Voluntary Work Placements in Finland
Below you will find some examples of hosting volunteer work placements, with which we have had co-operation. Some of these projects might take a volunteer also this year, but it depends on various factors such as the availability of host families. For the projects, which cannot offer accommodation, ICYE Finland needs to first find a host family before we can place the volunteer. These projects will give you some examples, on where our volunteers have been placed in the last years.
Kangasalan englanninkielinen leikkikoulu
TYPE OF PROJECT: English language Playschool
WEBSITE: http://www.kimppa.me/enkku/
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: The place is kindergarten funded in 1973 and run by an association. As well as providing daycare facilities for children, they provide the possibility to learn English through games, songs and role play. There are about 20 children aged between 3 to 6 years. Having an international volunteer at the playschool offers a great possibility for children and the staff to learn new culture and language.
VOLUNTEER’S TASKS: The volunteer will be in an assisting role in the kindergarten. He/she will be helping with the care and educational work with children. Detailed tasks would be helping the children dress and wash up, cleaning, playing with the children in- and outdoors, planning and organizing arts & crafts, sports and drama activities.
LOCATION: In the small town of Kangasala, nearby Tampere in the South-Eastern Finland.
ACCOMMODATION: in a host family
OTHER: The volunteer should be able to communicate fluently in English and enjoy working with children.
Mi Casita
TYPE OF PROJECT: Spanish language Kindergarten
MiCasita
WEBSITE: http://www.micasita.fi/index.php
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: Mi Casita is a private Spanish language kindergarten. It was established in Helsinki in 1994. The kindergarten is run by the Parental Association of Mi Casita. The project is funded by the monthly fees paid by the parents, support by the City of Helsinki and by other means of collecting funds. Currently there are three paid members of staff. The children are between 0-6 years of age. The children are Finnish, from Spanish speaking families and children adopted from Latin America. All staff members are native Spanish speakers.
VOLUNTEER’S TASKS: The volunteer helps and supports the other employees with the handling of groups of children. She/he plays with the children and could also teach some new games from her own culture. She/he reads to the children, takes them out, helps with dressing and undressing and helps with eating. The volunteer takes part in every kind of activity. For example if the kindergarten visits museums or other places, the volunteer can help to take the children there. Depending of the skills and interests of the volunteer, she could teach the children music, art, make plays with them, instruct sports etc.
LOCATION: City of Helsinki in the Southern Finland.
ACCOMMODATION: in a host family.
OTHER: Volunteer must speak Spanish fluently.
Päiväkoti Tuikku
Kindergarten TuikkuTYPE OF PROJECT: Kindergarten
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: Tuikku is a Kindergarten for 1-6 year old children.
VOLUNTEER’S TASKS: The volunteers task is to provide the children with games, arts and music from his/her country and to help the other employees with the handling of groups of children, to change in- and out-door clothes (which is a lot of work especially during the winter due to the cold winter climate of Finland). The volunteer also helps the children with eating their lunch and snacks and doing some of the cleaning. The volunteer also takes the children outside to the park with the employees and helps in organising some special activities.
LOCATION: Helsinki, the Capital city in the south coast of Finland
ACCOMMODATION: in a host family
Perhekoti Havurinne
TYPE OF PROJECT: Foster Home
WEBSITE: http://www.havurinne.fi/
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: Foster Home Havurinne is a professional foster home for socially excluded children who are taken into custody from their parents. A professional foster home is run by adults that have got a professional training. Besides, there may be own biological children living in the home and other professional staff. Havurinne foster home was found in 2000. The foster home provides the children care, social teaching and a home environment. The age of the children can vary from 2-18 years.
VOLUNTEER’S TASKS: The main task of the volunteer is to participate in the education process and the free time activities of the children. The idea of the volunteer is to bring new hobbies and activities for the home members and support to the intercultural learning for the children. The volunteer will help the children in the school homework, especially in the language studies. When the children are in the school in the daytime, the volunteer will help in the other daily tasks of the home like cleaning, cooking, washing up.
LOCATION: In a small town of Valkeakoski, about 40 km from Tampere. Central Finland.
ACCOMMODATION: Own room in the project.
OTHER: The volunteer would live in the community and take part in all the daily activities. The volunteer should be motivated to learn about foster care methods and to be initiative taking in creating leisure activities for the children and the youth and also be active when it comes to his/her own free time.
Savonlinna Christian College
TYPE OF PROJECT: Folk High School, camp centre and hostel
WEBSITE: http://www.sko.fi/english/
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: The curriculum of the folk high school is concentrated on arts and music education, teaching of life skills for the people with special needs, additional 10th elementary school class. During the year there are both long courses and some short courses and happenings. There is also education for the immigrants, so you will meet people from all over the world.
VOLUNTEER’S TASKS: In Savonlinna Christian College the volunteer will have opportunity to take part in Finnish language course as well as work as a volunteer in various tasks such as assisting teacher, maintenance work, helping in the kitchen and organizing activities for the students. It is important to be active and motivated.
LOCATION: Countryside, 6 km from the Savonlinna centre.
ACCOMMODATION: In the project, student dormitory.
OTHER: The College is situated in beautiful area by the lake
Kiipulan ammattiopisto
TYPE OF PROJECT: Vocational College, also for students with special needs
WEBSITE: http://www.kiipula.fi/en
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: KVC is a centre of vocational education and a development centre of special education. The institute offers studies for students with special needs for example mental problems. 85% of the students have special needs which means, that they need many kind of support in their studies and daily living. This gives the volunteer many possibilities to work as well as to learn in Kiipula. Education in KVC aims at providing the students with the tools to lead a good life and to get work. KVC offers initial vocational study programs and preparatory and rehabilitative guidance and training in horticulture, electrical engineering and business & administration. KVC is always on the lookout for modern teaching methods for different learning styles. Teaching is based on practical projects and on-the-job learning. Students study in small groups to give the teachers a chance to offer personal guidance when needed. As a development centre of special education KVC runs different kinds of projects and it also offers services on special education to other vocational institutes and colleges. Kiipula Vocational College is funded by The Kiipula Foundation.
VOLUNTEER’S TASKS: There are several different kind of tasks to offer a volunteer. They can be a tailor -made tasks according to his/her interests and qualifications. It is possible for KVC to offer jobs from student support to language teaching. 60 % of the students are living in dormitories and have lots of free time activities outside school hours as well. Participating in and helping to organise these activities could be a part of the volunteer´s job description. There is also a garden with greenhouses, where it is also possible for the volunteer to work.
LOCATION: Countryside. 5km from the village of Turenki, Janakkala municipality. Southern Finland. 15km south from Hämeenlinna and 80 kilometres north from Helsinki.
ACCOMMODATION: Own flat within in KVC campus.
OTHER: Because of the nature of the school, the volunteer should have an open mind and be flexible when meeting and working with special needs students and in the multi professional organization of KCV.
Myllylähde Community
TYPE OF PROJECT: Disabled people
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: Myllylähde is a village community with disabled adults. The members of community are called co-workers. It is a part of the international Camphill movement, which was established to work and live with people who have mental handicap/learning disability. From the outset, the intention was to do this work not as a ' job' in the usual sense of the word, but as a way of life. In the community all work that has to be done is shared: teaching; caring; household tasks; gardening and ecological farming. In Camphill, the ideal is that of a community life where each person, according to ability, contributes what they can towards the well-being of their fellows. The community is based on the general Christian values and principles. These principles are expressed for example by a custom of giving thanks before each meal. The main work activities of Myllylähde are the biodynamic agriculture, animal care, gardening, packing of the agriculture products (flour and seeds) and weavery / crafts workshop where for example dolls are made.
VOLUNTEER’S TASKS: Life in community changes according to the season and so does the job description of the volunteer. An important part of the work is to create something new and the volunteer can utilize his/her skills and interests in this part of the work. At times the care is more occupying and sometimes there are more events to organize. The volunteer is expected to be willing to help with all the activities of the community. The volunteer can use his personal skills - musical and artistic for Volunteers can introduce their own culture and language to the members of the community. This may take place by presentations, exhibitions or giving lessons for example during the weekly village seminars. Volunteer can also take the opportunity of the village seminars to present or give lesson on issues and subjects that have a personal interest to the volunteer. Myllylähde is a community that shares all the responsibility of work and enjoys free time together, too. The tasks of the volunteer will be socializing with the disabled and co-working with them and in the community’s daily functions. The work will also consist of practical tasks and various activities with the disabled, organizing festivals and other events, farm work and also some domestic routines like cooking and cleaning. The workshops of the project include: biodynamic farming, animal care, gardening, weavery and packing of the farm products. The volunteer can help in the workshop/ area of activities that mainly interested him/her and corresponds to his/her personal skills and abilities. Evening activities can be e.g. sport related, other activities (arts, music, etc), which can be created for example by the volunteer him/herself.
Myllylähde: Aimo Kuusisto sonnien avonavetassa
LOCATION: Countryside. Outside of the village center of Hämeenkoski in Southern Finland. About 30km north-west from Lahti.
ACCOMMODATION: in the project
OTHER: The volunteer should be prepared to live in a community where he/she will be working and living with disabled people. Interest in a communal way of life is helpful. ALSO EVS PROJECT.
Sylvia-koti
TYPE OF PROJECT: Disabled children
WEBSITE: http://www.sylvia-koti.fi
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: Sylvia-koti is a member of the worldwide Camphill Movement. This movement seeks to create communities oriented to work with children and adults who need special care. The aim of the project is to improve the international awareness and intercultural skills of the disabled and give a volunteer a wide range of ways to develop himself in terms of social activities with the disabled. The activities include voluntary work in many different units of Sylvia-koti and the volunteer can improve her/his skills in many sectors according to his interests.
VOLUNTEER’S TASKS: The work consists of practical tasks and various activities with children and youth in their school work and leisure as well as assisting them in their daily functions and helping with domestic routines like cooking and cleaning. The volunteer may also organise festivals and other events with the children. He/she can participate in different workshops (bakery, candle-dipping workshop, weavery, wood workshop and pottery workshop, in the garden, at the horse stables and on the farm) according to his/her own interest, socialising and spending time with disabled youth and children.
Puolalainen Sylwia at Sylvia-koti weaving mill
LOCATION: Sylvia-koti is situated about 6 km from Lahti, which is a middle-sized city in southern Finland 100 km north of the capital Helsinki. The population of Lahti is about 100000. It is an important business centre in its region and also has many educational institutes. It is also famous for winter sports. Lahti has a remarkable natural environment with forested hills called Salpausselkä.
ACCOMMODATION: Within one of the “home units” of the project
OTHER: There are normally several volunteers in the project at once.
Hoitokoti Poppeli
TYPE OF PROJECT: Disabled people – Care home
WEBSITE: http://www.hoitokotipoppeli.fi/
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: Care Home Poppeli is a home providing care and activities for up to 16 adults with minor disabilities. The emphasis of the work is on personal development connected with self-determined and active participation in the community life and its work. All disabled people living in Poppeli take part in everyday chores according to their own abilities and wishes. The staff helps them to do various tasks and activities such as mowing the lawn, wood work and household tasks.
VOLUNTEER’S TASKS: The volunteer will help in all the activities and chores of the care home. The tasks can include assisting and helping the disabled in their tasks and activities, taking them outdoors, cooking, and, of course, socializing with the people of the community.
LOCATION: Small town of Suonenjoki. Central/Eastern Finland. 50km south-west from Kuopio.
ACCOMMODATION: Own room in the project OR in a host family
OTHER: Open-mindedness and willingness to work with disabled people are the most essential qualities. Smoking and use of alcohol is not allowed within the project.