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1. Information providers

2. Key initiatives

Information providers

Municipalities and representatives of the civil society are the main information providers of youth volunteering opportunities. At present, the ministries do not directly disseminate information on opportunities, but they do support the civil society organisations in order to guarantee them. Many of these organisations, which provide information, are the same actors that organise national and international volunteering opportunities. 

• Several municipalities provide information about volunteering opportunities, see for example Volunteer Helsinki.
   
• The Finnish National Youth Council Allianssi, among its other tasks, raises awareness amongst young people about the value and possibilities of national and international voluntary activities.
   
• Maailmanvaihto ry. – ICYE Finland is an international non-profit youth exchange organisation that promotes international voluntary service.
   
• The Citizen Forum is a non-aligned association, which aims at promoting participation in voluntary activities. Its main focus has not been primarily on young people, but on developing a common understanding of volunteering, defining good practices, sharing information about the value of the volunteering, and including grassroots level voluntary organisations into the strategic planning process of volunteering at the national level.
   
• www.vapaaehtoistyo.fi (volunteer work.fi) organised by Kirkkopalvelut is an internet brokerage portal that functions as a national platform for organisations looking for volunteers and individuals interested in volunteering.
   
• Educational institutions. Since volunteering is seen as an opportunity to learn citizenship skills, group participation, and a sense of community, its role within the educational framework is emphasised in Finland.

Key initiatives

According to the new national curriculum, voluntary activities will be a part of thematic studies in upper secondary education in Finland. The new national curriculum came into effect on 1st of August 2016. An International Baccalaureate upper secondary education already includes 50 hours of voluntary activities. Young people can also study the management of voluntary work in vocational secondary education. (More about upper secondary education in Finland).