Citizen Forum - Service, development and information centre for voluntary actors in Finland Voluntary sector in Finland is diverse and multifaceted mosaic, and Finland is often referred to as ‘the promised land of associations’. In a country of 5 million people, there are over 100,000 associations and organizations from all sectors of life and society.

Citizen Forum is an association, which promotes active citizenship and voluntary activity, and acts as a service centre for volunteers, other voluntary organizations and professionals working in the field on volunteering. We believe that tomorrow’s innovations in this field will take place and will be realized as a result of network development – that is, when different actors, cultures, sectors and ideas come together.

If you would like to find a Finnish partner to share ideas, a project or volunteers with, through our network we can help you to find what you are looking for.

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1) About us
2) Project for national strategy of volunteering
3) Activities abroad
4) I volunteer!
5) European Expert for Self Help -network
6) Manifesto for volunteering in Europe
7) The Universal declaration on volunteering
8) Contact us

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1. Service, development and information centre Citizen Forum The Citizen Forum is a volunteer association, which works towards active citizenship and participation, and promotes voluntary activity as well as cooperation between different actors within the voluntary sector in Finland.

Our objectives are

• to promote an environment that enables a more active citizenship and voluntary activity in the Finnish society
• to promote positive recognition of volunteering in our society
• to develop expertise on volunteering and active citizenship in our society
• to promote volunteering through network building
• to promote and to enhance international cooperation of Finnish voluntary network
• to promote participation, joint action and networking of our citizens

Our Methods are

• Local and national events for networking and joint action
• Training, consultative services and other support and guidance
• www.kansalaisareena.fi –website and its services
• Gathering, disseminating and publishing information
• Advocacy
• Development projects and cooperation with any relevant stakeholders

We work together with

• Citizens
• Voluntary associations and volunteering individuals
• Peer support groups and their mentors
• Coordinators of voluntary activities
• Voluntary work centres
• Community centres
• Projects
• Researchers, universities and other educational institutions
• Civil servants
• Ministries
• Municipalities
• Voluntary work organisations and networks abroad
• Funders
• Media

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2. Project for national strategy of volunteering The objective of the project is to enable national, strategic cooperation of citizens, volunteer organizations and actors in the public sector. Through network cooperation voluntary sector will be developed further and a national infrastructure will be established. The lead partner in the project will be the Citizen Forum, which works closely together with a large number of other organizations and actors in the field.
Read more

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3. CEV – European volunteer centre The European Volunteer, CEV, is a European network of currently 67 mainly national and regional volunteer centres and volunteer development agencies across Europe, that together work to support and promote voluntary activity. The Citizen Forum is the only Finnish member of CEV.
Read more: www.cev.be

Putting volunteering on the economic map of Europe (pdf)


4. I volunteer EU-funded Gruntvig programme, which is part of a overarching Lifelong Learning Program, focuses on the teaching and study needs of those in adult education and alternative education streams, as well as the institutions and organisations delivering these services.

The Citizen Forum participates in a two year long Grundtvig - partnership I Volunteer (1.10.2007 – 30.12.2009). I volunteer! –project is coordinated by the Belgium partner, and other partners come from Austria, Germany, Latvia, Turkey and Finland
Read more


5. European Expert for Self Help -network The Citizen Forum is a member of European Expert for Self Help –network, which works towards promoting European self-help activities and cooperation.
Read more

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6. Manifesto for Volunteering in Europe The European Volunteer Centre (CEV), a European network of currently 38 volunteer development agencies (including the Citizen Forum) and volunteer centres representing thousands of volunteers at local level, has published a manifesto for volunteering in Europe.

The manifesto is targeted at European decision makers in the different institutions, and it explains why volunteering matters and proposes concrete actions how representatives of the EU institutions can within their respective powers and competences recognise, promote and facilitate volunteering in the EU.
Read the manifesto

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7. The Universal declarations on volunteering The Universal declaration on volunteering was adopted by the international board of directors of IAVE – the International Association for Volunteer Effort at its 16th World Volunteer conference, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, in January 2001, which was also an international year of volunteers.
Read the declaration (pdf)

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8. Contact us Address: Kumpulantie 1, 6th floor, 00520 Helsinki, Finland
Telephone: +358 9 26942040

Executive director
Mrs Anitta Raitanen
mob. +358 50 4420429
anitta.raitanen[at]kansalaisareena.fi

Planner
Mrs Jatta Vikström
mob. +358 50 5903322
Jatta.viktsrom[at]kansalaisareena.fi

Planner
Ms Ulla Grönlund
mob. +358 400 632538
ulla.gronlund[at]kansalaisareena.fi

Information officer
Mr Vesa Vattulainen
mob. +328 50 3266128
vesa.vattulainen[at]kansalaisareena.fi