Icye Finland National Profile 2021–22
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ICYE FINLAND NATIONAL PROFILE 2021–22 1 CONTENT Tervetuloa! Welcome to Finland! ................................................................... 3 1. Meet us: Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland..................................................... 4 2. The ICYE program........................................................................................ 6 3. Volunteer work placements......................................................................... 8 Towns and countryside locations .................................................................... 8 Accommodation.............................................................................................. 8 4. Information on Finland .............................................................................. 10 A brief history of Finland ............................................................................. 11 Geography and nature .................................................................................... 12 Finnish society ................................................................................................ 13 Climate and seasons ....................................................................................... 14 Finnish language.............................................................................................. 15 Ways of communication ................................................................................. 15 Relation to time .............................................................................................. 16 Men and women ............................................................................................ 16 City vs countryside .......................................................................................... 18 Finnish culture and arts .................................................................................. 18 Economy ......................................................................................................... 19 Education ........................................................................................................ 20 Food ................................................................................................................ 20 5. Important to know ..................................................................................... 21 Residence permit to Finland ........................................................................... 21 Contract and invitation letter ......................................................................... 22 Insurances ...................................................................................................... 22 Vaccinations .................................................................................................... 22 6. Practical advice .......................................................................................... 23 Arrival to Finland ............................................................................................ 23 Travelling ........................................................................................................ 23 Clothing .......................................................................................................... 23 Things to bring along ...................................................................................... 23 Pocket money and living costs ........................................................................ 23 7. Get the most out of your volunteer work period ....................................... 25 8. Some useful words in Finnish ..................................................................... 26 9. Links to further information....................................................................... 27 For information on the Coronavirus situation in Finland, please see Coronavirus COVID 19 - The Latest Updates of The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. 2 Tervetuloa! Welcome to Finland! We at Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland are very volunteer period starts as you read it! We will happy to welcome you for a volunteer period in our arrange your hosting in Finland and support you Northern country. Whatever your reason to choose in having a beneficial and enjoyable volunteer Finland is – whether you are interested in observing experience – you just need to be motivated and the Finnish education system in practise, you are have a positive attitude! fond of the nature and looking forward to see the Northern Lights or you love Finnish music When it comes to the Coronaviruspandemic and – we hope that you will have a positive experience travelling to Finland for volunteering, we follow in Suomi, Finland! closely the development of the Coronavirus situation in Finland and keep in touch with our Volunteering in Finland will surely be an important volunteers and their receiving communities about intercultural learning experience for you. You will the safety measures needed. We also inform them be learning about the Finnish lifestyle and different about possible changes in the programme due cultures – and also gaining a deeper understanding to the Coronavirus situation. It is our aim that all of yourself and your own cultural background! The parties can join in the co-operation safely. volunteer year is full of adventures and new friends, but also everyday life with its challenges, and that We are looking forward to meeting you! is often where the deeper learning happens. So, in addition to warm clothes, please remember to bring with you a positive and open mind! This National Profile was made for you in order to Mari Takalo give you a basic view on the ICYE program in Finland The Program Coordinator – and a short introduction to the Finnish society and of Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland culture, so that you can better imagine what lies ahead of you. But of course the reality will always P.S. It is very important that all the volunteers arrive be a bit different than you expect, so you just need early enough so that they will be able to participate to come and experience the dark winter days and the On-Arrival Training camp in the end of August sunny summer nights yourself! 2021. The window dates for arriving in Finland will be confirmed later. Reading this National Profile is one of the first steps you can take to prepare yourself for the coming volunteer year in Finland. In fact, your extended 3 Welcome to Finland! Board members of ICYE Finland and foreign and Finnish volunteers of the organization a few years 4 ago at the World Village Festival in Helsinki. 1. MEET US: MAAILMANVAIHTO – ICYE FINLAND The Finnish ICYE committee aims at providing possibilities for intercultural learning for volunteers from different cultural backgrounds. Maailmanvaihto – ICYE Finland (the Finnish responsibility and active citizenship. We are a part name meaning “world exchange”) is a non-profit of the International Cultural Youth Exchange (ICYE) organisation founded in 1958. We welcome Federation, which has member committees in about about 30–40 volunteers annually from abroad 40 countries all over the world. to do volunteer work in different types of host organisations around Finland. The volunteers ACTIVITIES ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS come through three different programs: CYE,I ESC (European Solidarity Corps Volunteering) and IJFD Voluntary co-workers play a significant role in (Internationaler Jugendfreiwilligendienst).Every Maailmanvaihto, because many of our activities year we also send about 30–40 Finnish volunteers to are organised with the help of Finnish volunteers. Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and Oceania. In cooperation with the ICYE staff, our co-workers Maailmanvaihto organizes intercultural learning organise annual activities like the On-Arrival experiences for young adults and advances and Mid-Term camps. Our co-workers are often their social development and personal growth. former ICYE/ESC volunteers or people interested in Maailmanvaihto aims at advancing intercultural intercultural activities. understanding, equality and peace in the world. Our values are intercultural learning, global 4 ICYE FINLAND’S BOARD AND STAFF Takalo is responsible for the incoming volunteers’ program in Finland. Communications OfficerMinna Maailmanvaihto is run by a board consisting of Räisänen works with PR and media relations. 10–12 members, mostly people in their 20s and Normally there is also a trainee, a volunteer or 30s. Often they are returnees and they all work other temporary staff working at the ICYE Finland on a voluntary basis. In 2020, the chairperson of office. Please feel free to contact us in case you have the board is Roosa Kontiokari. The board normally feedback or ideas on the Maailmanvaihto activities! meets once a month and is entrusted with the power to make decisions outside the General OFFICE IN HELSINKI Assembly. Every board member has a field of responsibility, such as PR & advertising, training Our office is located in the centre of Helsinki in camp activities or support persons. They work on Kruununhaka district, just a 10 minute walk from these fields together with the office staff and co- the Central Railway Station. Our office address is workers of Maailmanvaihto. Oikokatu 3. Please see the map and accessiblity The organisation is lead by the General Assembly information at our website: that is held once a year. At this assembly the board https://www.maailmanvaihto.fi/en/contact-information of ICYE Finland and its chairperson are elected. The office is open fom Monday to Friday from 10 We have