Icehearts carries out comprehensive holistic and long-term preventive child welfare work. In the Icehearts model, a mentor supports children at risk of social exclusion for 12 years. The mentor supports the children in their studies, after-school activities, hobbies and interactions with the service system. The mentor also supports the children’s families.
The core unit of the mentoring work is a “team”, which begins to be formed during the children’s preschool year. Each team consists of approximately 20 children in need of special support. The team provides the children with a safe environment in which to grow and gives each child the opportunity to take part in an enjoyable hobby.
Icehearts operates in 13 municipalities and has a total of 65 teams. More than 1,000 children in need of support participate in the programme (september 2026).
Icehearts is a well-researched model recognised by the European Commission and the OECD as a good or promising practice in health and mental health promotion.
Target group
Icehearts is intended for children and young people aged 7 to 18 who need special support. The need for support may include behavioural, developmental or emotional disturbances, difficult family conditions or poverty, learning difficulties or social problems. Icehearts is suitable for supporting the growth and development of children facing all kinds of challenges.
Children’s suitability for Icehearts activities is assessed individually in cooperation with relevant authorities, such as social services and education authorities. Children’s challenges and vulnerabilities vary. Many children have a variety of problems that have accumulated, while others have individual challenges that are the criteria for joining the activities. The suitability of the activities is extensive. The activities are suitable to support a wide range of social challenges, symptoms and problems. Icehearts activities are not suitable for children with the strongest symptoms who are unable to work in groups.
Description of activity and expected results and effects
At the heart of Icehearts is a mentor who supports children with additional needs for 12 years, from preschool to adulthood. Support adapts to each child’s age and changing needs. In primary school, the mentor helps with schoolwork, hobbies and social relationships. During adolescence, the focus shifts to continued education, life skills, preventing risky behaviour and the transition to upper secondary education. In the final stage, young people receive support with independence and planning their future.
The mentor works across the child’s everyday environments and collaborates closely with schools, social services, youth workers, healthcare professionals and other partners. Families also receive support. Key elements include a lasting relationship, the mentor’s consistent presence, individualised support and cooperation between services.
The aim is to ensure that every child and young person has a trusted adult, a sense of belonging and access to meaningful activities. Icehearts strengthens school engagement, social skills, self-confidence and inclusion while reducing loneliness, school absences and the risk of social exclusion. Concrete goals include completing basic education and securing a place in further education.
Theory and knowledge
Icehearts is grounded in research on long-term professional mentoring, relationship-based preventive child welfare, social inclusion and protective factors in child development. A stable, trusting relationship with a safe adult can strengthen resilience, school engagement, social skills and well-being among children facing multiple risks.
The model also draws on an ecological understanding of child development: effective support must address the child’s family, school, peer relationships and everyday environment.
Since 1996, Icehearts has combined research with practical experience and collaboration with schools, social services, families and researchers. Mentors’ observations, participant feedback and evaluations inform continuous development. The model has been examined in several studies, and further research is ongoing.
Competences
Icehearts mentors come from diverse educational backgrounds, but almost all hold a qualification in social services, sports or education. In addition, the organisation provides every mentor with training before they begin working with children.
In 2017, Icehearts published a mentor’s handbook outlining the foundations of its mentoring approach. In 2023, the organisation introduced a digital learning environment containing a comprehensive collection of training materials, educational resources and other tools to support mentors in their work.
In 2026, Icehearts will publish a new mentor’s guide providing practical instructions for everyday mentoring. Mentors also have access to a range of additional materials to support their work.
Mentors are organised into teams, each supervised by a team leader with experience in working with children and young people.
Economy
Icehearts consists of a central organisation and local mentoring teams. The central organisation accounts for 13% of the total annual budget of €5 million and receives most of its funding from the state, while municipalities fund the teams. Additional funding comes from foundations, companies and donations.
Assessments of providers and views of participants
Providers, including mentors, schools and municipal partners, consider Icehearts a valuable complement to public services. Its main strengths are the long-term relationship between the child and mentor, flexible support in everyday settings and cooperation with families and professionals. Stakeholder feedback has also been collected from approximately 200 school professionals. The main challenges include securing sustainable funding, maintaining long-term continuity and responding to participants’ increasingly complex needs.
Icehearts uses a digital tool to regularly collect feedback from children, families and partners. This comprehensive data enables ongoing monitoring of the initiative.
”Most importantly, throughout my childhood and adolescence, I had an adult who always had time for me and whom I could tell anything,” says a former Icehearts participant.
Evaluation, studies and monitoring
Icehearts has been evaluated through external longitudinal studies, peer-reviewed research, process evaluations and internal monitoring. Since 2015, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) has followed five Icehearts teams in a 13-year study (2015–2028), using baseline and follow-up measurements and comparison groups. A separate study examines cost-effectiveness until 2031.
Research confirms that Icehearts reaches children who need early support. Studies suggest improvements in social skills, friendships, self-esteem, mood and participation. Parent-reported measurements indicate reduced emotional and behavioural symptoms among some participants. Mentors reported that the need for individual support halved during the first four years, although some children continued to face difficulties. Schools report benefits for learning and inclusion, while parents describe long-term support for the whole family.
THL’s health-promotion assessment rated the model 5/5 in 2023. A modelling-based estimate suggests potential societal savings of at least EUR 1.8 million per team over 12 years; this is an estimate, not an observed outcome. Evidence on effects beyond ten years is still developing, and further longitudinal and doctoral studies are ongoing.
Research overview and documentation:
Katsaus Icehearts-tutkimukseen
Learnings and dissemination, implementation nationally/in the Nordics
Icehearts can be replicated in other contexts. Its good practices were introduced across Europe through the large-scale Icehearts Europe project, funded by an EU4Health Action Grant. Rather than replicating the entire model, the project focused on sharing its good practices and pedagogical approach. The project involved organisations from Denmark, Estonia and several other EU countries. https://www.icehearts.eu/
Read more and contact information
Evaluation of evidence-based practices for health and well-being promotion Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare: Practices in Health and Well-Being Promotion 1 / 2024 Icehearts
Contact: toimisto@icehearts.fi