What is a Helsinki Friend?
Helsinki Friend is an initiative by which residents of Helsinki can volunteer to meet international visitors and show them the city from an everyday inhabitant’s viewpoint.
As a Helsinki Friend, you would not be expected to be a tour guide, as the aim is to give visitors a relaxed introduction to the city and a glimpse of day-to-day local life and the elements of a Helsinki lifestyle. Volunteers acting as Helsinki Friends provide visitors to the city with authentic encounters, conversations and shared experiences that can bring joy to both visitors and volunteers alike.
Why be a Helsinki Friend?
Many visitors to Helsinki want to look beyond the city’s sights to experience local life and meet the city’s residents. Helsinki Friend offers visitors the chance to get to know the city through its people.
The initiative supports Helsinki’s objective to develop tourism in a way that benefits both visitors and local residents. It falls under the concept of regenerative tourism: the kind of tourism that strengthens communities, fosters cross-cultural understanding and has a positive impact on the city and its residents.
What does a Helsinki Friend do?
- wishes visitors a warm welcome to Helsinki
- shares insights into their daily routines and life in the city
- presents Helsinki from a local perspective
- helps visitors get to know the city and its unique vibe
- encourages dialogue and cross-cultural interactions
- acts as a local friend, not an official tour guide.
Who can apply to be a Helsinki Friend?
Adults living in Helsinki or the Helsinki metropolitan area can apply to become a Helsinki Friend if they:
- are interested in meeting international visitors
- want to share their personal experience of Helsinki
- are open to different kinds of people and cultures
- can communicate in English (knowledge of other languages is a plus)
- commit to scheduled meetings and shared ground rules.
No previous volunteer or tour guide experience is required. The most important qualities are an interest in meeting people and a desire to be a proud ambassador of Helsinki.
How do I get involved?
Applications to become a Helsinki Friend are currently being accepted through an open call. Applicants are invited to fill out an electronic application form on the Lyyti platform.(Link leads to external service)
An orientation session will be organised for the selected volunteers before they get started. The session will explain the Helsinki Friend initiative’s objectives, procedures and the role of the volunteer.
Pilot kicks off at Oodi Central Library
The Helsinki Friend initiative will be piloted at Helsinki’s Oodi Central Library in autumn 2026. The pilot will test how interactions between local and international visitors enhance the Helsinki travel experience and determine the value the initiative brings to its participants.
The initiative will be further developed on the basis of the experiences and feedback from the pilot. The goal is to expand Helsinki Friend to other locations in Helsinki in 2027.
Even a single encounter between a visitor and a Helsinki local can make a visit unforgettable, giving you a fresh perspective on the place you call home.
Frequently asked questions
No, Helsinki Friend operates on a strictly voluntary basis.
No. Helsinki Friend volunteers are not expected to act as tour guides. They should instead be seen as a local friend who shares their personal perspective on the city.
Being a Helsinki Friend is 100% voluntary. The Helsinki Friend volunteers participating in the pilot will initially operate at the Oodi Central Library on Thursdays 10–12 and 16–18. Volunteers are free to choose the times that suit them best within this framework.
No, fluent English skills are not necessary. In general, a sufficient command of English for conversation and social interactions is adequate.