The 2026 TerveSos Awards Granted to the Age Institute’s “Together in the Neighborhood®” Initiative

The 2026 TerveSos Award has been granted to the Age Institute’s Together in the Neighborhood® initiative. The same operating model also won the public vote.

Together in the Neighborhood® strengthens community and reduces loneliness among older people

Together in the Neighborhood® is a free-of-charge group activity aimed at older people, including social gatherings such as coffee meetings, games, exercise sessions, and outdoor activities. The activities take place in company common rooms, village halls, and other locations close to people’s homes. The groups are led by volunteers, most of whom are themselves older local residents. The volunteers receive support from Age Institute’s team.

According to the evaluation jury, a key strength of the Together in the Neighborhood® model is its combination of community-building, the use of experiential knowledge, and residents’ active participation. The initiative strengthens a sense of belonging within neighborhoods, improves the well-being of older people, and reduces loneliness. The activities have already spread to 30 localities.

The selection criteria for the 2026 TerveSos Award placed special emphasis on developing operating models together with residents or clients by utilizing their own experiential knowledge. Innovation, concrete benefits for residents or clients, and a model based on research-based evidence were also highly valued.

The TerveSos event will be held in Hämeenlinna this year

The TerveSos Award is a recognition given to an innovative or exceptionally successful solution related to a specific theme. The award application process is part of the annual TerveSos event, which will be held in Hämeenlinna on 5–6 May 2026. The winner selected by the evaluation jury will receive a prize of EUR 2,000, and the public’s favorite will receive EUR 1,000.

Further information:

TerveSos Award website (in Finnish) 

Anneli Pouta
Director
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)
Tel. +358 29 524 6235
[email protected]