Are you interested in volunteering in an educational community? Would you like to support the students and staff of a folk high school? Welcome to Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto!
- Volunteering period: 20.10.2025–22.5.2026
- Duration: 7 months
- Number of volunteers: 1
- Deadline for applying: 16 March 2025
South Ostrobothnia Folk High School (Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto in Finnish) is an education centre situated in the small countryside town of Ilmajoki. It works like a Nordic folk high school offering full time studies in culture, open university, liberal adult education in both general education and vocational education and training. Our school offers both long term study programmes and short courses. The fields of study include art, beauty and make-up, aviation and drone, youth and leisure instructing, and psychology, for example. Every year over 400 students attend our different study programmes. About half of the students have a refugee or immigrant background from over 20 different countries. This makes EPOP a very multicultural place and brings the richness of different cultures to everyday life. The youngest students are 16–17 years old, but most of the students are adults.
Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto is a long-standing, diverse, and robust folk high school. The educational community of students and staff provides an opportunity for personal growth and development. The college responds flexibly to the educational and cultural needs of the surrounding society and its students. The purpose of the college is to provide students a community for learning, gaining independence, integration, and finding direction for further studies or work. The college advances on the path of ecopsychosocial education and accessibility. Ecology and the green transition are integral aspects of the college´s operations and development.
Internationality is a central aspect of the college identity and there is also a wide local network and cooperation. Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto serves as a gateway for students to discover, develop, and educate themselves. The college also opens doors to further education and the professional world. As a Grundtvigian folk high school, it emphasizes living words and dynamic interaction. The foundation is based on a socio-constructivist learning approach, focusing on interaction, experiential learning, and personalization.
Location
Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto is situated in Ilmajoki, a small municipality with the population of about 12 000, located in South Ostrobothia, Western Finland.
Volunteers’ role and tasks
At Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto, the volunteers are supposed to be part of the community and to work in various roles depending on their own learning objectives. The volunteers work as equal members of the work community in various learning environments within the core activities of the school.
To provide examples: the volunteers work according to their own skills as a supervisor for students’ evening and leisure activities. They are supported by the college community worker and teachers performing evening supervision. We also offer the opportunity to participate in kitchen and cleaning work, as well as property and environmental maintenance. The volunteers can also, in collaboration with local organization representatives, organize various events and activities tailored for students and the target groups of organizational activities. At Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto, there is a comprehensive collaboration network with local organizations.
The volunteers get a unique opportunity to work in a community where equality is the foundation of all activities. At Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto, we all greet each other, regardless of whether we know each other or not. The volunteers have the opportunity to participate in activities aimed at creating and implementing shared activities for people of different age groups and cultural backgrounds. These encounters promote not only the sense of community among the college´s students but also the interaction of people from various backgrounds in the region, positively impacting wellbeing, mental health, and everyday life. The principles of sustainable development and the green transition are considered as a comprehensive responsibility. A well-being individual also takes responsibility for the impacts of their own actions on nature, society, or other people.
Volunteers’ profile
We are looking for an active and self-motivated volunteer who is interested in working with people from different cultures. Good organisational skills and interest in organising activities related to sports, culture, music, and nature would be useful. We hope the volunteer will participate in the community college’s leisure and evening activities both as a participant and, when possible, as an organizer.
The campus area is located at about 4 km distance from the town centre and there is no public transportation, so ability to ride a bike is helpful. Since the host organisation is located in the countryside, it is important to enjoy the peaceful environment and to be independent and active in creating free-time activities.
Accommodation, food, transportation and days off & holidays
The volunteers will be accommodated in a student dormitory. There are about 150 dormitory places in the campus area, and additional dormitories at about 1.5 km from the campus. The volunteers will share a pre-furnished double room in a shared apartment. Living at the school is a suitable blend of individuality and community. On weekdays, the volunteers can enjoy a diverse and delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the college restaurant. We support weekend meals by providing a food allowance to the volunteers.
There are several bus connections per day from Ilmajoki to the city of Seinäjoki. The volunteers will be reimbursed one round trip to Seinäjoki per week.
The volunteers will have 2 days off per week and will be entitled to 2 holiday 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
We are open to hosting volunteers with some special needs. If the volunteer has special needs, we will carefully plan the required means of support together with the volunteer and sending and coordinating organisations. The institute has wheelchair-accessible buildings including the dormitories. Additionally, there is an accessible nature trail located in the area’s forest.
If you need additional support due to a disability, a long-term illness, or other reason and would like to discuss if volunteering at South Ostrobothnia Folk High School 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
Community development; physical and mental health, well-being; key competences development
How to apply?
Further information
Volunteers’ Experiences
Yağmur: Embracing Growth and Community – My Volunteering Experience at EPOP
“Hei! My name is Yağmur and I’m volunteering in Etelä-Pohjanmaann Opisto. Despite the darkness and coldness in Finland, which I’m not used to as someone who is from Turkey, my day goes really fast because I love my volunteering job! Every day I get to see my friends, do fun activities together, play volleyball, play the guitar, singing, games and many other things! The best part is that I’m doing different things every day!
Being a volunteer at Etelä-Pohjanmaan Opisto (EPOP) is an incredible opportunity for personal growth. Since the opisto offers a flexible environment, you have the chance to explore your interests, discover your talents, and ultimately find a suitable career path. There’s no need to feel anxious – there are plenty of tasks around the opisto that you can take on! The key is to stay open-minded and communicate with others. You can organize evening events, such as parties, dinners, or movie nights, help in the kitchen, or even start an evening course for the students. The possibilities are endless!
When I first arrived in Finland, I attended an orientation camp before starting my volunteering experience at EPOP. It was an exciting time for me because I had always dreamed of being in Finland. However, volunteering is not just a fairytale; it comes with its own set of challenges. The darkness, the struggle to fit in, and the difficulty of finding things to do on weekends were tough at first. In Ilmajoki, winter makes traveling more complicated due to the snow, ice, and early sunsets. During weekends, many people go home, and you may find yourself feeling alone. However, there are beautiful forests all around that I haven’t even fully explored yet! Taking a walk with your headphones on can be a great way to discover what this place has to offer.
October and November were particularly difficult months for me. I struggled with adapting to the new environment. But one thing I can assure every future applicant is that there’s nothing to be afraid of. Opisto is a warm and welcoming place, where you can always ask for help whenever you need it. The support system here is truly amazing.
Over time, I have grown so much and discovered more about myself. I now have a clearer understanding of what I enjoy doing, and I am shaping my volunteering experience accordingly. Here are some of the activities I am involved in:
- Baking with students in the kitchen. Sometimes, we cook dinners from different cultures and enjoy them together while playing Kahoot!
- Hosting a volleyball course where I teach basic techniques to interested students.
- Helping in the kitchen, as I have always loved cooking and being in that environment. Also, giving guitar lessons to students.
- Various activities like playing games, crafting, and having discussions.
Volunteering at EPOP has been a transformative experience for me. It has given me the freedom to explore my passions while contributing to the community. I get to do things that I love – whether it’s cooking, teaching, or playing sports – while also helping others. It truly feels like a dream come true! If you are considering volunteering at EPOP, my advice is to embrace every opportunity, be open to new experiences, and enjoy the journey. It’s a win-win situation where you grow, learn, and make unforgettable memories!”
