Would you like to learn through everyday encounters while supporting young people with disabilities? At Aitoo Vocational College, you’ll gain hands-on experience in education, build meaningful relationships, and live close to nature in the Finnish countryside.
About Aitoo Vocaltional College
Aitoo Vocational College (Aitoon koulutuskeskus) is a vocational institution that offers education for students with disabilities. The students need additional support in learning and studying regularly due to learning difficulties, disabilities, illness, or other reasons. We offer education and training for students with the most severe disabilities or chronic illnesses.
The fields of study are household and cleaning services, janitorial services, catering services, and crafts and design. We also offer pre-vocational programmes, such as preparatory instruction and guidance for those who do not yet have a clear idea of their career choice.
We aim at ensuring education and training for and empowerment of young people with disabilities. We want to provide together with different actors, such as social and health care services, for young people with the best possible tools to work and manage their lives after their studies.
Our main campus is located in Aitoo, Pälkäne, and we have a smaller teaching unit in Tampere. The total number of students is about 120. The students’ age varies from 16 to 20+ years. The students live on the school premises during the study week. We employ over 70 people.
Location
Our main campus is located in the countryside in Aitoo, Pälkäne. It’s situated approximately 50 kilometers southeast from the city of Tampere. Pälkäne is a small municipality with 6 800 inhabitants and it consists of smaller villages, such as Aitoo. Our campus is located about 10 kilometers away from the village center of Aitoo. Public transport connections are poor, so having a driver’s licence is beneficial. It is important that the volunteer is motivated to live in the countryside and enjoys having peaceful nature around.
What will you do?
As a volunteer at Aitoo, you will assist the students and the staff at the vocational college and at the student dormitory in Aitoo. The tasks will include assisting in guiding the students and spending time, discussing, and having cultural exchange with them. You will also facilitate activities, such as hobbies and games, and assist the students in moving around. You can also help with practical tasks at the college. You can volunteer in the day or evening shift. The tasks will be planned more in detail based on your interests and skills. Please tell us in your application what kind of tasks you are interested in and what kind of skills you have.
At Aitoo Vocational College, you will get a chance to take part in meaningful volunteering among students who need additional support and build international contacts at the grass root level. For the students, the interaction with the volunteer will offer a good way to gain international know-how. These tasks will support participation, diversity, and normalisation – both from the point of view of the volunteer and the host organisation.
Who we’re looking for
Volunteering at Aitoo could suit you well if you are interested in working with young people (with disabilities). You also need to have an open-minded attitude towards differences and be flexible, towards changes in the planned daily routines, for example. When selecting the volunteer, priority will be given to candidates with fewer opportunities.
Practical arrangements
- Accmmodation: The volunteers will live in their own rooms in the main building of the main campus.
- Food: The volunteers will be offered daily meals in the student restaurant of the campus.
- Transportation: From the campus, there is a bus connection to the nearby cities on Fridays and back on Mondays. Otherwise, there are no public transport connections.
- Free time:
- 2 days off per week. The volunteers can stay overnight on campus during the weekend. In this case, they prepare their own meals.
- 2 vacation days a month.
Training during the activity
The volunteers will have an on-arrival training camp and mid-term evaluation camp organised by the Finnish National Agency of the European Solidarity Corps. In addition, they will be invited to the on-arrival training camp and mid-term evaluation camp of the coordinating organisation Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland.
The volunteers will get access to the Online Language Support (OLS) tool of the European Solidarity Corps to help them learn Finnish.
Accessibility
The working spaces and sanitary facilities of the campus are mainly accessible for people with physical disabilities, but the environment (yard) can be challenging for persons with reduced mobility.
If you need additional support due to a disability, a long-term illness, or other reason and would like to discuss if volunteering at Aitoo could suit you, please don’t hesitate to contact us for further information via Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland at esc@maailmanvaihto.fi. We’ll be happy to tell you more!
Activity topics
Inclusion of marginalized young people, disabilities, European identity, citizenship, and values
How to apply?
Further information
- If you wish to ask something, please, see answers to frequently asked questions and European Solidarity Corps program page.
- If you don’t find an answer to your question, please contact us at Maailmanvaihto at esc@maailmanvaihto.fi. Do not contact the voluntary workplace directly.
- Please note that you can only apply for the open position by following the application instructions linked above.
