The Finnish Model for Leisure Activities is a national operating model funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture, and it aims to improve the well-being and engagement of children and young people through leisure activities. The Finnish Model for Leisure Activities is a permanent form of activity recorded in the Youth Act in January 2023. Learn more about the national model on the website of the Ministry of Education and Culture.(Link leads to external service)
In Helsinki, we offer free leisure activities in Finnish, Swedish and English for pupils in grades 3–9. The activity groups meet before 17:00 after the school day at school premises or in their immediate vicinity. The activities of the 2023–2024 school year begin on 4 September 2023 and continue throughout the school year. The activities will continue after the Christmas break from 15 January 2024 onwards.
We implement the Finnish Model for Leisure Activities using the principle of the three baskets. The selection of leisure activities at Helsinki schools includes cultural activities, sports activities, and digital and other activities. The pupils have more than 30 different activities to choose from. Among other activities, the selection includes parkour, football, basketball, gym, swimming, climbing, circus, dance, cheerleading, theatre, art, film, animation, cooking, history, programming, game design and animals. Find out more about the diverse selection of activities on the websites of the schools.
Free after-school activities bring hobbies closer to the children and young people who have fewer chances to try different activities. The Finnish Model for Leisure Activities allows us to create paths for long-term hobbies.
We listen to the activity wishes of children and young people
The selection of leisure activities is based on the wishes of children and young people. The wishes are collected through the city's activity questionnaires and a national pupil survey.
Become an organiser
The City of Helsinki welcomes all clubs, organisation, companies and other activity providers to organise leisure activities that fulfil the wishes of children and young people. How to get involved:
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Sign up in the DPS register
Let us know your interest in becoming an activity organiser for the Finnish Model for Leisure Activities in Helsinki. Sign up in the DPS register (Dynamic Purchasing System) using the Supplier Portal for public procurement. Open the Supplier Portal (in Finnish) (Link leads to external service).
The call for tenders for the school year 2024–2025 has ended. A new DPS invitation to participate (contract notice) will be published in Cloudia Supplier Portal by the end of the year 2024.
The service has three activity baskets: kulttuurinen (cultural), liikunnallinen (sports) and digitaalinen tai muu (digital or other). Sign up for the baskets for which you can provide activities.
This step does not yet commit you to deliver any services.
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2. Suitability as a service provider and the criteria set for the activities
We will check the candidate's suitability during the sign-up stage. The service provider must be a legal operator with which the city can enter into a procurement contract. For billing purposes, the service provider must have a business ID.
The service provider must meet the following criteria set for the activities:
Inclusion and participation
The leisure activities are built according to the wishes of children and young people so that the activity selection corresponds to the pupil survey and regional information. The activities are based on the idea that the members of an activity group have the opportunity to participate in planning, providing ideas for, and implementing the activity. Feedback is collected from participants and activity providers twice per season. The guardians of the participants are communicated to about the leisure activities.
Quality
The activities are well-planned and organised. The leisure activity meets the pupils’ wishes and supports each participant's development according to their age and skills. The instructors are adults and professionals in the content of the leisure activities and in instructing children and young people. Their professional competence has been gained through training or experience. Understanding and knowledge about the local area adds value in providing the service according to the needs of the area.
Non-discrimination and accessibility
The leisure activities are free and of high quality, and they take place before 17:00 after the school day at school premises or in their immediate vicinity. The content of the activities takes the participants’ age and skill level into account. The groups are for pupils in grades 3–6 or 7–9, and they are open to all pupils of these grades. The groups must be accessible. The participants are allowed to participate in the group with an aide, guide or interpreter if needed.
Safe atmosphere and friendship
The instructors make sure that the group has a friendly, safe and encouraging atmosphere where everyone is treated equally. The activities allow the participants to learn friendship skills and strengthen their communication skills and they make sure that no-one is left alone. Bullying is prevented by supporting the children and young people in bonding with the group, and all arguments and bullying are intervened in and talked out.
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Respond to offer requests
We will select leisure activities matching the children and young people’s wishes for the schools, and send offer requests by email regarding the implementation of the activities to operators that have been approved in the DPS register.
The calls for tenders for the school year 2024–2025 have been sent to the service providers approved in the DPS register by March 20, 2024. The deadline for submitting tenders was 8 April 2024 at 12 am.
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Carry out the leisure activity
We will draw up contracts with selected operators for organising leisure activities for the full school year. The organiser is responsible for carrying out the activities according to the contract.
Contact information
In Helsinki, the Finnish Model for Leisure Activities is coordinated by the Culture and Leisure Division in cooperation with the Education Division. You can request more information on the implementation of the Finnish Model for Leisure Activities in Helsinki.