The board of Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland is in charge of our operations and co-operation with other non-governmental organisations. The board works voluntarily.
Maailmanvaihto’s board is selected by the general assembly, the highest decision-making body of the organization, which meets twice a year. All members of Maailmanvaihto are allowed to vote in the general assembly. Maailmanvaihto has about seven hundred members.
Chairperson
How did you end up joining the activities of Maailmanvaihto?
I headed through Maailmanvaihto to India for six months of volunteering in 2014–2015. After my volunteering period, I have aimed to participate in Maailmanvaihto’s activities in different ways, because this way I can keep on supporting the activities that are important to me.
With what kind of a life philosophy do you approach your position as a board member and life in general?
As in life in general, I aim at bringing forward in my board member tasks my warmth and cheer up others!
Share a nice memory from participating in Maailmanvaihto’s activities.
At Maailmanvaihto’s pre-departure training camp, I met a volunteer from Japan who was currently in Finland. When I introduced myself, the volunteer told me that my name means in Japanese some sort of a way to hit with a Japanese katana. I was in a new way very impressed by the choice of name made by my parents!
Pre-departure training and return support for outgoing volunteers
How did you end up joining the activities of Maailmanvaihto?
I volunteered through Maailmanvaihto in India in 2015–2016.
With what kind of a life philosophy do you approach your position as a board member and life in general?
Don’t be afraid to improvise and learn from your mistakes. In India, I was taught to always cook without a recipe. If you end up with too much salt or chili, you just make sure to adjust next time and eventually you’ll get it just right.
Share a nice memory from participating in Maailmanvaihto’s activities.
Before my volunteering period in India, I became friends with a Mexican volunteer at Maailmanvaihto’s pre-departure camp. About a year and a half later, when I was about to return to Finland from my volunteering period, I found out his little sister was coming to work at the same school and would be accommodated in my old room!
How did you end up joining the activities of Maailmanvaihto?
Volunteerism has always been a significant part of my life and I strongly believe in giving back to community and society. 💜🌐 Engaging in volunteerism has broadened my life perspectives and I hope other youths could have the same opportunities – giving back to society while exploring the world and experiencing new cultures. This passion for making a difference led me to join Maailmanvaihto. 
With what kind of life philosophy do you approach your position as a board member and life in general?
As a board member, I approach my role with dedication to fostering meaningful connections across cultures. In life, I believe in the importance of empathy, continuous learning, and making a positive impact on the world around us.
Share a nice memory from participating in Maailmanvaihto’s activities.
I really like the Buddy activity which was my first volunteer role with Maailmanvaihto. As a Buddy for two young volunteers from Germany and Italy, I assist them in adapting to life in Finland and occasionally checking in on them to see how they are doing during their volunteer experience in Finland.
Volunteering programs in Finland
How did you end up joining the activities of Maailmanvaihto?
When I was in upper secondary school, a Maailmanvaihto volunteer came to live with us and that’s when I became interested in Maailmanvaihto’s activities. That led me to volunteer in the UK in 2021.
With what kind of a life philosophy do you approach your position as a board member and life in general?
In general, that in life everything that happens has a purpose. Even if things don’t go according to plan at first, the end result can be better than the original plan.
Share a nice memory from participating in Maailmanvaihto’s activities.
I have never done as much hiking as I did when I was a volunteer. On hiking trips, plans always suddenly changed and there were lots of different problems, but the best part was the people you were hiking with.
Social media communication
How did you end up joining the activities of Maailmanvaihto?
I moved to Finland after finishing my European Solidarity Corps volunteering period. I wanted to continue doing things related to international volunteering and I contacted Maailmanvaihto. For me being in Maailmanvaihto is also a lot about integrating into Finnish society, practicing my Finnish skills in a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere as well as meeting new people.
With what kind of a life philosophy do you approach your position as a board member and life in general?
Don’t be afraid to try new things but also be attentive to how many new things you can take on yourself at the moment.
Share a nice memory from participating in Maailmanvaihto’s activities.
On-arrival training! It was fascinating to see how Excel tables and Google documents turn into a real camp with real participants. And spending a few days together, getting to know each other, learning new things is incredible. The camp world is always special.
MaailmanVaihtoa – Volunteers’ Voices magazine
How did you end up joining the activities of Maailmanvaihto?
I participated through Maailmanvaito’s European Solidarity Corps volunteering in Austria a few years ago. I got inspired and wanted to continue to stay active at Maailmanvaihto.
With what kind of a life philosophy do you approach your position as a board member and life in general?
One of my favorite quotes is “If you never take a first step, you never go further.”
Share a nice memory from participating in Maailmanvaihto’s activities.
When I was in Austria, I went ice skating after a long time. I hadn’t done that since my primary school years and thought it was not my cup of tea. But with friends, I tried and liked it – and in the end, I did ice skating very many times during my volunteering period. Forget the doubts and be open-minded and try!
Maailmanvaihto’s participation in the Decolonise! project on decolonising international volunteering
How did you end up joining the activities of Maailmanvaihto?
I came to Finland through the organization’s volunteer ICYE program. After spending some more years in Finland I participated in the camps and other activities and finally I was the first volunteer at the Maailmanvaihto office in 2020.
With what kind of a life philosophy do you approach your position as a board member and life in general?
As a member of the board, I hope to support the direction of the organization and bring a new perspective. Overall I have loved the community that I have been part of as a Maailmanvaihto volunteer, and my goal is to pass on that feeling forward.
Share a nice memory from participating in Maailmanvaihto’s activities.
I have so many fun memories, but perhaps the one that takes the #1 spot is having a fun photoshoot at my volunteer workplace which immortalise a memory on a photograph for me! This photo of me and the kids playing in the playground always reminded me about how much fun I had during my exchange, and how much it influenced my life later on 😀
School visit activities
How did you end up joining the activities of Maailmanvaihto?
In 2020, I spent six months as an ICYE volunteer in Taiwan through Maailmanvaihto. I’ve since then been active in the organization.
With what kind of a life philosophy do you approach your position as a board member and life in general?
Often it is worth pursuing opportunities that make you a bit nervous. It usually means you are doing something meaningful.
Share a nice memory from participating in Maailmanvaihto’s activities.
At Maailmanvaihto’s departure camp, I met a Taiwanese volunteer who was volunteering in Finland at the time. She prepared me for my future volunteering experience by telling me about her home country and introducing me to her favorite Taiwanese foods. Only a year later, I was in Taiwan and got to try with her those same local delicacies that I now also miss!
Social media
How did you end up joining the activities of Maailmanvaihto?
I volunteered in Vietnam through Maailmanvaihto for seven months after upper secondary school because I couldn’t decide what to study. I liked volunteering and meeting new people, so I joined the voluntary activities of Maailmanvaihto and became a board member.
With what kind of a life philosophy do you approach your position as a board member and life in general?
I believe that life takes you where you need to go, so even in difficult situations, I try to stay positive and genuine. Positivity rarely hurts!
Share a nice memory from participating in Maailmanvaihto’s activities.
If Finland loves salty liquorice and malted rye, Vietnam is equally fond of karaoke and posing for pictures. Thanks to my volunteer experience, I know karaoke and can make a heart with my hands in at least ten different ways.
Updating the equality plan of Maailmanvaihto
How did you end up joining the activities of Maailmanvaihto?
I came along to the activities of Maailmanvaihto through an internship. The atmosphere at the office was very inspiring, the tasks interesting, and the vision of the organization so well-fitting to my values that I decided to try my wings also as a member of the board!
With what kind of a life philosophy do you approach your position as a board member and life in general?
It’s a cliché, but true: with an open mind towards new challenges!
Share a nice memory from participating in Maailmanvaihto’s activities.
I’ve got plenty of opportunities for international networking through Maailmanvaihto by representing it at different trainings, cooperation projects, and camps. I’ve got to know cool people who I’m still in touch with and meet, sometimes by coincidence.
Volunteering programs in Finland, Maailmanvaihto’s participation in the Decolonise! project on decolonising international volunteering
How did you end up joining the activities of Maailmanvaihto?
I was in Brazil as an exchangee of ICYE in 2005–2006.
With what kind of a life philosophy do you approach your position as a board member and life in general?
Everything is possible! If not, we should try anyway 🙂
Share a nice memory from participating in Maailmanvaihto’s activities.
A few years after the exchange, I returned to Brazil, and the ICYE coordinator there had gathered my ICYE friends together at a pizza restaurant for dinner. At the end of the evening, a birthday cake appeared on our table, and everyone started to sing – we suddenly celebrated my birthday half a year before/after the actual day!
Volunteering programs in Finland
How did you end up joining the activities of Maailmanvaihto?
After graduating from upper secondary school I wanted to have a gap year before continuing my studies. On my mother’s recommendation, I decided to go volunteer through Maailmanvaihto in France for ten months. After the volunteering period, I wanted to stay active within the organisation and ended up joining the board this year.
With what kind of a life philosophy do you approach your position as a board member and life in general?
Openness is important to me. I want to stay open to new possibilities related to working life and personal life. I think it’s usually unnecessary to get stuck in roles that are not serving you. I approach this upcoming board work with a big interest and an open mind!
Share a nice memory from participating in Maailmanvaihto’s activities.
I have very warm memories from the midterm camp in January. I was one of the camp team members and it was great to get to know the International volunteers in Finland. With them, we got to know to Finnish culture for example through pulla baking and sauna. In addition, I learned some Japanese calligraphy for example. This kind of intercultural exchange and learning is one of the best things in Maailmanvaihto’s work!
