OP Financial Group is contributing to the wellbeing of children and young people by donating
150,000 euros to SOS Children’s Villages Finland. This donation will be used to support hobby activities through the Unelmista totta (Making dreams come true) programme and keep the Apuu (Help) chat going to enable counselling.
"OP Financial Group and its network of OP cooperative banks are among Finland’s largest sponsors of physical exercise and sports. In many families, the financial situation is reflected in the possibilities of children and young people to have hobbies, and that's why supporting the work of SOS Children’s Villages Finland is one way of creating a better tomorrow," says OP Financial Group's President and Group CEO Timo Ritakallio.
Increasing the wellbeing of children and young people is one of the elements of OP Financial Group's sustainability programme. Through hobbies children get to become part of a community and experience the joys of physical exercise. The Programme Manager for the Unelmista totta hobby sponsoring, Päivi Häikiö, says that OP Financial Group's donation will help sponsor a hobby for over 200 children for a year. Sponsoring hobbies is only possible with the help of donors.
"Many parents say that having a hobby is crucial for a child's wellbeing. Many of those who have received help report that the child's self-esteem improved while the parent's concerns decreased. At its best, a hobby can protect against social exclusion. Belonging to a group and having a sense of inclusion form the foundation for wellbeing," Häikiö elaborates.
OP Financial Group's donation will also enable increasing the number of volunteers running the Apuu chat service. The Apuu chat is SOS Children’s Villages Finland's counselling channel where SOS Children’s Villages Finland professionals and trained volunteers help children aged 7–15. By early September this year, over 25,000 chat conversations have already taken place.