Children and young people in Helsinki can once again take part in free-of-charge afternoon activities. This school year, the Finnish model for leisure activities is offering free-of-charge leisure activities for over 13,000 comprehensive school pupils in grades 3–9 in Helsinki. The activities start on 1 September 2025.
Wellbeing through activities
According to the School Health Promotion study, a large proportion of children and young people in Helsinki feel that their life and health are good, but the situation has deteriorated in recent years. Wellbeing varies especially according to gender and family financial situation.
The Finnish model for leisure activities lowers the threshold for engaging in leisure activities and supports the wellbeing of children and young people by providing high-quality, free-of-charge activities in connection with the school day.
"We have managed to increase the range of free activities available and strengthen inclusion, especially in areas where fewer people are active," says Area Manager Tiina Hörkkö from the City of Helsinki Youth Services.
"We offer more than 90,000 activity sessions and as many joyful encounters every year. According to the feedback surveys almost half of the participants engage in few or no other leisure activities, which makes the model particularly meaningful," says Hörkkö.
According to a recent study, boys engage in leisure activities more often and perceive their wellbeing as better on average than girls. Girls-only groups balance this difference and allow girls to engage in physical activity and have fun together in like-minded company. There are girls-only groups available in ball sports and swimming, among other activities.
"Separate groups for girls can lower the threshold for participation and encourage girls to try new things in a safe environment. There are also mixed groups available, so that freedom of choice is maintained," says Project Manager Irma Sippola from The Finnish Model for Leisure Activities in Helsinki.
"For many girls, having a girls-only group can be the decisive factor in engaging in an activity for the first time and the first step towards a long-term hobby," Sippola continues.
Registration starts on 25 August at 12:00
The range of activities available during the 2025–2026 school year includes more than 30 activities that pupils have asked for – including sports, culture, digital activities and much more. You can find out more about the available activities on the web pages of the schools and on the Hobbies website at harrastukset.hel.fi/suomenmalli. Pupils and guardians are also informed about the activities via Wilma.
Registration for the activity groups starts on Monday, 25 August, at 12:00. The most popular activity groups have waiting lists, with new groups established as needed. You can also join activity groups in the middle of the season, as long as there is room in the groups.
In addition to the Finnish model for leisure activities groups, the City also organises other girls-only activities. These activity groups can also be found on the Hobbies website.
