Nordic manifesto on how to increase the mental well-being among youths

The three organizations Bergid headspace in Iceland, Mental Helse in Norway, founders of Ung Arena headspace, and headspace Denmark are now joining forces under the name Nordic headspace to rethink the Nordic welfare models to improve children and young people's mental health, and to get governments all over the Nordics to act in collaboration with civil society.

Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, former Prime Minister of Denmark and founder and patron of Det Sociale Netværk/headspace Denmark was one of the speakers at the conference, and he can sense that there is now a political will to think new and consider new solutions.

"The window is open for positive changes, because we are in the middle of the perfect storm, where there are not the necessary offers for the ever-increasing number of young people who are mentally affected, and there are not enough hands in the public sector. Therefore, all politically responsible people at all levels, be it in municipalities, regions, and the state, are looking for new solutions in civil society. And civil society will become the public's new partner. That is why I am also sure that through our new Nordic cooperation we will create solutions that will reverse the trend of poor mental health," says Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, founder, and patron of Det Sociale Netværk/headspace Denmark.

Efforts must be made on several fronts.

Firstly, we need to increase investments in early detection and early help for young people who are mentally ill. The Nordic countries have developed into treatment societies, but instead far more emphasis must be placed on prevention.

Secondly, the important civil society organizations must be thought of as binding offers for children and young people. Today, the public sector is not obliged to cooperate with e.g. headspace, which is a "can task" and not a "must task". It must change, because we know what works, and it works when civil society, voluntary work, and the public sector work together.

Thirdly, sustainable funding must be provided for civil society services such as headspace. The energy must be used to help and not to jump from tree to tree to seek funding.

The conference ended with the following manifesto, which will guide the future work in Nordic headspace:

“WE NEED GOVERNMENTAL SUPPORT, NOW!

Mental Helse, Norway, headspace Denmark and Bergid headspace, Iceland have together established Nordic Headspace. We need the Nordic governments to work with us to develop a new Nordic welfare system where resources are allocated to prevention, early intervention, and mental health promotion.

We are facing a global challenge concerning poor mental health among children and young people. A challenge World Economic Forum likens with the global climate crisis. Nordic youngsters are struggling to a degree we have not seen before.

We are witnessing how investments in treatment trumps those allocated to prevention, early intervention, and mental health promotion. We have essentially built a system based on treatment and to a lesser degree on prevention. In short, the Nordic Welfare States have failed when it comes to improving mental health among children and young people. We need to ask ourselves the basic question: Do we need to do more of the same, or do we need to consider a new approach?

Our Nordic countries need to ensure that civil society will be an included part of the solution concerning mental health promotion and early intervention. Together, Nordic governments and the civil society could create the basis for a new welfare state that actually can handle recent changes in society.”