ESC Volunteering: Available Projects

Apply for the European Solidarity Corps volunteering periods in Finland! On this page you can find those projects coordinated by Maailmanvaihto that are currently seeking volunteers and instructions for applying for them.

To apply, please download Maailmanvaihto’s application form: application form (docx) or application form (pdf) and read instructions for filling in the form from the bottom of this page. Send your filled-in application to evs(a)maailmanvaihto.fi.

Please note that Maailmanvaihto only accepts applications which have been filled into Maailmanvaihto’s application form. Prior to applying, please read carefully the project descriptions below as well as the program information.

Available ESC Projects

Vanhamäki Activity Centre

VANHAMÄKI is an activity centre in Suonenjoki, which is a small rural town of some 7 500 inhabitants, situated in the central Finland. Vanhamäki provides different kinds of activities for visitors and it also runs organic farm, horse stables and a foster home. The centre produces organic berries and vegetables and the products are also sold in the little shop. Vanhamäki also has a lunch restaurant, serving 100-200 clients every weekday. It is very famous for its food, using organic and local ingredients as much as possible.

Volunteering period: 1.4.–30.11.2020 (8 months)
Number of volunteers: 3
Location: Vanhamäki is sitatated in Suonenjoki, in the countryside surroundings, by a lake.
Volunteer’s role, tasks and requirements: Volunteering tasks vary according to the season: in the summer time the volunteers work more in Vanhamäki and in the autumn and spring there is more cooperation with other local organizations, such as local folk academy, association of unemployed people and a school. At Vanhamäki the volunteers assist in different kinds of tasks, both outdoors and indoors. They take part in organic farming and maintenance work of the park area. Volunteers also assist in planning and carrying out events in Vanhamäki according to their skills and interests. The volunteers can also carry out tasks in the office and kitchen, as well as at the horse stables of the activity centre. It is important that the volunteer enjoys both practical and social work tasks. It is good to have an interest in organic farming and nature.
Accommodation: The volunteers are accommodated in the Vanhamäki centre in a single room, shared kitchen and bathroom facilities. Volunteers are provided with breakfast, lunch, afternoon coffee and dinner in the restaurant of Vanhamäki.
Website of the organisation: www.vanhamaki.fi
Organisation in the European Youth Portal
Volunteers’ experiences
Deadline for applying: the 26th of January, 2020

“Volunteering has been a period of intense change in our lives. New country, new people, new climate… Definitely, a moment to discover, not only our surroundings, but also ourselves.” – Vanhamäki’s volunteers Nathan (from France), Diogo (from Madeira of Portugal) and Elisa (from Spain)

Kårkulla samkommun / Dagtek community / Life skills activities

Dagtek serviceenhet (community) is a part of Kårkulla samkommun (federation of municipalities), which offers services for intellectually disabled persons with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorders. The activities Dagtek offers are divided into several sections that all focus on different areas. The participants in the LO (Livsorienterad verksamhet in Swedish) life skills activities need a lot of guidance and support in their daily activities. The LO activities take place in small groups consisting of 2–4 people and are always planned according to the condition, interests and needs of the participants. About 20 people take part in the LO activities daily, some of them participating also in the activities of the arts & crafts workshop Dagtek facilitates. Dagtek’s daily activities consist of, for example, music, arts and crafts, painting, different games and going outside for walks. The goal is to encourage every participant to be active, get involved, make their own decisions and affect the content of their daily lives, taking into consideration every participant’s individual starting points.

Volunteering period: 28.1.2020–27.1.2021 (12 months)
Number of volunteers: 1
Location: Dagtek is located in Ekenäs (Tammisaari in Finnish). Ekenäs is a small town of about 15 000 inhabitants and it is situated by the sea in the Southern Finland. The majority language is Swedish (81%) and only about 17% of the population speak Finnish. Ekenäs is a part of the Raseborg commune (28 000 inhabitants). Dagtek is located in the centre of the town.
Volunteer’s role and tasks: Through ESC volunteer cooperation, Dagtek wishes to offer its community members a possibility to build networks and get a wider perspective on the world around us. At the same time, we hope to have one more person to be present for our clients and assist in the daily activities and in social and practical situations during the day. The volunteer’s role in the LO activities is to support and give guidance, but also help in the clients’ daily activities related to meal times, going to the toilet and walks outside, as well as walking the clients to and from their car transportation when they arrive and leave Dagtek. According to their skills and interests, the volunteer can also organize activities for small groups or individually. Dagtek values different creative activities such as music, arts and dancing. Dagtek’s clients also appreciate, for example, having a possibility to bake together with the volunteer every now and then. The volunteer can also contribute in the production of pedagogic and photographic materials and the documentation of Dagtek’s activities through photographing, for example.
Volunteer’s requirements: It is important that the volunteer is socially active, flexible and motivated to participate in the community life as being there for the participants, being social, talking with the people, and bringing up their ideas to the colleagues and mentors. Dagtek hopes that they can receive a volunteer interested in working with adults (18–60-year-olds) who have developmental disorders. Dagtek also wishes that the volunteer has good social skills and is open to meeting new people. The voluntary workplace appreciates flexibility and a positive outlook on life and other people. It is also important that the volunteer is able to tolerate fast-changing situations. Experiences or skills in alternative communication methods are an advantage, but not a requirement. If you feel like you have the ability to motivate and encourage people and awaken their interest in participating and being active, you are a good match for Dagtek’s team! The working language of Dagtek is Swedish, so it is important that the volunteer is motivated to learn Swedish.
Accessibility: The workplace unfortunately does not have resources to offer support for volunteers with physical, sensory or other disabilities. If you feel you would be able to carry out the volunteering tasks rather independently but are unsure if the position would be suitable for you, please contact us for consultation before sending the application.
Accommodation and practical arrangements: The volunteer is accommodated in a host family. Lunch will be provided at Dagtek together with their participants and the team. Other meals are provided by the host family.
Website of the organisation: www.karkulla.fi/enheter/vastra-nyland
Deadline for applying: The 1st of December 2019

How to apply? Three simple steps:

Choose from the list above the project you wish to apply to.
After selecting the project, download and fill in Maailmanvaihto’s application form: application form (docx) or application form (pdf). If you wish to apply to more than one project, please fill in a separate form for each project. Write your answers on the green blank fields. There is no length limit for your answers.
Send your application form as an email attachment to: evs(a)maailmanvaihto.fi Write the project name to the subject field. Attach your application to the message and send. Photos are optional.

Please note these things:

In order to apply, you need to have a sending organization in the country you live in. In case you do not yet have a sending organization, you can look for one from this database.
If you do not understand the content of the application form, please ask help from your sending organisation.
Maailmanvaihto only accepts applications which have been filled into Maailmanvaihto’s application form.
Prior to sending us an application, please read through the program information in order to get a picture on the European Solidarity Corps Volunteering.
ESC volunteering periods are targeted especially for those young adults who otherwise have less opportunities than their peers to participate in transnational projects. If you feel you have less opportunities than other young people, please tell about this in your application. There is a separate question on it in the application form.