Support for Integration
All Our Children support the well-being of children, young people, and families who have migrated to Finland. We take into account the cultural background of the families and provide support for the development of children’s, families’ and young people’s sense of belonging and participation as part of their integration and settling process. We also promote the integration of families and the dialogue between authorities and immigrant communities.
Currently, we offer only one active immigration support program: The Support Families and People Program, which provides individual support to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and youth, as well as children arriving with their families. Our other activities, The Supported Friend Family Program and Recreational Outings and Trips for Families living in Reception Centers, are currently on hold. Our volunteer programs aim to provide meaningful integration support for children, youth, and families.
Voluntary Support Families and Support Persons Program
The Support family and Support persons program aims to support the integration of unaccompanied children and young people who have migrated to Finland. Additionally, the program is for children who have migrated with their families and need long-lasting relationships and support for integration.
The program offers support for children and young people aged 7-24 years. Currently, we organize activities for children and young people without family, in the Uusimaa area, and for children with their families in Helsinki.
The purpose of the Support family and Support person program is to support the integration and well-being of children and young people by strengthening their social networks, Finnish language and knowledge of the culture and customs, while spending also meaningful time together.
We offer high-quality activities for all volunteers which include a 12-hour training process, various types of support (e.g. work-counselling, recreational activities, in-service training) and personal support if needed for all parties in the support relationship.
Support families and Support persons are ordinary, safe adults and families who have sufficient skills to encounter and support a child or young person who has migrated to Finland. Long-term commitment is expected from volunteers joining for the Support families and Support persons program.
Willing to be a volunteer?
Could you or your family offer experiences of a safe and normal everyday life for a child or young person living in Finland without their family? Would you like to enhance the integration of a child with family and the family’s ability to cope in the new home country?
What do we expect from volunteers?
- Desire to create a new relationship
- Well-balanced with their life situation
- Capable to meet the child/young person 2–4 times per month
- Capable to commit volunteering on a long-term basis
- Proactive in communication with the child/young person
- Co-operative with the child’s family and employees of the (volunteer) program
- Support person / at least the other parent of Support family has the basic Finnish language skills (around A2–B1) or a desire to learn the language together with the child or young person
In the Support family and Support person program, the child or young person visits at volunteer’s home. The child or young person participates in the family’s normal everyday life and joint activities. The child/ young person can also stay overnight at the volunteer’s home if all parties wish that.
Joint everyday activities can be cooking, playing with children or pets, playing games, talking or doing hobbies. The whole family living in the same address participates in the activity. This means that Support Family or Support person can be one person, a couple, or a family with one or more than one parents and their children.
Voluntary Support families and Support persons for unaccompanied children and young people are needed in the capital region of Finland, Central Uusimaa and Western Uusimaa. Unaccompanied children and young people are usually between ages of 15 and 24. You can act as Support family or Support person for a child who migrated to Finland with their family, in the Helsinki region. The children with their families are usually from 5 to16 years old.
Training for the volunteers of Support families and Support persons program
We offer training to those becoming voluntary Support families or Support persons. The training gives them tools to meet and support children and young people in vulnerable position who have migrated to Finland. The training is divided into an online part done independently (duration of about 4–8 hours) and a part of face-to-face attendance (duration of 3 hours). The attendance part of the training takes place after the online part.
The trainings are mainly organized in Finnish, but the materials are also available in English. We wish that all parents of the Support family (with more than one parent) will participate in the whole training.
We call all the registered volunteers before the training, in order to map the volunteer’s expectations and capabilities. Also, with the consent of the volunteer, their criminal records extract and the customer register information of social services will be checked.
During the training, the potential volunteer may take their time to consider/consider in peace whether the Program is a suitable form of volunteering for them.
Sign up for Spring 2026 trainings here
Contact information:
Meeri Lindroos
Support for Integration
Tel. +358 44 7211 244
meeri.lindroos@yhteisetlapsemme.fi
The Supported Friend Family Program
In the Friend Supported Family program (STEA 2023–2026), migrant families with children are connected with Finnish volunteers and volunteer friend families. Through these connections, families build contacts with Finns and peers who have already integrated into Finnish society, become familiar with their local neighbourhood, learn how to get around the area, and explore local services and opportunities. The activities are organised in the Helsinki, Vantaa, and Kerava areas.
The programme is aimed at migrant families with children who are looking for opportunities to meet new people while becoming familiar with Finnish culture and language, and who wish to explore their new home neighbourhood, its surroundings, and the opportunities they offer. Families meet with their neighbourhood buddy or buddy family approximately ten times. During these meetings, they may visit places such as libraries, cultural events, leisure activities, nature areas, and family cafés. Language learning takes place naturally alongside shared activities through different themes.
Registration for the programme has closed.
Contact Information
Are you interested in our program? Please Contact!
Mathilda Selin
Specialist
The Supported Friend Family Program
Support for Integration
Tel. +35844 7211 233
Mariam Umor
Specialist
The Supported Friend Family Program
Support for Integration
Tel. +35844 729 2033
E-mail: name.surname@yhteisetlapsemme.fi or lahialuekaveri@yhteisetlapsemme.fi