’s and young people’s well-being, participation and agency requires a holistic approach. We must examine how various measures interact, address gaps in service encounters and create opportunities for co-development among actors. Trust and hope are built at many levels—in personal encounters, communities and society as a whole.
The roundtable took place on 8 October 2025, in Helsinki, focusing on supporting children, youth and families in financially challenging situations. Participants represented organisations including Brita Maria Renlund Foundation, The Federation of Special Welfare Organisations, the Itla Foundation, the Office of the Ombudsman for Children, Save the Children Finland, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, and UNICEF. This blog summarises the key points of the discussion, which were compiled by project researchers and approved by all participants. A warm thanks is due to everyone involved!
Authors: Katja Repo, Ella Sihvonen, Katri Otonkorpi-Lehtoranta, Elina Kervinen & Mia Tammelin
Project website: Family Economy, Well-being and Everyday Life