The City Executive Office coordinates Helsinki’s cooperation with organisations
The Helsinki City Executive Office is responsible for coordinating the City’s cooperation with organisations. Established in 2023, the Organisation Advisory Council supports the participation and influencing opportunities of organisations in Helsinki.
The Organisation Advisory Council:
- strengthens the voice of organisations through proposals, statements and comments;
- participates in cooperation to promote wellbeing and health;
- supports cooperation between the City and organisations and between organisations themselves.
Learn more about the work of the Organisation Advisory Council(Link leads to external service)
Subscribe to the City Executive Office’s newsletter for organisations to receive the latest information about cooperation and events!
Subscribe to the newsletter (Link leads to external service)
Cooperation with organisations in family and social services
Activities of family centres
The family centre activities of Helsinki is coordinated by Project Coordinator Noora Nurminen ( noora.nurminen@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)).
The family centres of Helsinki cooperate with organisations for children and families. The family cafés of Kampi, Kallio, Itäkatu and Vuosaari Family Centres are open to non-profit associations in Helsinki. The facilities can be used to put together peer groups, family cafés and pop-up events, for example. The activities must support family services, be free of charge and be open to all Helsinki residents.
You can enquire about facility reservations at pk.tilavaraus@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program). You can also attach communication materials about your activities to your message. We will be happy to share information about free-of-charge services on the information displays of family centres and on the Lapsiperheiden Helsinki (‘Helsinki for Families with Children’) social media channels.
Cooperation networks
Regional cooperation networks for children and young people bring together the City’s operators and organisations to promote the wellbeing of children and young people. You can ask the chairpersons of the regional networks about cooperation opportunities:
- South-central: Sari Utriainen, district manager of early childhood education, Education Division ( sari.utriainen@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program) )
- East-southeast: Katriina Aaltio, district manager of basic education, Education Division ( katriina.aaltio@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program))
- Northeast (Malmi, Jakomäki): Erja Huttunen, chief nursing officer, maternity and child health clinic, social services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division ( erja.huttunen@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program))
- West-North: Mari Väistö, chief nursing officer, school health care, social services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division ( mari.vaisto@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program))
- Swedish-language working group: Niclas Rönnholm, head of Swedish-language basic education, Education Division ( niclas.ronnholm@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program))
Cooperation with organisations in the Helsinki and Uusimaa region
Children’s and family organisations in the Helsinki and Uusimaa region form a network and are represented in the Helsinki Organisation Advisory Council by MLL Uudenmaan piiri ry and Helsinki Mother and Child Home. For more information about the network of organisations, please contact Preventive Work Coordinator Malla Kosunen from SOS Children’s Villages ( malla.kosunen@sos-lapsikyla.fi(Link opens default mail program)).
Expert-by-experience activities
In family social work and the operations of Child Welfare, the peer and expert-by-experience activities of organisations are an important part of the cooperation carried out. The cooperation is led by Specialist Social Worker Pauliina Levamo (
pauliina.levamo@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)).
Cooperation with multicultural and immigrant communities
The City’s special services for immigrants cooperate with multicultural and immigrant communities, through networks, for example. For more information, please contact Social Instructor Janna Adnan-Granholm ( janna.adnan-granholm@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)).
Community social work and community work
Community work brings together local residents, associations, operators and authorities to develop their home city. The City’s community workers are there to support you when you want to make a difference in your neighbourhood, together with others. See contact details for community workers
Local outreach work
Organisations are also partners in the City’s outreach work. See the contact details for the City’s outreach work
Council on Disability
Social and health services and organisations for people with disabilities and long-term illnesses cooperate regularly with the Helsinki Council on Disability. The events of the Council on Disability are open to associations in Helsinki.
Read more about the Council on Disability(Link leads to external service)
Event communications
We are happy to publish details of events organised by disability organisations on our website. Please contact Communications Specialist Hannakaisa Huttunen (
hannakaisa.huttunen@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)).
Cooperation with organisations in health and substance abuse services
The City of Helsinki cooperates closely with mental health, substance abuse, crisis and homelessness work organisations. This cooperation is built on networks, joint information events, partnership agreements and client guidance cooperation. For more information on the networks and cooperation opportunities, please contact Joonas Munck, the contact person for organisations ( joonas.munck@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)).
Substance abuse and mental health work organisations (Pämi) and the City of Helsinki
Founded in 2017, the Pämi network brings together substance abuse and mental health organisations in Helsinki. The network shares up-to-date information, develops cooperation and plans joint influencing activities. The network meets 5–8 times a year, and is currently convened by Etelä-Suomen Klubitalot ESKOT ry.
Further information: Elisa Lipponen, Helsinki Clubhouse ( elisa.lipponen@eskot.org(Link opens default mail program)).
Psychiatric and mental health organisations’ client guidance network
The client guidance network, set up in 2025, strengthens cooperation between psychiatric services and organisations. The network promotes client guidance, shares information on participants’ activities and develops new operating models. The network features psychiatric supervisors or workers appointed by them, as well as organisations with low-threshold facilities in Helsinki. The network meets four times a year.
Further information: Joonas Munck ( joonas.munck@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)) or Hannimari Pihkanen ( hannimari.pihkanen@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)).
Have network
The Have network brings together harm-reducing substance abuse work and peer activity operators in Helsinki and the surrounding areas. The network is made up of organisations, social welfare and health care service operators and service users. The network meets four times a year and is coordinated by the A-Clinic Foundation’s Osis project.
The Have network shares information and experiences and develops harm reduction work at the interface of client work. The network also provides peer support and conveys information to its members.
Contact information: Aino Rukkila ( aino.rukkila@a-klinikkasaatio.fi(Link opens default mail program)).
TOIVE network for recovery-oriented care
The TOIVE network brings together more than 20 recovery-oriented substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation operators. The network serves as a platform for expertise and development and promotes social influencing. The TOIVE network shares experiences, carries out surveys and organises training courses.
The network meets roughly five times a year and is coordinated by the addiction recovery association Riippuvuudet ry.
Contact information: Minna Ekholm, executive director (
minna.ekholm@riippuvuudet.fi(Link opens default mail program)).
More information: TOIVE network website(Link leads to external service)
Kurvin alueen järjestötoimijat (‘Kurvi Area Organisation Operators’, KuJaTo)
The KuJaTo network brings together social and health service organisations in the Kurvi area and southern adult social work operators. The network supports people in difficult life situations, strengthens local cooperation and shares information on current phenomena and services.
KuJaTo meets five times a year and in connection with joint events. The coordinator is the Deaconess Institute’s D-asema centre in Kallio.
The KuJaTo network is open to all social and health service operators in the central area.
Contact information: Aaron Tuomivaara ( aaron.tuomivaara@hdl.fi(Link opens default mail program)).
Outreach substance abuse work network
The outreach substance abuse work network promotes cooperation between the City of Helsinki, organisations and foundations. The network provides a meeting place for operators involved in various kinds of outreach or local work and supports information exchange and cooperation. The network meets roughly four times a year.
Contact information: Saara Lappeteläinen (saara.lappetelainen@hel.fi)
Cooperation with organisations in hospital, rehabilitation and care services
The service centres of Helsinki provide open meeting places for pensioners and unemployed people. Clients receive service guidance, peer support and enjoyable activities in their everyday life. The service centres operate in connection with senior centres and service homes in different parts of Helsinki.
We are happy to cooperate with organisations that promote the wellbeing and health of elderly people. We provide facilities for peer support groups, events, lectures and presentations of the activities of organisations. By request, we can also present the activities of the service centres at events organised by organisations. In addition to this, organisations can send out advertisements and bulletins to be distributed to clients at service centres.
We are happy to participate in site visits and practical implementations together with organisations. You are also welcome to join our local networks!
More information and contact details:
Service centres | City of Helsinki
Senior Info guides elderly people and their loved ones towards suitable services and activities. Organisations can propose information to be published about free-of-charge and open events on the Senior Info social media channels (Facebook and Instagram) and provide materials for client use.
At the Hakaniemi information point, we organise Wellbeing in Helsinki group information events, where we provide information about services and opportunities for the elderly to support their wellbeing. The events are open to both the clients and professionals of organisations.Organisations can also participate in site visits and street-level activities and present their activities at the health and wellbeing centres’ event markets in Kalasatama and Vuosaari.
Senior Info is especially active in areas of Helsinki where fewer services are available. We are happy to carry out street-level activities and event market cooperation with organisations. Please send your enquiries by email to seniori.info@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program). Remember to specify in your message:
- the time and place of the activity
- the contact person’s details
- any wishes you have regarding cooperation.
Senior Info publishes organisations’ advertisements for free-of-charge and open events. What to do:
- deliver the materials on time and in the right format;
- use vertical images and convert any PDFs to the JPG format;
- limit the text to 280 characters and include the necessary hashtags: #[name of organisation] #helsinki
- For accessibility reasons, it is important that the image and text are separate, as a screen reader will not read the text in the image.
- send your publication drafts with the subject line ‘Social media post for Senior Info’ to seniori.info@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program).
Unfortunately, we cannot edit any materials sent to us.
Cooperation meetings
To arrange a cooperation meeting, please contact Nina Arekari ( nina.arekari@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)) or Senior Info ( seniori.info@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)).
Cooperation with organisations at Rescue Services
Helsinki Rescue Services cooperate closely with organisations. For more information about volunteering and cooperation with organisations, please visit the Rescue Services website: Become a volunteer(Link leads to external service)
Letters of intent and cooperation agreements with organisations
We draw up an agreement of intent with the organisation to preliminarily agree on cooperation to support the strategic objectives of the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division. An agreement of intent is needed when an organisation is applying for external funding for a project.
Preparation times
For smaller projects, the preparation time is four weeks. EU projects and other larger projects require a two-month preparation time. Agreements of intent can be applied for all year round.
Cooperation agreement after the funding decision
Once the project has received a positive funding decision, we will sign a cooperation agreement. Please make sure that you follow the guidelines of STEA and other financers as well.
Contact us in time
Please contact us in good time regarding agreement matters. Remember also to notify your agreement partner of your funding decision.
Help from contact persons for organisations
The contact persons for organisations in the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division can help you find the right contact person in matters related to agreements of intent and cooperation agreements.
The City provides facilities for the use of organisations
The Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division supports non-profit associations and foundations in Helsinki by providing them with facilities. An association can reserve facilities free of charge for free activities for clients that promote the wellbeing, health and participation of residents. The activities must also support the services of the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division.
Examples of such activities include peer support groups, recreational activities for seniors and family cafés for family centre clients.
Renting facilities
The Division can also rent out facilities. The use and rental of facilities is decided on by the director, manager or supervisor of each unit. A written agreement is always made for the use of a facility.
In the use of the facilities, we follow the standing instructions PYSY110 (21 August 2024) of the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division. The fees collected for temporary use were confirmed by the Committee on 18 June 2024.
How to reserve a facility
You can reserve family centre facilities by email: pk.tilavaraus@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program). You can attach communication materials about your organisation’s activities to your message. We will be happy to publish them on the information displays of family centres and our other channels.
The Kallio Family Center is piloting the use of Varaamo to reserve a family café room. You can find the family café room in the Varaamo service starting January 9, 2026.
More information about service centre facilities
For information on the facility options of service centres, please contact:
- Sari Hedman, contact person for organisations, sari.hedman@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program))
- The managers of the service centres.
Do not forget about Varaamo
The Varaamo service provides more facility reservation options. We are currently developing facility reservation through this channel as well.
Go to the Varaamo website(Link leads to external service)
General grant of the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division
The Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Committee awards grants to non-profit associations and foundations every year to support the operating conditions of organisations. Grants of up to EUR 10,000 are decided on by the head of the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division. The grants are discretionary and based on the annual budget confirmed by the City Council.
Grants are awarded in accordance with the emphases of the City Strategy, the City’s welfare plan and the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division’s service strategy; the City of Helsinki’s general guidelines regarding grants; and the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division’s own grant criteria. The Division’s cooperation with organisations and grant activities are also governed by the ethical partnership principles confirmed by the City Council, the purpose of which is to unify the way that the City serves as a partner to organisations, associations, foundations and action groups.
Explore similar topics
Facility reservations for organisations at family centres
Associations can reserve facilities at family centres for meeting place activities or other group activities.
Varaamo(Link leads to external service)
You can use the Varaamo service to reserve public facilities and equipment for occasional or regular use.
Grants for organisations(Link leads to external service)
You can find information about the City’s grants and their criteria. You can also submit grant applications. We can also help you with submitting applications.