Government negotiations have planned drastic cuts to free education, which is why there is now a lot of discussion about the future of community colleges. Read below the article by Anne Leinonen, the principal of the Helsinki Adult Education Center, about the importance of community colleges for well-being.

The latest information about the state's attempt to cut government subsidies for liberal education is worrying for liberal education providers, such as community colleges. The government subsidy covers a large part of our operations, and our operations are also financed by course fees paid by our customers. Our college receives a small grant from the City of Helsinki for activities other than normal activities. When the government subsidy is reduced, the impact is significant.

Outdated images of community colleges mostly involve throwing bean bags in the gym or doing something else. However, community colleges have been and continue to be fulfilling their basic mission of enabling free educational work on a broad basis for all citizens, regardless of age, gender or level of education. Of course, a large part of the education is hobby-based, supporting lifelong learning and well-being, but the education also enables people to maintain their ability to work and maintain their professional skills. In addition to people's physical and mental well-being, community colleges support social well-being by creating new relationships and even friendships, which is particularly important in modern times.

We know that, for example, exercise and learning new things are important in preventing memory disorders. The human brain needs work, i.e. new learning, which is provided by studying languages ​​or crafts, when a person has to memorize the inflection of words, the meaning of new words or the areas of a knitting pattern. Community colleges offer courses and activities that have significant effects on the well-being of the brain.

Another important issue for public health and even productivity is the current debate on physical inactivity. People need exercise and movement to stay healthy, both physically and mentally. Community colleges provide tools to combat physical inactivity and thus provide significant benefits to society. People who are in good health cope better at work, stay healthier and are active in all aspects outside of work. This also puts less of a strain on social and health services.

The civic college lowers the threshold for studying by offering open university courses in collaboration with universities. It also provides postgraduate study opportunities for people of all ages, for example in the form of competency-based credit courses.

You can learn more about the importance of free educational work and community colleges in Jyri Manninen's article "Free educational work should not be cut from the bottom" below.