Long-term, personalised support for young people at risk of social exclusion – the Luotsi project launched in Jyväskylä

The project employs specialised youth workers and coaches who provide guidance and support to young people in Jyväskylä. It also explores the potential role of volunteers as trusted adult supporters.

Luotsi introduces a long-term support model not typically used in youth services, responding to young people’s need for sustained, personalised support. The target group is 16–29-year-old residents of Jyväskylä who are at risk of social exclusion due to factors such as learning difficulties, neuropsychiatric challenges, loneliness, school drop-out, or substance use and mental health issues. An estimated 5,134 young people in Jyväskylä are at risk of social exclusion.

Young people in challenging life situations need holistic, long-term support. Through the Luotsi project, participants receive personalised support for everyday life, access to services, goal-setting and wellbeing, alongside group-based coaching shaped by young people’s needs and wishes.

The Luotsi – Rinnalla kulkijuus project runs from 1 March 2026 to 28 February 2029. It is led by the City of Jyväskylä’s Youth Services in partnership with Diakonissalaitos Vamos Jyväskylä. The project enables the development of new support models to better meet young people’s needs and to bridge gaps between existing services, says Katariina Soanjärvi, Service manager of Youth Services for the City of Jyväskylä.

The project is co-funded by the European Union.