Everyday support

The purpose of everyday support is to promote migrants' life management by supporting settling into a new home and helping them familiarise themselves with the services and people in their living environment.

Everyday help is a form of so-called short-term volunteer activity. Volunteers meet with the person integrating 3, 5, or 10 times during the initial phase of their integration. The themes for the meetings are planned in advance, and the model to be used is chosen together with the integrating person, taking into account their needs and wishes as well as, of course, local possibilities. The first meeting is for getting to know each other and going through things related to the home and living. A checklist is available to support the meetings, helping to remember the things to be reviewed together.

How to get involved in Everyday help activities

• Sign up as a volunteer in your local area by creating a profile on Oma Punainen Risti. Through the platform, you will receive more information about the activities of your local branch.
• You can also contact the district staff member, who will guide you forward. Contact details for district staff can be found here (in Finnish).

Training path

• Welcome to the Red Cross (45 min, online self-study)
• Supporting integration (3 hours) – find the next course on Oma Punainen Risti
• Everyday support training (3 hours) – find the next course on Oma Punainen Risti

Starting Everyday help activities in a branch

1. Find out if there is demand for Everyday support activities in your local area. Contact your local authorities and other organisations working with migrants.
2. Decide who will act as the Everyday support contact persons. The activity must have a responsible volunteer, preferably a working pair.
3. Recruit new volunteers.
4. Organise an Everyday support training.
5. Agree on cooperation with the municipality and/or reception centre, and establish common rules for the activities.
6. Cooperate also with other local actors.
7. Remember to look after the well-being of the volunteers, and organise joint meetings and recreational activities for recreation.