ICYE Volunteering in Finland

Are you interested in volunteering in Finland? We receive about 20–25 volunteers from partner countries of the International Cultural Youth Exchange (ICYE) every year. Join the program!

The International Cultural Youth Exchange program offers a chance to volunteer for 6 or 12 months. How do people live their daily lives in Finland? Come and explore this as an ICYE volunteer!

The voluntary work periods aim to create grass-root level contacts and understanding between people with different kinds of backgrounds. Time spent volunteering is especially about sharing daily life.

“The profit you take for yourself and the things you can give to others are amazing. So, people: go abroad and make yourself and others a wonderful time!” – Vera, ICYE volunteer from Germany

Most ICYE placements in Finland are in education and social work. The latter includes supporting elderly people and individuals with special needs. These services are mostly run by the government and municipalities, but many non-governmental organizations are also active in this field.

These are different types of voluntary work placements that we coordinate:

1) Education:

Kindergartens in Finland care for children aged 1–6 whose parents work during the day. Volunteers help staff with daily tasks like playing with kids, assisting them with meals and dressing, and tidying up. This is a great way to learn the language! Some kindergartens use English or Spanish or pedagogical methods of Montessori or Steiner.
Primary and secondary schools have together nine grades (ages 7–16), with a possible extra 10th year. Most are government-run. Volunteers help teachers, assist in organising international days and other events, and assist in daily tasks. The goal is to encourage intercultural learning and language practice for students. Some volunteers work in schools for students with special needs or vocational schools.
Folk high schools are boarding schools for mostly young adults (16–30+), offering a variety of study programs and courses that vary from arts to languages and university prep. Many also teach Finnish to immigrants and refugees. Often, young people spend a gap year studying in a folk high school. Located in the countryside, the folk high schools provide a unique cultural experience. The volunteers’ tasks vary according to their skills and interests. They may help with teaching, give language courses, organise free-time activities, and help in practical tasks like kitchen, library, office or garden work. It may be possible to combine volunteering with studying some subjects.

2) Health:

Working with People with Special Needs. Some placements support people with developmental, mental, or physical disabilities, or learning challenges. Volunteers assist in schools, day activity centers, arts & crafts workshops, farms, and living communities. Tasks range from helping with meals to supporting therapy, art, or agriculture, animale care, and gardening activities. The work can be challenging but rewarding. Learning Finnish is important, as many participants don’t speak English.
Elderly homes care for seniors who can’t live alone, providing housing, meals, activities, and care. Usually the elderly live in the rooms of one or two people, and the houses include common rooms for all the inhabitants. Volunteers assist with daily tasks like dining support and engaging residents in activities. These homes focus on creating a warm, homely atmosphere. Since many elderly residents don’t speak English, volunteers should be eager to learn Finnish.

Many workplaces are located in the countryside, where public transport to nearby towns and cities may be limited. This means you might not be able to visit the city frequently. However, a key part of the experience is immersing yourself in the local community and culture.

There are also some placements in Helsinki, as well as in smaller cities and towns. Many volunteers are accommodated at their workplace, such as in folk high schools. Please note that placements with host family accommodation (e.g., in schools and kindergartens) are limited, and we can only confirm them once host families have been found.

ICYE volunteering – who can participate?

For the work placements, the most important qualities are a positive attitude, motivation to volunteer in the education or social work field, and a willingness to learn. No prior experience of is required from participants. You can get started with just basic English skills, but prior experience and basic English or Finnish skills can help you find a placement more easily. The ICYE voluntary work program is mostly for persons aged between 18 to 30 years, but the upper age limit is flexible.

We require a full COVID-19 vaccination series for volunteers working with vulnerable individuals, such as the elderly or people with disabilities. An exception is possible if you cannot take the vaccine for health reasons. If you haven’t been able to take the vaccinations, we can welcome you only if you commit to taking the vaccinations soon after you arrive in Finland following the vaccination schedule.

Volunteering with Additional Support

If you need additional support because of a disability or a long-term illness, for example, consult us about possibilities to volunteer in one of the voluntary workplaces. We will gladly see if there are suitable options available for you. Each description of the voluntary workplaces in the Volunteering Profile above includes brief accessibility information to give you already a bit of further information, and we’ll gladly tell you more.

Costs?

The ICYE volunteers themselves pay a program fee for their National ICYE Committee. The amount of the program fee differs from country to country.

The program fee comprises health insurance, Finnish language, and cultural training, full board, and support from Maailmanvaihto during the voluntary work period.

The daily travel costs between the place of accommodation and work are covered, and the volunteer workplace provides the volunteer with monthly pocket money (in the season 2025–2026, the pocket money is 125 € per month).

How to apply?

We welcome ICYE volunteers to Finland through our ICYE partner organisations around the world. ICYE has National Committees in about 40 countries – so there’s a good chance there’s one near you!

You can find their contact info at https://www.icye.org/icye-in-the-world — just click the name of the country you live in to get started!

Further information

Get to the know experiences of our ICYE volunteers
Learn also about the policies of ICYE for its activities:

In case you have questions, please contact us.