Fundamentals and basics elements of Icehearts work in Finland

Fundamentals and basic elements of Icehearts work Icehearts Europe 2nd online meeting 23.3.23

www.icehearts.fi

This presentation •

Background/history

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Organisational structure

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Target group

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Key principles of the Icehearts model

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Partnership

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Results

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Mentor’s work

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What makes a good Icehearts mentor?

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Responsibilities

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Training

www.icehearts.fi 2018

Icehearts history and organization •

Icehearts has created model that provides long-term professional support for young people in a vulnerable position and in need of special support

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Icehearts was established in 1996 in Vantaa, Finland

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Icehearts work are managed by the Icehearts Finland association •

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Funded by Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations (STEA)

An umbrella organization for local Icehearts organizations •

About 70 mentors (group or team leaders)

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20 resource workers

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4 employees in administration and 6 in support services

www.icehearts.fi 2018

Icehearts work in Finland •

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The Icehearts model is widely used in Finland •

At the end of 2022 the Icehearts model is in use in 13 municipalities

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Currently around 70 Icehearts teams or groups

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More than 1,000 children and young people in a vulnerable position and in need of special support are involved in the Icehearts work

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The journey of the two teams ends this spring, a total of 10 teams ended 12year journey

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Nine new teams will start this year

Total cost for one team per year 70 000 € •

Funding comes from municipalities and foundations

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Municipalities 50 000 € per year (salary costs for mentors)

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Other fundings, fundraising and donations of goods (space rents, sports equipment, licenses…) www.icehearts.fi 2018

Icehearts kids backgrounds Child welfare client

Student in special needs

Low-income families

Learning problem or disability

Powerlessness in parenting

Shy, distant child

Child of a single parent Immigrant

www.icehearts.fi 2018

Behavioral and emotional difficulties

Key principles of the Icehearts model •

Long-term sustainability and Individual support

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The goal is to create a long-lasting and safe adult presence for children through the joint stages of growth.

Child orientation

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In the Icehearts model children are understood to be primarily actors.

The key is to focus on children's strengths and resources, not problems and weaknesses.

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Development of Icehearts work in the organization and in cooperation •

The organization's own expertise includes continuous critical reflection of the Icehearts work based on researched information

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The dialogue between experiential expertise and academic expertise is continuous, intensive and developing •

For example, Finnish institute for health and welfare (THL), Universities and universities of applied sciences

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Currently on going two longitudinal studies (13 year) in THL

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2015->

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-> Operational development, monitoring, effectiveness and costeffectiveness

www.icehearts.fi 2018

Some results of long-term and Icehearts work •

Studies shows that long-term and targeted support work is effective especially for children who need special support (e.g. Lakind, Eddy & Zell 2014; Eddy & Schumer 2016)

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The Icehearts work reaches those children who, due to their family situation or background, need early support (Appelqvist-Schmidlechner et al. 2017).

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Icehearts model promotes inclusion, trust, community and dialogue in the school environment (Kekkonen et al. 2018).

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The Icehearts team provides children with a meaningful community, safety, care and appreciation. The team creates support structures for everyday inclusion for boys, offers a growth environment based on equality and care.

(Wessman et al. 2018.)

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According to the investment calculation made by researcher Petri Hilli (2017), the expected direct financial impact (savings) of the Icehearts team on society is at least 2.8 million euros. www.icehearts.fi 2018

Mentor’s work Mentor’s work can be divided into six areas of activity

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A) school work, B) individual support, C) camps, trips and events, D) support in professional networks, E) long-term hobby group and F) supporting families.

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A) School work •

A key part of the work is to assist and support Icehearts-children’s attendance and schoolwork and also to be and additional help to the class and school's afternoon activities.

www.icehearts.fi 2018

Mentor’s work…

B) Individual support

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Over the years, the mentor gets to know the children in the group in a special and close way. The mentor supports the good and curbs what can lead you down the wrong path. The aim is that a genuine desire to succeed awakens in the young person's own mind.

C) Camps, trips and events

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At least once a year camp for whole group. Mentor organizes camp activities according to the group’s needs. Individual or group trips can be for example swimming at local beach, sausage frying or going to the movies.

www.icehearts.fi 2018

Mentor’s work…

D) Support in professional networks

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For example, the mentor maintains contact with the child's social worker and also participates in social work team meetings at regular intervals.

E) Long-term hobby group

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Meaningful hobbies are an important educational element throughout the entire 12-year Icehearts path. Over the years, the school’s afternoon activity changes into a hobby and a shared leisure activity. The hobbies of the team is chosen together between the mentor and the Icehearts children.

www.icehearts.fi 2018

Mentor’s work…

F) Family support

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In many cases child’s family is mentor’s important or most important partner. Mentor strives to build a trusting relationship with the child's family at an early stage and to support the family in matters concerning the child whenever necessary.

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”You are not just a coach Jani you’re much more…”

Boy 12 years

What makes a good Icehearts mentor?

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Proper education, understands the challenges and responsibilities of working with the kids and their families in vulnerable position

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Mentality – to find the right people and to grow the good in them

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Long-term work = long-term relationship

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Children and their families are the employer of the mentor

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Co-worker with all the stakeholders

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"Loves the things he/she do" - children will follow if the adult shows the way

www.icehearts.fi 2018

Responsibilities •

To be the link between authorities and the families

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To be the trustworthy partner to the authorities and to the families

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To build the future with the child and the family - education, activities

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To see the good in each child

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To fill the apps to get the effectiveness data

and reflect the work done •

To ask and to give support to fellow mentors

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To bring joy, meaningfullness, sports and healthy way of living

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To build a safe group where everyone has a place and the sense of belonging www.icehearts.fi 2018

Training •

Icehearts mentor knows where the child is coming from

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The rules are simple, the language used is simple – everything is predictable

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Snacks are important – hungry child can't focus on anything

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Promise little – mentor always keeps what promises

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Be patient – mentor is the reason the child is coming,

not so much the training. Child will learn to like the activity offered through the mentor. It will take time.

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Be sure that the equipments are available for everyone,

be sure the child and the family gets the informaton needed •

The kids with special needs can participate when the proper role is found.

Be creative! www.icehearts.fi 2018

References • • • •

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Appelqvist-Schmidlechner, K., Kekkonen, M., Wessman, J. & Sarparanta, T. (2017.) Jääsydämet. Icehearts-toiminnassa aloittavien lasten psykososiaalinen hyvinvointi ja arviot toiminnan vaikuttavuudesta yhden vuoden seurannassa. Report 6/2017. Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos. https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-302-892-0 Eddy, M. & Schumer, J. (2016). Mentoring for youth and young adults during re-entry from confinement: National mentoring resource center population survey. https://nationalmentoringresourcecenter.org/resource/mentoring-for-youth-and-youngadults-during-reentry-from-confinement/ Hilli, Petri (2017) Icehearts-joukkueen investointilaskelma. Suomen Icehearts Ry. (Unpublished) Kekkonen, Marjatta & Appelqvist-Schmidlechner, Kaija & Sarparanta, Tuomas (2018) Icehearts koulun kumppanina. Teoksessa Mika Gissler, Marjatta Kekkonen & Päivi Känkänen (toim.) Nuoret palveluiden pauloissa. Nuorten elinolot vuosikirja 2018.

Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos, 179–192. https://www.julkari.fi/handle/10024/137198 Lakind, D., Eddy, M. & Zell, A. (2014). Mentoring youth at high risk: The perspectives of professional mentors. Child & Youth Care Forum 43(6), 705–727. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-014-9261-2 Wessman, Jenni & Känkänen, Päivi & Silonsaari, Jonne (2018) Icehearts – sosiaalisesti tiedostava urheilutoiminta haastaa maskuliinisuuden ideaalin. Teoksessa Antti Kivijärvi, Tuija Huuki & Harry Lunabba (toim.): Poikatutkimus. Tampere: Vastapaino, 197–220.

www.icehearts.fi 2018