The City of Helsinki is strengthening the responsibility and accessibility of sports activities as part of the sport grants reform. The aim is for social responsibility to be a natural part of the day-to-day life and core activities of clubs and associations.
Objectives of the grants reform
The aim of the reform is to lower the threshold for taking part in physical activity and to reach out in particular to those Helsinki residents who face recognised challenges or barriers to participating in physical activity. The City wants sports and leisure activities to be safe, inclusive and accessible.
As a result of the reform, grants will be directed more towards activities for children and young people, with the aim of curbing the rise in the cost of their leisure activities.
The general grant includes criteria relating to social responsibility and accessibility, the aim of which is to:
- enhance the safety of the activities
- promote equal opportunities for participation
- make responsibility and accessibility concrete guiding principles for the associations’ activities
- encourage long-term development through financial incentives.
Why is the reform needed?
According to research, not all children and young people participate equally in sports and leisure activities. There are also some negative side effects associated with the activities, and taking part in sports activities is not always perceived as safe.
- Children and young people with functional limitations take part in club activities less frequently than their peers (LIITU 2024).
- Girls from immigrant backgrounds in Helsinki take part in guided physical activity less often than their peers of the same age (School Health Promotion study 2025).
- Young people from sexual and gender minorities face more discrimination and barriers to participation than others in physical activities (Austin et al., 2024).
- The cost of hobbies can prevent people from taking part (Ministry of Education and Culture 2016; The right to move. A study of children’s and young people’s leisure activities in 2018).
- Bullying and inappropriate behaviour continue to occur in sports and leisure activities (The right to move. A study of children’s and young people’s leisure activities in 2018; LIITU 2024).
Responsibility and accessibility reflected in grants
From 2027 onwards, greater consideration will be given to responsibility and accessibility when awarding the general grant for sport. The awarding of grants is influenced by responsibility and accessibility criteria, which are divided into minimum criteria and criteria subject to scoring.
Minimum criteria
To be eligible for a general grant, the applicant organisation must meet the minimum criteria for responsibility and accessibility in its operations. The aim has been to consolidate the most essential points of the guidelines and policies on responsible operations – which were previously included as part of the grant conditions – into a clear and concise list of minimum criteria. The minimum criteria for responsibility and accessibility are not, strictly speaking, intended to impose additional requirements on grant recipients, but rather to clarify the minimum standard of responsible and accessible operations required by, amongst other things, current legislation.
Criteria to be scored
In addition to the minimum criteria, the general grant for sport includes voluntary criteria to be scored relating to social responsibility and accessibility; meeting these criteria increases the amount of the grant awarded to the applicant. The criteria provide clubs and associations with practical ways to make their activities more responsible and accessible. The set of criteria brings together a wide range of different measures so that every club and association can find options that suit their own activities. As the organisations receiving support are very diverse, each organisation can choose which of the areas for development are best suited to the organisation’s activities.
The criteria relate to important responsible and accessible practices that should be promoted in sport and leisure activities. Implementing these measures will improve the quality of the association’s activities and increase its appeal. The aim of these criteria is to support clubs and associations in developing these aspects of their activities and to ensure that Helsinki residents have the opportunity to take part in safe and inclusive activities.
The criteria to be scored are, above all, a tool for development. It is not necessary to meet all the criteria at once; instead, activities can be developed in stages over a period of several years. Clubs and associations are encouraged to identify, within their own activities, those aspects of responsibility and accessibility that are most important and relevant to their specific operations, and to take action based on them. Optional criteria to be scored increase the grant amount, but a general grant can also be awarded without meeting these criteria.
Measures are always proportionate to the size of the operator and the scope of its activities. For a small organisation, a significant step may be a single practical measure or a review of a working method, whereas in larger clubs and organisations, improving responsibility and accessibility may require more extensive plans and operating models covering the entire scope of their activities. The most important thing is a commitment to continuous improvement from the operator’s own starting points.
Joint responsibility programme underpins criteria
The responsibility and accessibility criteria for the general grant for sport are based on the ‘Sustainable sports’ sustainability programme, which is shared by the sports and physical activity community.
The programme consists of five sections, which are:
- good governance
- safe space and safe environment
- non-discrimination and equality
- environment and climate
- fair competition.
The criteria focus on practical measures that clubs and associations can use to foster a culture of responsible and accessible activities.
Development guided by City Strategy and Vision for Sports Services
The reform is based on the City of Helsinki’s strategic objectives.
The City Strategy 2025–2029 emphasises the wellbeing of Helsinki’s children, young people and older people, safe leisure activities, and reaching out to those children and young people who are at risk of being excluded from leisure activities.
The Vision for Sports Services 2024–2033 sets out the direction for the development of physical activity services over the next ten years or so. The vision emphasises the promotion of responsible and accessible club activities, as well as making it possible for people – children, young people, older people and groups with special needs in particular – to take part in sports.
Sources:
Austin, F., Wright, K. E., Jackson, B., Lin, A., Schweizer, K., Furzer., B. J. 2024. A scoping review of trans and gender diverse children and adolescents’ experiences of physical activity, sport, and exercise participation, Mental Health and Physical Activity, Volume 26, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2024.100576(Link leads to external service) (Linkki johtaa ulkoiseen palveluun).
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. School Health Promotion study 2025.
Tiina Hakanen, Sami Myllyniemi & Mikko Salasuo (toim.) 2019. Oikeus Liikkua. Lasten ja nuorten vapaa-aikatutkimus 2018. Nuorisotutkimusseuran julkaisuja 215.
Sami Kokko & Riikka Hämylä (toim.) 2024. Lasten ja nuorten liikuntakäyttäytyminen Suomessa LIITU-tutkimuksen tuloksia 2024. VALTION LIIKUNTANEUVOSTON JULKAISUJA 2025:1.
Urheillaan ihmisiksi –vastuullisuusohjelma: : Vastuullisuus: Urheiluyhteison_vastuullisuusohjelma_pdf(Linkki johtaa ulkoiseen palveluun)(Link leads to external service)
Yhdenvertaiset mahdollisuudet harrastaa – painopisteenä harrastamisen hinta. Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriön julkaisuja 2016:19.