The Finnish Model for Leisure Activities in Helsinki

Become an organiser

1. 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. A new procurement notice 2024–2029 has been published in the Hilma service. Registration in the new DPS registry (Dynamic Purchasing System) also applies to current providers in the Finnish Model for Leisure Activities. Open the procurement notice in the Hilma service (in Finnish) (Link leads to external service).

   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.

   The procurement process will be carried out in Finnish. This step does not yet commit you to deliver any services.

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: 

   1.  Inclusion and participation

   The leisure activities are based on the inclusion and participation of children and young people. School-specific activity preferences are determined based on the Ministry of Education and Culture’s national student survey or Helsinki’s leisure activity survey and other local data collection. Children and young people must be provided with opportunities to participate in planning, providing ideas for, and implementing the activity. Feedback on the activities is collected from participants twice a year and from activity providers and instructors once a school year.

   2. Quality

   The activities are planned and implemented in an organised manner. The activity must follow a plan prepared for each school term. The implementation of the activity must take into account the skills, interests and ideas of the activity group members. 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. The realisation of children's rights is taken into account in the activities.

   3. Non-discrimination and accessibility

   The leisure activities are free of charge and take place before 17:00 after the school day at school premises or other premises reserved by the client. The target group of the activities is pupils in grades 3–9. The implementation of the activity must take into consideration the age groups and special needs of the participants. The activity provider must take into account the accessibility of the activity and ensure equal access to the premises, for example. If necessary, participants can bring an assistant, guide or interpreter with them to the activity.

   4. Safety

   The activities have a respectful and encouraging atmosphere, and all forms of discrimination must be actively intervened in. The activity promotes group cohesion, strengthens friendship and interaction skills and ensures that no-one in the group 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. The activity provider must familiarise themself with the school's safety plan before the start of the activity.

   5. Provider quality

   The activities are implemented in accordance with the contract. The client will provide the activity provider with a guide intended for activity providers to support the induction of instructors. The activity provider must ensure that their instructors receive an induction. The activity provider is responsible for fulfilling the obligations imposed by the client in the contract. 

3. 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.  Calls for tenders for the school year 2025–2026 will be sent in spring 2025 to activity providers admitted to the new DPS register before the start of the tendering process.

4. 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.