Sosped Foundation is a non-governmental welfare organization in Finland that seeks to enhance wellbeing through peer support and involvement in community activities. It operates nationwide and employs over 40 people. The organization's mission is based on social pedagogy which emphasizes mutual respect and equality. Peer support is central to Sosped's work, involving mutually supportive relationships between people with similar experiences. Current projects include support for those dealing with gambling or gaming issues, culture houses for young adults with mental health challenges, and programs promoting health and empowerment. Culture houses in particular provide a safe, supportive space for cultural and creative activities led by peer leaders.

1. Peer support and
communality

2. Sosped Foundation
§ Non-governmental welfare organization operating in the social and
health sector.
§ Sosped operates nationwide in Finland and employs over 40 people.
§ We are financed by the the Funding Centre of Social Welfare and Health
Organizations which is a standalone state-aid authority operating in
connection with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in Finland.
§ We seek to collaborate with similar organizations nationally and
internationally.

3. ”Our mission is to enhance
wellbeing through peer support,
involvement and communality.

4. Our framework stems from social pedagogy
§ Social pedagogy is based on humanistic values stressing mutual respect,
trust, unconditional appreciation, and equality
(to mention but a few).
§ Holistic and relationship-centered approach to care and wellbeing.
§ Our social pedagogy “in a nutshell” is about socialinteraction,
experience-basedknowledgeand senseofcommunity.
We believe that people learn and evolve together.

5. Peer support lies at the heart of our work
Peer support appears in different forms within our projects,
but the idea remains the same:
§ mutually offered and reciprocal help among people with similar
experiences.
§ built on shared personal experience and empathy.
§ focuses on an individual's strengths not weaknesses, and works towards
the individual's wellbeing and recovery
Peers benefit from the support whether they are giving or
receiving it.

6. This is what we are currently working on!
Pelirajat’on | problematic gambling
Offers different options of low-threshold support for
anyone concerned about their own or another person’s
gambling. Services for both gamblers and people
affected by gambling.
Digipelirajat’on | problematic gaming
Raising awareness about problematic gaming and
tackling gaming-related problems by providing
information and low-threshold support in peer groups.
Culture Houses
Our 6 Culture Houses offer culture-related groups for
young adults that have mental health problems.
Functional peer groups are planned and led by Peer
Leaders that have undergone our Peer Leader Trainig.
VIGOR-project
Culturally sensitive mentoring model that trains
immigrants to become sexual health mentors and
health promoters in their respective language
communities.
Epic Light-project
Publishes diverse media content that are created by
young adults facing varying challenges in their lives.
Content planning and creation is done in peer groups.
The project aims to motivate and empower both the
creators and the audience.
Feeniks-project
Offers support and training for middle-aged men who
are left unemployed because of digitalization and
transformation of work.

7. Culture House
§ The concept behind Culture Houses is based on guided functional peer
support.
§ Offers a safe place to explore a vide array of culture-related activities in a
relaxed and supportive atmosphere.
§ Reaches out to young adults, between 18- to 35-year-old, that face
challenges in their everyday life due to their mental health.
§ All the activities organized by the Culture House are completely free of
charge.
§ The main priority is to offer an open and safe atmosphere that supports
creativity for the participants.

8. ”The focus is in doing something
culture-related, interesting and fun,
together with a peer group, that
consists of other young adults in a
similar life situation.

9. Culture House
§ Many different groups take place at the Culture House every week. The
participants can take part in one or more groups that they’re interested
in.
§ Each group is led by a peer leader, a participant that has taken part to the
peer leader training organized by the Culture House.
§ The staff members work as back-up for the groups.
Culture House offers possibilities to learn new things, gives natural tools for
life management, supports the development of social skills and improves
the ability to work and function.

10. ”Culture House is a safe
place to learn and experiment
new things – in good company!
This place has done wonders to my
self-esteem.

12. Learn more: sosped.fi/en