“Our well-being today is insurance for your well-being tomorrow,”- ANE Student Network demands politicians solve the pandemic of mental health issues among young people.

The ANE Student Network has released a statement calling upon decision-makers to consider the well-being of students and tackle the root causes of mental health problems.

In connection with the European Mental Health Week and in anticipation of the upcoming EU initiative on mental health, the ANE Student Network has released a statement calling upon decision-makers to consider the well-being of students and tackle the root causes of mental health problems.

Trends concerning the mental health of Nordic students are very alarming. Since 2010, the number of Norwegian students reporting mental health issues has doubled. The number of Finnish students concerned with the state of their mental health rose to over 50% during the COVID-19 crisis. In Denmark, a recent national study found that 52.3% of young women and 31.2% of young men often experience severe stress symptoms.

ANE Student Network hopes that young people and students will be considered in the upcoming EU initiative on mental health. The ANE Student Network implores politicians in the Nordic Region to consider the root causes of poor mental health and implement appropriate changes to ensure their thriving and success as they move from their studies into the labour market.

I hope policymakers will listen to the concerns of young people. They should look into the systems in which young people live and interact, as those systems are key to mental health. Our systems need a new foundation. This requires investment in understanding the causes and prevention

Inese Podgaiska, Secretary General ANE

Read the statement here.