A NORDIC COLLECTIVE IMPACT APPROACH

We leverage the power of many perspectives

By working together, we can speak and advocate with a common voice for the changes we wish to make. And make a greater impact for the emerging adults we all seek to support. 

Driven by this common goal we decided to establish a collective initiative, with several Nordic stakeholders. With partners in both public and private sectors, in academia and mental health practices, as well as emerging adults, we represent and include all aspects of the issue. And although trends and support systems do differ across the Nordic region, there are still far more issues that bind us together than keep us apart.

Our intention is to have partners join financially, but also with their skill sets, networks and sector expertise. Together, we bring a unique ability to assess and advise the social entrepreneurs we believe have the largest potential for helping the most vulnerable emerging adults. 

Our approach

MENTAL HEALTH IS A HUMAN RIGHT

Mental health is about much more than the absence of mental disorders. It is not just about surviving, it is about thriving and living to our full potential. Next in Mind applies World Health Organization's definition of mental health

“Mental health is a state of mental wellbeing that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in.

Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders. It exists on a complex continuum, which is experienced differently from one person to the next, with varying degrees of difficulty and distress and potentially very different social and clinical outcomes.

Mental health conditions include mental disorders and psychosocial disabilities as well as other mental states associated with significant distress, impairment in functioning, or risk ofself-harm.“

We apply six core concepts within mental wellbeing that is our foundation to create sustainable impact.

1. Mental Health as a basic human right

Everyone, whoever and wherever they are, has a deserving and inherent right to the highest attainable standard of mental wellbeing.This includes:

the right to be protected from mental health risks.

the right to available, accessible, acceptable and good quality care.

And the right to liberty, independence and inclusion in the community.

4. Multisectoral approach

Given the diverse factors determining mental wellbeing, interventions to promote and protect mental wellbeing should be delivered across multiple sectors and disciplines. Care for people with mental health conditions often requires services and support that extend beyond clinical treatment.

2. Mental wellbeing exists on a complex continuum

Mental wellbeing is ranging from optimal wellbeing to debilitating states of suffering and emotional pain. At one end, individuals experience a state of optimal wellbeing, where they flourish and thrive. Conversely, at the opposite end, they may encounter profound emotional distress and suffering. It's essential to recognize that everyone's position on this spectrum can vary throughout their lifetime and that we cannot only define mental wellbeing  as states of severe illness and diagnosis.

5. Emerging adults perspective first

Innovations we invest in should be Accessible, Affordable and Acceptable for Emerging adults. Our Emerging adults advisory board will be a part of assessing the innovations based on the these perspectives.

3. The Social determinants of wellbeing

Mental wellbeing and many common mental disorders are largely shaped by the social, economic, and physical environments in which people live. Social inequalities are associated with an increased risk of many common mental disorders. A social determinants of wellbeing approach requires action across multiple sectors and levels, including individual, family, community, structural, and population levels. These diverse factors can either protect or undermine mental wellbeing, shifting an individual's position on the mental wellbeing  continuum.

6. Develop and drive data-driven impact

The path to measuring impact in an effective and qualitative way within mental wellbeing is a challenge. It is important that we scale up interventions that show evidence based potential to be effective. To do that we need to be a part of driving and exploring ways to measure impact so we can take data driven decisions when investing and scaling innovations within mental wellbeing.

OUR CORNERSTONES

Denmark


Danish Design Center 

As a non-profit foundation, they focus on fostering innovation and sustainable growth through design. Their open-source knowledge and resources are accessible to all, and they offer market-based services for training and counseling to companies and organizations.






PARTNERS

Sweden

 


Kinnevik

Kinnevik is a growth investor and the co-founder of Reach for Change.  They back digital companies for a reimagined everyday and to deliver significant returns while also possessing their own entrepreneurial spirit and eagerness to do practical efforts and take responsibility.

Ing Marie Wieselgren Foundation

Ing Marie Wieselgrens stiftelse is a newly founded foundation that aims to support initiatives from individuals, businesses or organizations, across all social sectors and target groups, with a focus on mental health. Particular emphasis is placed on capturing risks and strengthening protective factors for children and young people. 

Perspetivo

Perspetivo is a research company offering representative data; data that mirrors the diverse perspectives and demographics in the Nordics. 

Lorensberg

Lorensbergs was founded in 1995 with a passion to combine outstanding learning design with a psychological depth and scientific tools and methods.

Norway

Norwegian Council for Mental Health

The Norwegian Council for Mental Health (NCMH) comprises 31 organizations advocating mental health. We focus on prevention, youth mental health, workplace inclusion, treatment improvement, and research support, striving to influence policy and promote well-being for all.

Kavli Fund

Kavli Trust is the foundation that owns Kavli Group, and which distributes the entire profit to good causes. They prioritize work with child and adolescent mental health, in particular preventive interventions, life skills and education, and have a large focus on the climate and environment, with an emphasis on responsible consumption and production.

Impact Startup Norway

They connect ventures with investors, providing tailored support through their Accelerator and Studio programs. Funded by partners, their aim is to drive positive societal change by enabling more solutions to succeed.


Finland

Eva Ahlström Foundation

Eva Ahlström's foundation believes in the power of action, collaboration and structural transformation. They are a humanitarian organization that above all supports women and children by collaborating with established non-governmental organizations.


Illusian 

Illusian invests,  partners with and support world-class entrepreneurs as they create products and services to help their communities – be it for profit or not for profit. Their mission is to increase equality, reduce social exclusion and support sustainable investing.


Nordics

Bain and Company

Bain is a global consultancy that helps change makers define the future. They work with the ambition to achieve extraordinary results, redefine industries and create vibrant ecosystems of innovation. Additionally they invest in pro bono services to tackle today’s urgent challenges.


Northzone 

Northzone is a multi-stage venture capital fund dedicated to founders who take on whatever the world throws at them. Their perspective is shaped by lives as entrepreneurs and they have a large focus on responsible investments that result in positive social or environmental outcomes. 


Ashoka Nordics

Ashoka Nordic is the first independent and systems change oriented organization covering the Nordics. We bring nearly 40 years of experience working globally with systems change, social entrepreneurship and how to inspire and enable people to become Changemakers in their lives, businesses and communities. 


Meet our reference group

  • Fredrik Lindencrona

    Board Member at Ing-Marie Wieselgrens stiftelse , R&D Officer and International Coordinator at Uppdrag Psykisk Hälsa, a Swedish state initiative for mental health, and Head of Research Co Creation at Inner Development Goals, a non-profit organization that research, collect and communicate science-based skills and qualities that help us to live purposeful, sustainable, and productive lives (Sweden).

  • Liban Ismael

    Liban is a Philanthropy Specialist at Illusian which has a mission to increase equality, reduce social exclusion and support sustainable Investing through partnering with world-class entrepreneurs (Finland).

  • Suzan Hourieh

    Suzan is a CEO & Co-Founder of Perspetivo, a research company offering representative data that mirrors the diverse perspectives and demographics in the Nordics ( Sweden).

  • Anna Tornivouri

    Anna is the Chairwoman at Eva Ahlström stiftelse; a family foundation that believes in action, collaboration and structural change. They are a humanitarian organization that supports women and children through cooperation with established NGOs (Finland).

  • Hans Ahlström

    Hans is a board member at Eva Ahlström stiftelse; a family foundation that believes in action, collaboration and structural change. They are a humanitarian organization that supports women and children through cooperation with established NGOs (Finland) .

  • Charlotte Lundgren

    Charlotte is a Special Advisor at Norwegian Council of Mental Health which is a humanitarian umbrella organisation that consists of 31 membership organisations and institutions with an interest and involvement in the field of mental health.(Norway) .

  • Kimmie Tentschert

    Kimmie is a senior Creative at Danish Design Center which uses design as a method and mindset to work with private and public companies by enabling them to do what designers do best: expand their perspectives and zoom in on the needs of humans, societies, and our planet (Denmark).

  • Marte Sootholtet

    Marte is a manager at Impact Startup Norway; an accelerator in Norway that supports nonprofit and for profit solutions to grow (Norway).

  • Amanda Sundell

    Amanda is the Nordic Director at Ashoka Nordic; the first independent and systems change oriented organization covering the Nordics. They bring nearly 40 years of experience working globally with systems change, social entrepreneurship (Nordics).

  • Karl Hedlund

    Karl is a Management Consultant at Bain Consultancy; a top management consulting firm. They advise leaders on strategy, marketing, organization, operations, IT and M&A, across all industries (Nordics).

Meet our emerging adults

  • Matilda Holmberg

    Matilda is in the board of the Swedish Red Cross Youth, working passionately with creating awareness around mental health amongst emerging adults. She highlights the significance of celebrating diversity

  • Sabad Mohammed

    Sabad brings a unique perspective to the table. She believes in shedding light on the discrimination and racism faced by individuals seeking help within various institutions, especially those from socioeconomically vulnerable backgrounds.

  • William Rantala

    William brings the perspective of mental health needs for emerging adults living in rural areas. He highlights the difficulties emerging adults face when they in society's eyes go from being a child to becoming an adult

  • Marvin Kouassi

    Marvin aims to contribute his unique perspective to advisory board, emphasizing the importance of individual experiences. He joins to engage in vital discussions and address mental health, driven by his belief in its significance

  • Anna Ralkov Broens

    Anna is a creative Project Manager in SAGA. She challenges society's views on Mental health issues. She believes that, as humans, we are born to tell stories, the good and the bad, and not just our own

  • Mathilde Ingemann Gylstorff

    Mathilde is an Entrepreneur, taking courses in Mindfulness in Decision Making and has experience of issues regarding mental health. She runs a consultancy agency called SisterStudio

  • Thor Svanholm Gustavfson

    Thor works as a project manager and advisor for the copenhagen Institute for Future Research, an independent non-profit think tank. He brings his expertise in shaping the future to address mental health challenges among emerging adults in the Next in Mind initiative

  • Athiraga Arumugam

    Athiraga works as a program coordinator for Catalyst, she is eager to bring forth her perspective regarding diversity and inclusion. Athiraga stresses the importance of understanding the diverse experiences and needs of emerging adults to improve mental health outcomes

  • Daniel N. Restad

    Daniel has a deep understanding of successful social entrepreneurship, he aims to represent the unique experiences of young adults from multicultural backgrounds, driven by a belief in the transformative power of initiatives like this

  • Mohammed Almashhadani

    Mohammed has arrived in Norway as a refugee almost nine years ago which enables him to bring a unique outlook to discussions surrounding mental health in emerging adults, especially those with diverse vulnerability in terms of religion, ethnicity, color, and sexuality

  • Emma Effie Morrison Lund

    Emma brings firsthand experience in addressing mental health issues related to racism, intersectionality, and microaggressions. Eager to contribute to the initiative and the fight for better mental health among emerging adults, she sees joining the advisory board as an opportunity for both contribution and learning

  • Vilma Rimpelä

    Vilma is a founder and producer at Finnish youth media RARE, she is passionate about mental health and the well-being of emerging adults. Joining the advisory board, she seeks to infuse a youth perspective into Next in Mind and advocate for inclusivity as a fundamental aspect of the initiative

  • Antti Ollikainen

    Antti specializes in training government and municipal employees on youth participation. His motivation stems from a desire to learn more about youth mental health themes and contribute to positive change, believing community and youth participation are essential for mental well-being