Crisis support services provided to young people in Imatra following serious motorcycle accident

Crisis support services were offered to young people in Imatra following a serious motorcycle accident that occurred on Sunday night. Two young motorcyclists were severely injured in a collision during a scooter gathering on Vuoksentie road. Staff from the youth outreach program Walkers were called to the scene to provide counseling support, according to Tomi Hämäläinen, the local head of Walkers in Imatra.

“We received a message immediately after the incident. One of our volunteers was nearby and requested those on duty to come,” Hämäläinen recounted. He was not the first to arrive but noted that the young attendees seemed shocked and quiet after the event.

Realizing there might be a need for discussion, Walkers decided to extend their presence until the early hours of the morning. A similar incident occurred last year in Joutseno, Lappeenranta, when a moped and an ATV collided, resulting in the death of the moped rider. Walkers also provided counseling support in the aftermath of that accident.

The affected youth have been speaking about the incident with their parents, and Hämäläinen highlighted how parents had created space for their children to discuss the topic. “It was great to hear how parents facilitated conversations about this,” he noted.

In addition, social and crisis support services from the South Karelia welfare area have received individual inquiries related to the accident, as stated by Sanna Aho, head of the crisis unit. Those workers are collaborating with Imatra’s youth services and local church, and they are accompanying Walkers staff during their outreach efforts.