minna, Author at Maailmanvaihto ry

Wed 8.9. Online Info: For ICYE Volunteering to Asia!

Zoom in to international volunteering – join in Maailmanvaihto’s onlin info and learn about ICYE volunteering in Asia!

On Wednesday the 8th Sept 2021 at 6–7.30 p.m.
In Zoom (a link will be sent for those who sign up)

Interested in volunteering in Asia, during a gap year, for instance? Join Maailmanvaihto’s online info and get to know the International Cultural Youth Exchange (ICYE) volunteering program! You will learn about the possibilities to travel for ICYE volunteering to Indonesia, India, Japan, Nepal, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, or Vietnam when the coronavirus situation allows.

In the ICYE volunteering periods, intercultural understanding is built through daily life cooperation. Voluntary work is done in common-good organizations for half a year or a year. One can volunteer in a kindergarten in Japan, a school in Taiwan, or a human rights organization in the Philippines, for instance. The ICYE program is targeted at young adults.

In Finland, the international ICYE network is represented by Maailmanvaihto, which trains the volunteers. In each destination country, the volunteers are supported by the local ICYE organization.

There is a participation fee for the program. Besides training and support, the program fee includes e.g. accommodation and daily meals as well as insurance. In the online info, the practices of the program will be explored. For instance, the application process will be reviewed step by step. In addition, you will hear about the experiences of volunteers

Elina Hirvola, who has volunteered at a junior high school, and
Jussi Poikkeus, who has spent a volunteering period in a welfare center in South Korea.

The online info is open for all and it will be held in Finnish. The accessibility information of Zoom you can find from the address httsp://zoom.us/accessibility. We wish to advance in all Maailmanvaihto’s activities an atmosphere in which everyone can feel welcome as themselves. To support this, in the event, Maailmanvaihto’s guidelines for safer spaces will be followed.

Sign up by sending a message to tiedottaja@maailmanvaihto.fi. We will send you a link to the Zoom meeting. If needed, you can ask for further information from the same e-mail address.

Warmly welcome!

Established in 1958, Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland is a non-governmental organization that sends young people abroad for 6–12 months of volunteering and receives volunteers to Finland. We work for advancing intercultural understanding, equality, and peace.

Tapola Camphill Village Community

Would you like to live and learn in a vibrant countryside community, supporting adults with disabilities while gaining hands-on experience in workshops and care? Volunteer at Tapola Camphill Village Community, where you can immerse yourself in community life and build meaningful friendships!

About Tapola Camphill Village Community

Tapola Camphill Village Community is a vibrant living and working community for adults with disabilities. Tapola is a private social service provider. Our task is to maintain and improve our residents’ well-being. We offer both 24-hour assisted living and supported housing. We have 50 residents and all together we are about 100 people, including co-workers and volunteers.

Tapola consists of:

three homes for our residents
an outdoor Workshop (working in the forests, making firewood, shoveling snow, and mowing the lawn)
a garden and herb workshop (taking care of plants and harvesting and making products such as tea and herbal mixtures)
an art workshop (crafts, art, and music)
a small village shop where we sell our workshop products

In Tapola, we have a rich cultural life with different festivals and activities. Our aims and values are the well-being of all residents, enabling an individual life, supporting self-determination, and developing a balanced work and community life. In our community, everyone is special and deserves acceptance, respect, and meaningful experiences. In addition, we are very aware of the surrounding environment and take care of nature.

Location

Tapola is a countryside community located in Niinikoski village, Southern Finland. We are 10 km away from the nearest town of Orimattila, 30 km from Lahti, and 100 km from the capital city of Helsinki. Orimattila has around 16,000 inhabitants. The public transportation from Tapola to Orimattila is limited, but from Orimattila the bus and train connections are good. We have bicycles for volunteers. In addition, the volunteers with a driver’s license have the opportunity to use Tapola’s cars when paying the fuel costs.

What will you do?

Every year, we welcome 3-6 volunteers from all over the world to become integrated into all aspects of life in Tapola. We have four decades of experience in voluntary work, and everyone is happy about new people who become new friends and are, in the end, like family members. We collaborate with international organizations that provide seminars and training for volunteers who join our community.

As a volunteer, you will become part of the Tapola Community. You will provide support and build friendships with the residents. Volunteers support, together with the co-workers, the well-being of the residents. Each volunteer participates in one of our workshops to assist the residents. Training is implemented through work, and more responsibility is given to each volunteer as they show themselves ready for new challenges. Everything is about doing things together and supporting each other, not seeing the residents as only care recipients.

Volunteers are responsible for a variety of tasks, such as participating in our workshops and organizing cultural and free time activities. A typical day consists of

common meals
morning and afternoon workshops
cultural and social activities
house chores activities throughout the day and in the evening

The weekends are more relaxed. The volunteers are involved in social and leisure activities depending on what the residents want to do.

Who we’re looking for

Essential:

willingness to adapt and enthusiasm to learn
motivation to learn Finnish and get familiar with the residents, community life, and Finnish culture
motivation to live in a countryside community and approach each person with respect for their individuality
no specific previous experience required

We appreciate these skills:

ability to take care of others
basic knowledge of housework, such as cleaning and cooking

Tapola offers opportunities where the volunteers are free to create something new and bring in their own skills and abilities (music, sports, hobby groups, and events).

Practical arrangements

Accommodation: The volunteers live in the Tapola area in the Väinälä-house. Everyone has their own room; other facilities are shared. The necessities for living are provided. Living in the community is a great opportunity to learn about others and yourself. All the houses and workshops are within walking distance of each other. Ten kilometers away is Tapola’s lakeside cabin, which can be used together or, if available, also with friends and families during the summer months.
Food: In Tapola, we prepare wholesome homemade food in our common kitchen. Our cooks prepare all meals of the day for the entire community, and the food is delivered to each house. We follow a six-week rotating menu and serve healthy, basic home-style food. Vegetarian and lactose-free options are available. For special allergies or diets, a medical certificate is required.
Free time:
- Two days off per week.
- Two vacation days per month. It is important to regularly take a rest and gather new strength for this rewarding but also difficult task. A volunteer can gather holiday days for longer periods. We encourage you to explore Finland, its beautiful nature and interesting history. Guests are welcomed into the community but we hope for discretion while being around the residents.

Training during the volunteering period

The volunteers will have an on-arrival training camp and mid-term evaluation camp organized 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.

To help fit into the community and Finnish culture, Tapola offers the volunteers regular mentor meetings and Finnish lessons in small groups. The volunteers will also get access to the Online Language Support (OLS) tool of the European Solidarity Corps to help them learn Finnish.

Accessibility

Unfortunately, the physical environment of the workplace is not suitable for volunteers with physical or sensory disabilities, and the staff does not have the resources to support them.

If you need additional support due to a long-term illness or other reason and would like to discuss if volunteering at Tapola 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!

We are happy about every volunteer encounter over the years. For further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Activity topics

Disabilities, well-being, inclusion, agriculture

How to apply?

See the application instructions

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.

Volunteers’ Experiences

MaailmanVaihtoa 2/2021: Mikä motivoi kansainväliseen vapaaehtoistyöhön

Lue lehden pdf-versio.pdf-versio.

Sisällys tulossa pian.

Keeping in touch after volunteering

The end of the international volunteering period often marks a new phase for the friendships which have begun during the stay: it’s time to connect across countries. Two pairs of friends tell about their friendship and about staying in contact mainly through digital channels.

Jaishrre and Annika: Northern Lights and Friendship at a Training Camp

Six and half years ago, Annika Reinholm and Jaishrre Dhanjani met and became friends in Finland. They both had travelled there for Erasmus+ European Voluntary Service (nowadays known as European Solidarity Corps Volunteering), Annika from Estonia and Jaishrre from Spain.

Jaishrre, who nowadays lives in Spain, tells:

“We met in Helsinki from where we took a bus to our onarrival camp. Annika seemed very lively, energetic and interesting to me, so I wanted to get to know Annika.

With Annika everything seems like an adventure. During our volunteering time in Finland, we used to roam around. Annika was the spice of my experience, we had so much fun! It seemed we were in our own world and always laughing! And, by the way, Annika made our first Northern lights experience a bit scary by scaring us all the time. Hah!

As Annika said, distance friendship is possible, but for me it’s hard. Some, like me, prefer the old 90s style of meeting your friend in person. I think the trick to maintaining a long distance friendship is to be in touch, not to forget the other.

We both have changed, but it seems that our friendship has not. I wish we could see each other. Before Covid, it was like always making excuses. Now we want to visit each other, but there’s Covid.

I hate distance relationships but I love talking with Annika. I have learnt from Annika two very, very important words we tend to forget: be yourself. I keep those in mind and heart. Whatever happens, I know that Annika is one of those friends in the globe that I can always count on.”

Annika, who nowadays lives in Estonia, tells:

“I remember meeting Jaishrre at Maailmanvaihto’s camp for volunteers. In the night, we went to the meadow and forest next to the camp center to watch revontulet (Northern lights). We went there with Jaishree and other volunteers. It was pretty scary, but at the same time a lot of fun. Jaishrre was the one who kept up our good mood. It was an amazing experience!

We keep in touch on Facebook Messenger and through voicemail and videos. Distance friendship is possible, but both have to do hard work and keep in touch. It doesn’t matter how big the distance is, the important part is that you two areconnected and can trust each other.

I think Jaishrre is just like sunshine and makes people laugh and have a good time. There is a good quote about that: smile is the best medicine. I learned from Jaishrre that regardless of what has happened in your life, you have to stand up, keep smiling and move on. Never lose your positive side and thinking. You have to keep hoping that one day everything will fall into the right place.

I am sure that no matter what we still keep in touch and one day meet again.“

Karoliina and Silko: Paths Crossed in Ecuador

In 2013, Karoliina Kupari was ICYE volunteering in Ecuador and Silko Mergenthal travelling there. Their paths crossed and a friendship began.

Silko, who nowadays lives in the Netherlands, tells:

“I was traveling in South America for eight months and traveled to a little town called Collaqui in Tumbaco, Ecuador, to help build an eco house. We got along very quickly and spent time together during my entire stay. We even went hitchhiking together.

Nowadays, LinkedIn is the only channel through which we keep in touch… just kidding. We have called each other through Telegram. We have also occasionally whatsapped to each other which is very easy and quite natural for people in our age group.

I have visited Karoliina in Helsinki and she visited me in Nijmegen in the Netherlands when I was studying there. During that time, Karoliina set me up to meet her friend who was living there, too. I think people don’t change that much, only circumstances do. We have planned to visit each other again after the pandemic.

From Karoliina, I learned to love Helsinki when I visited the city. Karoliina showed me around and I met new people through her. I miss Karoliina’s unique laughter. Laughter and joking around is like medicine. I guess our sense of humour and passion for travel is what connected us in the first place.

Karoliina, who nowadays lives in Finland, tells:

“I met Silko in the town where we both lived in Ecuador. I think Silko made a lot of friends and learned Spanish super quickly thanks to his outgoing personality.

Time has made our communication more infrequent, but we have visited each other’s home countries during the years and followed each other on social media. It is nice to see how the other is doing now later in life. Silko just graduated from university.

It’s not the same over digital channels, but I like how social media reminds you of the people that are there, even though you haven’t seen them in ages. Whenever news come up from Germany, Silko pops up into my mind. Silko has followed Finnish politics after we got to know each other. When Silko hitchhiked through Sweden and Finland, he stayed at my place in Helsinki.

I guess the meaning of friendship is the friendship itself. It’s very fulfilling to catch up and notice how the same person is there, even though life runs on its course.

I think Silko is super funny and always in a good mood. He is very interested in current events of the world and keeps himself very updated. He is also brave and spontaneous.

I think knowing people from around the globe is super life enriching. Even though you see and contact people who live far away much less than with those who are nearby, you always know they are there.”

Online Meetups at Maailmanvaihto’s Forums

Often volunteers form friendships with a bunch of people: other volunteers from around the world, host family, support person, mentor, people met through hobbies… This spring, Maailmanvaihto offers two forums to keep in touch with people met while participating in its volunteering programs:

Facebook group for alumni: In this group, previous participants of Maailmanvaihto’s programs can keep in touch with each other and receive once in a while news from Maailmanvaihto. So far, the message flow has concentrated on the latter, but the forum is open for diverse matters. facebook.com/groups/maailmvan
Online Language Café: A weekly meeting point for all Maailmanvaihto’s people as well as for other people. Chats are held weekly in Finnish and in Spanish in Zoom. The Language Café welcomes all from beginners to advanced speakers of these languages to participate. maailmanvaihto.fi/en/online-language-cafe

Text: Minna Räisänen
Photos: from the albums of Jaishrre Dhanjani, Karoliina Kupari, Annika Reinholm and Silko Mergenthal

The article has been published in the magazine MaailmanVaihtoa – Volunteers’ Voices 1/2021.

European Solidarity Corps volunteering in Austria – apply 9th June at the latest!

Our Austrian co-operation organization Grenzenlos is looking for young people aged at 18–30 years to fourteen workplaces. Give your input and learn new in early childhood education or the cultural field, for instance!

Get to know the workplaces and the tasks of the volunteers as well as the experiences of previous participants on the website of Melange. The volunteering periods last for 10–12 months and begin in next September–October, if the coronavirus situation allows.

An example of these inspiring voluntary workplaces is the culture center Kulturhaus Brotfabrik in the outskirts of Vienna. In the center, the residents of the district decrease isolation and strengthen solidarity and social cohesion within the neighbourhood.

While volunteering in the European Solidarity Corps, the volunteer learns via daily life co-operation. The volunteering periods offer a chance to learn from deeper than just the surface both the voluntary workplace and local living. Volunteering co-operation in the open positions is coordinated by the youth exchange organization Grenzenlos which also supports the volunteers.

The volunteering periods will be subsidized by the EU. With the support, the volunteers will for instance be provided with accommodation, insurance and support for language learning. In addition, the travel costs to Austria will be covered (the participant may need to pay only a small portion of the travel costs) . We at Maailmanvaihto can act as a sending support organiaztion for the volunteers who head for the experience from Finland. We will train the volunteers and be a part of their support network throughout the volunteering period. After their return, we will meet the volunteers to explore together with them the learning experience and we will welcome them to join in our upcoming activities.

The European Solidarity Corps volunteers is meant for people aged at 18–30 years. In order to participate, you don’t need to have an educational or work background – motivation for international volunteering as well as practical English skills are enough. The positions are primarily targeted at those young adults who have less opportunities than their peers to gain international experience, due to unemployment, for instance. Learn more about the European Solidarity Corps volunteering in general.

Applying

Apply on 9th May 2021 at the latest! See on the website of Melange the applying instructions and download from there the application form (docx). Send your fiilled-in application form and your CV in English to Grenzenlos to application@grenzenlos.or.at. Please, remember to tell in your applicatin form about your motivation to apply to the voluntary workplace in question. If you wish to apply for several workplaces, please fill in a separate application form for each workplace.

You are welcome to name in your application Maailmanvaihto (Oikokatu 3, 00250 Helsinki, Finland; +358 50 452 5660; maailmanvaihto@maailmanvaihto.fi) as your sending organisation. Our OID code is E10126971 and our contact person Secretary General Anni Koskela. NB! Maailanvaihto can work as your sending organisation only if you live in Finland. Send you application message as a copy to us at maailmanvaihto@maailmanvaihto.fi. If the voluntary workplace would like to receive you as a volunteer, let’s set up a meeting to get to know each other, and if everything seems good for you and us, let’s agree upon co-operation.

Accessibility information

In case you have a disability or a long-term illness, you can, if you wish, ask from Grenzenlos at application@grenzenlos.or.at whether if it would be possible to arrange for you the kind of support that you would need, in case you got selected as a volunteer. In you wish, we can also ask for this information from Gzenzenlos for you. You can reach us at maailmanvaihto@maailmanvaihto.fi.

About applying for ESC Volunteering in the coronavirus times

European Solidarity Corps Volunteering period can be started if starting the volunteering period physically in the host country is not possible due to exceptional circumstances. The periods will be completed in the host country when the circumstances allow it. European Solidarity Corps Volunteering can also be postponed to a later date or canceled in case needed due to the coronavirus situation (see the news from the Finnish National Agency for Education). It is worth finding out from the flight company, with which kinds of costs the flights would be possible to postpone or cancel if needed.

Further information

In case you have any questions, please contact us! We will be happy to answer. You can reach us via e-mail from the address maailmanvaihto@maailmanvaihto.fi and by phone from the number 050 452 5660.

Read also

Get to know our activities during the World Village Festival weekend!

The World Village Festival will be organized online 29–30 May 2021. We participate in the festival as an exhibitor. In between the festival program, learn about possibilities to join in the activities of Maailmanvaihto, you can find information on them from below and during the festival weekend also on our social media channels: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.

Visit the World Village Festival
5 x join in the acitivities of Maailmanvaihto
Upcoming events

We at Maailmanvaihto work for advancing intercultural understanding, equality and peace. We are a youth exchange organization found in 1958. Our organization is religiously and politically nonaligned.

Via us, young people both travel abroad and come from abroad to Finland for 6–12 months of volunteering. The co-operation offers for the people of the workplace and the volunteer a joint intercultural learning journey.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, we currently have much less volunteering exchange. About the impact of the coronavirus situation on the volunteering programs you can read on the pages of the programs. We follow the situation and update the information.

5 x join in the activities of Maailmanvaihto

1) Abroad from Finland for volunteering

In international volunteering, you will learn through daily life co-operation. You will gain understanding of life in another part of the world and learn about yourself, too. There are volunteering tasks in the educational field, human rights work, and environmental protection work, for instance.

If you are aged 18–30 years, apply for EU-supported volunteering in the European Solidarity Corps (ESC)!

In the International Cultural Youth Exchange (ICYE) program, volunteers work outside Europe. The upper age limit of this program is flexible. The next time to travel for ICYE volunteering abroad is in January–February 2022.

2) From abroad to Finland for volunteering

We receive volunteers from different parts of the world. In Finland, too, the young people participate within the European Solidarity Corps or in the ICYE program. Most often, our volunteers work in the educational field or take part in work with people with disabilities.

3) Become a host family

As a host family, you have an important role in making the co-operation between a young volunteer from abroad and a common-good organization possible by providing a home for the volunteer. In this voluntary task, you will share your daily life home living with the volunteer. Welcome to become a host family are families, couples as well as those who live alone. See our current possibilities to become a host family as well as further information on host family activities – and apply to become a host family!

4) Become a support person

Also as a support person, you are an important part of the volunteering period in Finland of a young volunteer from abroad. You are a local friend who cares about the greetings of the volunteer and supports the volunteer in getting to know living in a new place. See further information on the support person activities and apply to become a support person!

5) Join in the teams of training camps for volunteers

In the teams of Maailmanvaihto’s training camps, you will get a chance to exercise your skills and get to know volunteers from different countries. We are currently putting together a team for the on-arrival training camp which we will hold in August in Tuusula, if the coronavirus situation allows, or online. Learn more about the training camp activities and apply!

Got interested? Do you have questions? Please, contact us and we will get back to you as soon as possible. You can also e-mail or call us at maailmanvaihto@maailmanvaihto.fi +358 50 452 5660.

Want to say up to date about possibilities to join in our activities? Subscribe to our monthly e-mail newsletter (MailChimp) (the newsletter is published in Finnish).

Upcoming events

18 Aug Zoom
Zoom into international volunteering: ICYE volunteering in Asia!
We will learn about co-operation in Asian countries, such as Japan and Taiwan. Further information and sign-up instructions coming up soon.

22 Sept Zoom
Zoom into international volunteering: Skills for life from volunteering
The participants will share their learning experiences. Further information and sign-up instructions coming up soon.

6. Oct Zoom
Zoom into international volunteering: Opi vapaaehtoistyössä luonnon- ja ympäristönsuojelusta
ESC and ICYE volunteering opportunities in the nature and environment field in different parts of the world. Further information and sign-up instructions coming up soon.

What motivated you to participate in international volunteering? Write about your experiences in the MaailmanVaihtoa – Volunteers’ Voices magazine

Write about your experiences

Maailmanvaihto sends and receives international volunteer workers for periods of 6 to 12 months both in Finland and abroad. Even though we are a youth organization, our volunteers have widely varying backgrounds: some have just graduated from upper secondary education, some are spending a gap year, some have already some professional experience…

Have you participated in an international volunteer program via Maailmanvaihto? What kind of motivations and expectations did you have prior to leaving abroad? Did your experience change your perspective or thoughts? Did you get what you expected? Were you surprised by something? Which kinds of things kept up or increased your motivation?

Would you like to write about your experience in the upcoming issue of Volunteers’ Voices? We also welcome photographs and illustrations! Please contact us with your suggestions by June 20th 2021. The deadline for materials is August 1st 2021. Contact address: maailmanvaihtoalehti@maailmanvaihto.fi.

Join in the editorial team

Would you like to explore the theme as a part of the editorial team? Please, contact us if you would be interested in contributing by writing an interview story, making graphics, taking photos, or taking part in editing the stories. We will be happy to hear about your interests and to tell you more about the magazine work and ideas for stories for the upcoming issue. Also from those interested in taking part in the editorial work we hope a message by 20th June 2021.

Join in learning together in magazine work! You can reach the editor-in-chiefs via the address maailmanvaihtoalehti@maailmanvaihto.fi.

Read published issues of the magazine.

Greetings from abroad: From Finland to Austria and from Taiwan to Finland

Each year Maailmanvaihto sends and receives young people for long-term volunteering. Susanna Halme and Fang Yuan Chuang share their volunteering experiences during a global pandemic.

Interviews: Fabienne Zogg & Roos Freije
Photos: Daniela Fellinger, the albums of the volunteers

Susanna: Suomesta Itävaltaan

Lähdin, koska…

Olen aina unelmoinut asumisesta pidemmän aikaa toisessa maassa itsenäisesti. En kuitenkaan tiennyt, miten se onnistuisi. Kun löysin tiedon nuorisovaihtojärjestö Grenzenlosin ESC-vapaaehtoistyöprojektista, tajusin sen olevan täydellinen mahdollisuus. Olen näkövammainen, minkä myötä ei ole ihan yksinkertaista muuttaa ulkomaille: täytyy miettiä miten saan tarvittavan avun ja tukitoimet, kuten henkilökohtaisen avustajan ja liikkumistaidon ohjauksen. Tässä projektissa haettiin nimenomaan vammaista vapaaehtoista ja projektin tavoitteisiin kuuluu erityistarpeiden huomioiminen. Siksi pystyin lähtemään matkaan luottavaisin mielin. Halusin myös oppia lisää järjestötyöstä ja kansainvälisestä vapaaehtoistyöstä. Olen todella vaikuttunut, kuinka inklusiivinen tämä hanke on ja kuinka sujuvasti saavutettavuus, yhdenvertaisuus ja tarvittavat tukitoimet on otettu huomioon.

Itävaltaan!

Vapaaehtoishankkeeni nimi on Grenzenlos Without Barriers, jonka tavoitteena on edistää kulttuurien moninaisuutta ja kulttuurienvälistä vuorovaikutusta lähettämällä vapaaehtoisia ulkomaille ja vastaanottamalla vapaaehtoisia Itävaltaan, järjestämällä vapaaehtoistyöleirejä, seminaareja, koulutuksia jne. Työskentelen vapaaehtoisena Grenzenlosin toimistolla Wienissä.

Monipuolisia työtehtäviä ja uuden oppimista

Pääasiallinen työtehtäväni on tuottaa blogia, joka sisältää tekstiä sekä podcasteja. Blogissa käsittelen vapaaehtoistyötä monelta eri kannalta. Esimerkiksi: mitä vapaaehtoisena voi oppia, millainen vaikutus vapaaehtoistyöjaksolla on pidemmälle tulevaisuuteen sekä kuinka saavutettavaa ja inklusiivista vapaaehtoistyö on. Haastattelen vapaaehtoisia ja muita ihmisiä sekä reflektoin omia kokemuksiani. Tapaan ja haastattelen ihmisiä, kirjoitan, äänitän ja editoin. Työni on erittäin mielenkiintoista ja saan kuulla hienoja tarinoita. Opin lisää niin vapaaehtoistyöstä kuin esimerkiksi äänitteiden editoimisesta. Välillä teen myös muita pieniä työtehtäviä. Olen mm. tuottanut ja kääntänyt materiaalia englanniksi ja avustanut somekampanjassa. Olen oppinut paljon Grenzenlosista ja sen monipuolisesta toiminnasta sekä järjestötyöstä yleensä.

Vapaaehtoisena pandemian aikana

Alun perin minun piti aloittaa vapaaehtoistyöjaksoni jo toukokuussa. Koronatilanteen ja matkustusrajoitusten vuoksi jouduimme kuitenkin siirtämään aloitusta, ja lopulta aloitin syyskuussa. Itävallassa on ollut paljon koronarajoituksia: kokoontumisrajoituksia, ulkonaliikkumiskielto, etätyösuositus ja muutamaankin otteeseen ihan täydellinen lockdown. Tämä on väistämättä vaikuttanut arkeeni. Olen tehnyt melko paljon etätöitä. Myös monet muut aktiviteetit, kuten tulovalmennus, saksan kielikurssi sekä vapaaehtoisten tapaamiset ovat siirtyneet verkkoon.

Olen Itävallassa alkanut harrastaa uintia ja sokkojalkapalloa. Valitettavasti tiukentuneiden rajoitusten takia treenit ovat olleet tauolla ja olemme pystyneet tekemään vain kuntopiirejä verkkoversiona. Kavereita tai toisia vapaaehtoisia ei ole pystynyt näkemään isolla porukalla. Ravintolat, museot, kulttuuripaikat yms. ovat suljettuna ja tapahtumat on peruttu. On siis täytynyt löytää uusia tapoja viettää vapaa-aikaa. Olen lenkkeillyt paljon opaskoirani kanssa, kävellyt Wienin puistoissa ja vaelluspoluilla sekä nauttinut luonnosta. Olen myös löytänyt kaverin, jonka kanssa olemme käyneet paljon juoksulenkeillä.

En ole juurikaan pystynyt matkustelemaan naapurimaiden rajojen ollessa kiinni. Wienin ohella olen vieraillut Itävallan kaupungeista vain Wiener Neustadissa, sillä lockdown-olosuhteissa ei kaupunkivierailuista ehkä saisi niin paljoa irti. Minut myös määrättiin kotikaranteeniin reiluksi viikoksi korona-altistuksen takia. Karanteenin aikana en saanut poistua huoneestani käytännössä lainkaan. Jouduin kavereiden ja kollegoiden kanssa järjestämään koiranulkoilutukset ja ruokaostokset. Onneksi pystyin tekemään töitä ja jatkamaan saksan kielikurssia. Vaikka karanteeni ei olekaan kokemuksista mukavin, sekin opetti taas uudenlaisia organisoimistaitoja.
Vaikka koronarajoitukset jollain tavoin rajoittavat ja määrittävät tekemisiäni, asenne ratkaisee: yritän nauttia täysillä niistä asioista, joihin minulla on mahdollisuus. Esim. opaskoirani kanssa lenkkeily Tonavan rannalla on saanut ihan uuden merkityksen lockdownin keskellä. Ja poikkeusoloista auttaa selviämään se, että todella pidän työstäni Grenzenlosilla ja sitä pystyn koronasta huolimatta tekemään!

Arvokkaita ystävyyssuhteita ja koronarajoitusten tuomat haasteet

Antoisinta on ollut toteuttaa omaa projektia pääasiallisena työtehtävänäni. Olen saanut ideoida blogiani ja suunnitella haastatteluja, postauksia ja podcasteja. Voin käsitellä niitä aiheita, jotka koen kiinnostaviksi ja antoisiksi, ja saan käyttää luovuuttani. Tarvittaessa saan arvokasta ja kannustavaa tukea kollegoilta. Työ motivoi, kun sitä saa olla itse suunnittelemassa ja kun näkee oman työn ja ideoinnin tuloksen.

Antoisia ovat olleet myös uudet kaveruudet ja ystävyydet. Arvokkaita kaverisuhteita on löytynyt niin toisista vapaaehtoisista kuin harrastuksista. Harrastusteni kautta olen päässyt tutustumaan myös toisiin näkövammaisiin, mikä on tarjonnut arvokasta vertaistukea. Myös yhteistyö henkilökohtaisen avustajani kanssa on todella toimivaa ja meistä on vähitellen tullut ystävät. Tämä yhteys varmasti jatkuu pitkään projektin jälkeenkin.

Haasteellisinta on ollut korona ja sen mukanaan tuomat rajoitukset, epävarmuus ja jatkuvasti muuttuvat olosuhteet. On ollut hankala tehdä suunnitelmia ja jatkuvasti on täytynyt olla valmis sopeutumaan uudenlaiseen tilanteeseen ja uusiin rajoituksiin. Etenkin tiukat kokoontumisrajoitukset ovat aiheuttaneet haasteita työssä, vapaa-ajalla ja tukitoimien järjestämisessä.

Terveiseni niille, jotka ovat kiinnostuneet vapaaehtoistyöstä maailmalla

Go for it! Jos yhtään tuntuu, että maailmalle lähteminen voisi olla se oma juttu, ei muuta kuin matkaan! Kannustan ihan jokaista lähtemään. Etenkin haluaisin kannustaa vammaisia ja erityistä tukea tarvitsevia nuoria osallistumaan – kaikki on mahdollista ja Maailmanvaihdossa asenne on kohdallaan ja kaikkien osallisuutta halutaan aidosti tukea. Vapaaehtoistyöjakso ulkomailla antaa todella paljon. Siinä oppii toisesta maasta ja kulttuurista, ja työtehtävät opettavat varmasti tulevaisuudessa hyödyllisiä taitoja. Myös kielitaito karttuu ja itsevarmuus toimia vieraalla kielellä kasvaa. Ennen kaikkea vapaaehtoisuus kuitenkin antaa mahdollisuuden oppia itsestään, haastaa itseään, löytää uusia taitoja ja vahvuuksia ja kokea osallisuutta. Vapaaehtoisuus huippuhetkineen ja haasteineen on kokonaisuus, joka varmasti muuttaa elämää ja on monin tavoin opettavainen ja arvokas.

Fang-Yuan: From Taiwan to Finland

I went because…

I have lost many wonderful opportunities because I was not confident enough, nor did I dare to speak English or talk to foreigners. A while ago someone told me “Language is not the reason to stop you from knowing the world.” This changed my perspective and led to the fact that I left my comfort zone behind in order to get to know a different version of myself. And now I can happily say that I made it!

To Finland!

I wanted to experience a completely different culture than that of my home country. In my eyes, the best way to do this was to live with locals in another country for a longer period of time, to find a more authentic self. At the same time, I believe that Finland has one of the most advanced values in the world, such as the focus on equality and respect for every individual being. This is also reflected in their well-known educational system where there is room for personal growth, which I really admire.

Living and assisting at a Finnish folk high school

I work as an assistant at Kainuu College, a folk high school in Mieslahti in northern Finland. Kainuu College is a learning institution and an adult education centre that is open for all. It offers many different study opportunities as well as guidance in learning and active citizenship. As an assistant, I organize activities, participate in different courses and do cleaning and kitchen work.

Influence of the coronavirus situation

During the pandemic, the Finnish government closed schools for a period of time, which prevented me from meeting other people. Although I felt lonely, I spent more time in nature and strengthening my Finnish language skills through online Finnish courses provided by Kainuu College.

Greetings to those who are thinking of volunteering abroad

As a volunteer, you will meet all kinds of people, and volunteering abroad, in general, is a rare and special experience not to be missed. Remind yourself to always keep an open mind so you don’t miss any unexpected experiences: try strange and different things. Before you say “no”, just try it! And don’t forget to take care of yourself, too. During the volunteering period, the most difficult thing for me has been communicating in Finnish and understanding the language, but I have always found solutions in different ways. “Language is not the reason to stop you from knowing the world.”

The story has been published in MaailmanVaihtoa – Volunteers’ Voices 1/2021.

Practice languages in Maailmanvaihto’s Language Café

Would you like to practice speaking in Spanish or Finnish in a relaxed atmosphere? Would you like to support others in learning these languages by sharing your language knowledge? Join in Maailmanvaihto’s Language Café! Participation is free and open to all young people.

The schedule of the autumn season 2024:

Thursday 12th September at 17.30–19.30, theme: Learning with games (maybe we’ll pay Uno cards togehter)
Friday 11th October at 17.30–19.30, theme: Friends, interaction, and ways to communicate
Thursday 14th November at 17.30–19.30, theme: New words: let’s learn 10 new words together
Wednesday 11th December at 17.30–19.30 (Please note that the date has changed!), theme: Wishes and Proposals – how to communicate your thoughts

The meetings will be held at Maailmanvaihto’s office, in the address Oikokatu 3, Helsinki. The office is situated about 10 minutes walk away from the Helsinki central railway station.

The Language Café is open to all interested, and you are welcome to join once or several meetings. We welcome to the Language Café both young participants of Maailmanvaihto’s activities and new people. You are welcome to participate in one or several meetings.

The Language Café is hosted by volunteers Isa and Mikaela. Isa created the Language Café for Maailmanvaihto as a part of their European Solidarity Corps volunteering period in Maailmanvaihto.

Safer space and accessibility

We wish to build in all Maailmanvaihto’s activities an atmosphere in which all participants can feel welcome as themselves. To support this, we will follow at the event Maailmanvaihto’s Safer space principles.

Inside Maailmanvaihto’s office, it is possible to move around with a wheelchair, but the office space is not completely wheelchair accessible: there is an approximately 7 cm doorstep at the entrance, and the toilet is not big enough for a wheelchair. Assistance dogs are welcome. If needed, we will gladly give you further information: tiedottaja@maailmanvaihto.fi.

How to join

Register for the meetings of the Language Café via e-mail: tiedottaja@maailmanvaihto.fi. We hope to receive your registration in order to know how much coffee and tea to make for the participants. 🙂

Welcome! Tervetuloa! ¡Bienvenidos!

Marta’s Story as an ESC Trainee – An Opportunity to Continue Broadening your Horizon after volunteering

Marta Melendez Ortega is one of the young people who have participated in the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) Volunteering through Maailmanvaihto. Marta’s story is a unique one: After a year as an ESC volunteer, Marta was still eager to develop relevant skills and to continue the learning experience in Finland. So, Marta applied through Maailmanvaihto for a new ESC opportunity: being an ESC trainee. Now Marta is the first young person who participates in the ESC traineeship, coordinated by Maailmanvaihto!

The ESC traineeship is a rather new opportunity for young people. The aim is to support young people in gaining work experience and intercultural competences in order to benefit their future career possibilities. This international traineeship can widen the understanding of global issues, cultures, and solidarity, for instance. Besides supporting young people, the traineeship aims at supporting the vitality of the participating organizations.

Continuing co-operating with Kisälli-Harjulanmäki

In September 2020, Marta started as an ESC trainee at Kisälli-Harjulanmäki, right after finishing a European Solidarity Corps Volunteering period there earlier in September: “During my volunteering year, I was very happy with working with Kisälli-Harjulanmäki. The whole of Kisälli-Harjulanmäki is really passionate about the project they carry out and they dedicate a lot of effort to create an environment of personal, social, and creative development for all the clients, workers, and volunteers.”

Kisälli-Harjulanmäki is located in Vihti, a town situated about fifty kilometers away from Helsinki. Kisälli-Harjulanmäki is an organization that provides people with intellectual disabilities support in their personal, professional, educational, physical, emotional, and communicative development through art and working together. It is carried out via workshops where artistic projects are made that seek the discovery and development of their skills, and the learning of new ones.

Kisälli-Harjulanmäki has already been working together with Maailmanvaihto for a long time, but this ESC traineeship is a new addition to our successful co-operation. The director of Kisälli-Harjulanmäki and Marta’s mentor, Mauri Pajunen further explains: “We thought that it would be interesting to use the opportunity of an ESC trainee and to continue the co-operation in this context with Marta – the co-operation which has worked so well!”

When Marta had the chance to continue working with Kisälli-Harjulanmäki, Marta seized this opportunity with both hands: “I am a teacher by profession. Kisälli-Harjulanmäki is a really beautiful place where I can develop also professionally. I knew that with Mauri at the helm, and together with the rest of the team, I would always be very well supported. I have meetings with my mentor about my development on a regular basis. I am learning new teaching techniques and I have more responsibilities in the organization, which is very useful for my career path. I am super lucky with this opportunity!”, Marta tells.

Expanding skills and knowledge through the ESC traineeship

Marta explains that the ESC traineeship opens more opportunities for the future: “My studies to become a teacher included general aspects of education for people who have some type of intellectual disability. Through this project, I have been able to broaden my vision and have a more understanding of this. Thanks to the experience here, I can improve my skills in this direction in the future.”

“I have also discovered new ways of learning and working at Kisälli-Harjulanmäki. They differ much from those which I have learned in Spain. At Kisälli-Harjulanmäki the participants of the workshops have the freedom to develop themselves at their own pace. They are approached as individuals, taking into account their individual needs and skills, without comparing them to each other. I will take this valuable perspective with me to Spain”, Marta explains.

According to Marta the difference between the ESC volunteering experience and the ESC traineeship is Marta’s involvement in the organizational part and having more responsibilities. Both ESC volunteering and the ESC traineeship comes with the benefits of the European Solidarity Corps: “Besides the daily learning experiences at Kisälli-Harjulanmäki, this traineeship offers me an opportunity to keep discovering the Finnish culture, and through Maailmanvaihto I still have the chance to easily meet new people from every corner of the world. I still enjoy all the creative and social parts in the same way as to when I was an ESC volunteer”, Marta tells.

Sharing working methods and approaches during the traineeship is highly beneficial for the participants as well as the participating organizations. Mauri Pajunen from Kisälli-Harjulanmäki would recommend the ESC traineeship to other organizations: “There is a lot of potential with the young volunteers and interns. I see the ESC traineeship as a continuation for the ESC volunteer year.”

The photo on top: In Kisälli-Harjulanmäki ESC trainee Marta Marta Melendez Ortega (left) has got to participate in inspiring artistic co-operation with the participants of Kisälli’s workshops. In the left photo Artturi Holm, a participant of the workshops, painting.

European Solidarity Corps Traineeships through Maailmanvaihto

Maailmanvaihto has begun to coordinate European Solidarity Corps Traineeship periods of young people in Finland as well as to send young people abroad from Finland for ESC Traineeships. In a project of three-year project which began in 2020, three young people will arrive in Finland for ESC Traineeships coordinated by Maailmanvaihto and two young people will head abroad for an ESC Traineeship sent by our NGO.

We gladly plan new traineeship co-operations for the future! We will be happy to tell more about the ESC Traineeship for those organizations interested in receiving a trainee as well as for those young people interested in participating in it.

Please, contact us for further information: Programme Coordinator Mari Takalo: hosting@maailmanvaihto.fi, 044 318 0888. Further information is also available at the website of the Finnish National Agency for Education (in Finnish).

Read also

Practice languages in Maailmanvaihto’s Language Café

For young people living in Finland: circular economy, second-hand shop, children’s aid… … apply now to volunteer in Iceland!

For young people living in Finland: Workshops for young people, social media outreach… apply now to volunteer in Italy!

Join Maailmanvaihto at the Helsinki Pride Parade and the Pride Picnic on June 27, 2026!

About Tapola Camphill Village Community

Location

What will you do?

Who we’re looking for

Practical arrangements

Training during the volunteering period

Accessibility

Activity topics

How to apply?

Further information

Volunteers’ Experiences

Read also

Aitoo Vocational College

Nicehearts

Dagtek Life Skills

Read also

Practice languages in Maailmanvaihto’s Language Café

For young people living in Finland: circular economy, second-hand shop, children’s aid… … apply now to volunteer in Iceland!

For young people living in Finland: Workshops for young people, social media outreach… apply now to volunteer in Italy!

Join Maailmanvaihto at the Helsinki Pride Parade and the Pride Picnic on June 27, 2026!

Jaishrre and Annika: Northern Lights and Friendship at a Training Camp

Karoliina and Silko: Paths Crossed in Ecuador

Online Meetups at Maailmanvaihto’s Forums

Read also

ESC volunteering at Maailmanvaihto: a joint learning experience

Sharing and Caring as a Host Family

Ten Months at Koli National Park and Nature Centre Ukko

Applying

Accessibility information

About applying for ESC Volunteering in the coronavirus times

Further information

Read also

5 x join in the activities of Maailmanvaihto

1) Abroad from Finland for volunteering

2) From abroad to Finland for volunteering

3) Become a host family

4) Become a support person

5) Join in the teams of training camps for volunteers

Upcoming events

Read also

Practice languages in Maailmanvaihto’s Language Café

For young people living in Finland: circular economy, second-hand shop, children’s aid… … apply now to volunteer in Iceland!

For young people living in Finland: Workshops for young people, social media outreach… apply now to volunteer in Italy!

Join Maailmanvaihto at the Helsinki Pride Parade and the Pride Picnic on June 27, 2026!

Write about your experiences

Join in the editorial team

Read also

Practice languages in Maailmanvaihto’s Language Café

For young people living in Finland: circular economy, second-hand shop, children’s aid… … apply now to volunteer in Iceland!

For young people living in Finland: Workshops for young people, social media outreach… apply now to volunteer in Italy!

Join Maailmanvaihto at the Helsinki Pride Parade and the Pride Picnic on June 27, 2026!

Susanna: Suomesta Itävaltaan

Lähdin, koska…

Itävaltaan!

Monipuolisia työtehtäviä ja uuden oppimista

Vapaaehtoisena pandemian aikana

Arvokkaita ystävyyssuhteita ja koronarajoitusten tuomat haasteet

Terveiseni niille, jotka ovat kiinnostuneet vapaaehtoistyöstä maailmalla

Fang-Yuan: From Taiwan to Finland

I went because…

To Finland!

Living and assisting at a Finnish folk high school

Influence of the coronavirus situation

Greetings to those who are thinking of volunteering abroad

Read also

MaailmanVaihtoa – Volunteers’ Voices 2/2025: Environment and International Volunteering

Vounteers’ Voices 2/2023: Decolonising international volunteering

MaailmanVaihtoa – Volunteers’ Voices 1/2023: Language and Communication

Safer space and accessibility

How to join

Read also

Join us in creating the MaailmanVaihtoa – Volunteers’ Voices 2/2026 magazine! Brainstorming meeting Wed 15 April

Maailmanvaihto’s office closed from April 3 to 6

Capital region: Become a host family in April for a young volunteer from France with Maailmanvaihto

Continuing co-operating with Kisälli-Harjulanmäki