The opportunity to engage in physical activity and hobbies is an essential part of well-being, both for physical and mental health. In the face of the increasingly difficult financial situation of students, the importance of affordable and accessible sports and recreational services becomes all the more significant. The city plays a key role in providing these services.
As pressures to graduate within a specific time frame burden students’ mental well-being, it is crucial to offer opportunities for leisure to balance studies. According to JYY’s survey on city services (2023), over half of the respondents would significantly reduce or even completely stop using public sports and cultural services if student discounts on service fees were eliminated. Therefore, the affordability of recreational services can even be seen as a condition for using these services. Given the mental health crisis among students, this condition cannot be compromised.
“In the next council term, it is essential to ensure that the customer fees for sports and cultural services will not be increased. For many people, the price of swimming hall tickets, for example, is already too high,” states Sanni Koivisto, JYY’s board member responsible for social affairs.
A vibrant cultural scene and diverse opportunities for physical activity and hobbies are also crucial factors for Jyväskylä’s appeal and retention. Major cultural events, such as Yläkaupungin Yö, help make Jyväskylä a city that students want to move to. After graduation, staying in the city requires more than just available job opportunities. Attachment to the city is formed largely through various leisure opportunities and the communities that can be found within them.
Jyväskylä’s City of Culture and Sports Capital -brands are great sources of attraction for the city. To enhance its retention power, the city must also act in line with these brands. JYY demands that the city of Jyväskylä broadly and actively supports the development of sports, cultural, and recreational services, directing them to students.
Sanni Koivisto
JYY’s Board Member for Social Affairs
sanni.koivisto@jyy.fi