finnishcourses.fi - News

Studying Finnish? Answer Yle's questionnaire!

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:42:01 GMT

Yle (Finnish Broadcasting Company) is designing new e-learning material in the Finnish language for its web site.

By answering a few questions, you can help in this project. You can answer the questions in English, Finnish, Swedish, Russian, French or Spanish.

Link to the questionnaire:
http://yle.fi/oppiminen/kielet/suomi-kysely.html

Click to the Yle Oppiminen (Yle Learning and education) web site and get acquainted with the e-learning material and services available in Finnish:
http://oppiminen.yle.fi/

Finnishcourses.fi –service got 44 504 new users in 2012

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:51:32 GMT

Finnishcourses.fi – course search turned one year in March 2013. During the first year of activity almost 45000 people used the course search. More than half of the visitors returned to the site, only 1% of the visitors left it straight away.

English was the most popular language version of the course search (46%), the second language was Finnish (26,4%) and the third Russian (13,8%). The rest of the visitors might prefer some other languages.

According to our archive data in the year 2012 there were 540 courses available in public search:

In Helsinki 463 courses
In Espoo 10 courses
In Vantaa 59 courses
In Kauniainen 8 courses

There was 50 language courses available for free, the rest for a charge. An average price for the course was about 89,52€.

Language courses according to level:

beginners’ level 0 – 82 courses
basic level A1.1-A2.2 – 366 courses
intermediate level B1.1 - B2.2 – 85 courses
top level C – 7 courses

In the Helsinki region courses were provided by 18 different course providers. We are happy for successful cooperation. The Institute of Adult Education in Helsinki has the lead with 150 courses and the Finnish Adult Education Centre of the City of Helsinki has the second place with 144 courses.

In March 2013 we opened beta.infopankki.fi –service. Please read the new content on teaching Finnish and Swedish languages and give feedback through:

http://beta.infopankki.fi/en/living-in-finland/finnish-and-swedish

Our networking has been active and we hope that also in the future we will continue such successful cooperation.

For more information contact

Eija Kyllönen-Saarnio and Ljudmila Helanterä

finnishcourses@hel.fi

Catch up on news from the Institute of Adult Education in Helsinki!

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 19:41:24 GMT

Brand new materials for studying Finnish. The KÄTS materials are built on practical needs to communicate even with a few words. The material was finished at the end of the year 2012 and is now available for everyone in pfd-format.

Available places at Helsingin aikuisopisto. Places available on level A2.1 and level A2.2 Finnish courses F130076, F130077, F130094 and F130091.

These courses may be considered as self-motivated studies that are part of your integration program.

Registration online at http://www.helao.fi/eng/index.php or in our office.

Institute of Adult Education in Helsinki

Nordic Language café!

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 19:20:29 GMT

Wednesday 6.th of March at 17.30 at Nordic Culture Point.

Welcome to train your skills in Finnish and four other Nordic Languages at the Nordic language café! You can train your communication and comprehension skills in Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Icelandic. There will be two native speakers of each language present at the café. Free of charge – we serve coffee, tea and something to eat.

www.kulturkontaktnord.org

Adress: Kaisaniemenkatu 9, Helsinki.

Suomea?! Let’s have a taste of Finnish on February 25th through March 2nd

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 13:16:07 GMT

During the Finnish theme week you can have a taste of Finnish language, literature and culture at HelMet libraries.

The “Suomea?!” theme week on February 25th through March 2nd will give you a glimpse on the multitude of things there are for you at the libraries, whether you are studying Finnish or simply interested in Finnish culture and literature at large.

You can brush up your Finnish e.g. at the language cafés and in the “Luetaan yhdessä” groups. For children, there are multilingual fairy tale and hobby hours. There are also musical performances, movies and exhibitions.

“Suomea?!” week you will find in these libraries:

Helsinki

Etelä-Haagan kirjasto

Itäkeskuksen kirjasto

Pohjois-Haagan kirjasto

Rikhardinkadun kirjasto

Espoo

Vantaa

For more information:

http://www.helmet.fi/en-US/Tips/News_flash/Suomea_Lets_have_a_taste_of_Finnish_at_t(15999)

An initial assessment helps new residents find their path

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 15:38:13 GMT

An initial assessment of your life situation may be carried out when you move to Helsinki from abroad or if you are an immigrant moving to Helsinki from elsewhere in Finland.

The initial assessment includes a discussion (using an interpreter, if necessary) about your education, work experience, language skills and other things that are related to life in Finland. You will be given information about and guidance with services in Helsinki.

The Immigration Unit of the Social and Health Services Department of the City of Helsinki helps new immigrants, for example if you are working, a stay-at-home parent, a student or are outside the labour force for some other reason. You will be interviewed, and if you already have some skills in the Finnish language you will be guided to a Finnish language entry level test at Testipiste. When the results of the language test arrive at the Immigration Unit, you will be guided towards the education that suits you best.

Department of Social and Health Services,
Immigration Unit Dagmarinkatu 6, 00100 Helsinki
P.O. Box 8610, 00099 City of Helsinki
Tel.: +3589 3104 011
E-mail: mayk@hel.fi
Social Work Information Telephone
+358 9 3103 7577

Mon–Fri from 8:15 am to 4 pm

The Employment and Economic Development Office (the TE Office) will conduct an initial assessment if you are unemployed and register as a jobseeker. Ask about an initial assessment at your local TE Office.

The Employment and Economic Development Office of Helsinki, Immigration Services
Openings hours: Mon–Fri from 9:00 am to 3:45 pm
Street address: Haapaniemenkatu 4 A, 2nd floor,
00530 Helsinki
Postal address: P.O. Box 172, 00531 Helsinki

+358 10 194434 and +358 10 607 0490

Based on the initial assessment, you have the opportunity to draw up an individual integration plan. A professional will help you plan your next steps in your new environment. Helsinki and the Metropolitan Region have a lot of activities to help you find your way as a new resident:

activities at playgrounds for stay-at-home parents and children
activities for the elderly at service homes
preparatory training for vocational training for immigrants
training in reading and writing for immigrants
other activities by projects and non-governmental organizations

For more information

Initial assessment of immigrants in the City of Helsinki

www.virka.fi

www.infopankki.fi

www.finnishcourses.fi

Integration Programme for Immigrants organized by Helsingfors Arbis

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:26:06 GMT

Now it’s possible to have integration training in Swedish!

Helsingfors Arbis starts integration training that qualifies as self-motivated studies for unemployed. The training includes Swedish and Finnish language teaching. In addition to the language training the course also includes knowledge of the history, society and working life of Finland. The course also includes one hour of career coaching and approximately four hours of homework per week

Teaching 20h/week, of which 15h is Swedish language training.

Swedish for Parents (44 €/term)

Parents with children under 3 years (one parent per family) are provided with free on-site child care while they study Intensive Swedish in group A1 or A1–2, on Mondays and Fridays, in the morning. The children have song and music lessons one hour a week. The parents are offered coaching a few hours per term, according to a programme made up when the term starts. If you are unsure of your starting level in Swedish, test your skills online: http://www.folkuniversitetet.se/Las-mer-om-sprak/Language_Tests/Language-Tests-OnLine/

For specific information about the course schedule and registration please contact:

Ann-Jolin Grüne, 040 550 5802 or ann-jolin.grune@arbis.hel.fi.

www.arbis.hel.f

www.delaktig.fi

Swedish language courses

Invitation to the Learn the Local Lingo™13th of September 2012

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 17:52:44 GMT

Come and learn more about Finnish and Swedish language courses for adults and meet the course providers themselves. Learn the Local Lingo™ opens up the opportunities for learning the local languages in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen on 13^thof September from 1 PM to 5 PM. The event is for the students, professionals and their families as part of Helsinki Region Welcome Weeks.

Learn the Local Lingo is an information fair, that is held in international cultural center Caisa, Juhlasali Mikonkatu 17 C/Vuorikatu 14/ 2. floor (Kaisaniemi metro station) on 13^thof September 2012 from 1 PM to 5 PM.

There will also be 2-3 info sessions by different training providers in the region: Amiedu Adult Education Centre, Espoo Adult Education Centre, Familia Club, HelMet Library, Helsinki Adult Education Centre, Helsinki Diakonia College, Helsinki Summer University, Helsinki Upper Secondary School for Adults, Institute of Adult Education in Helsinki, The Swedish Adult Education Centre of Helsinki (Helsingfors Arbis), University of Helsinki Language Centre, Language Services, University of Helsinki, Palmenia Center for Continuing Education and Finnishcourses.fi, Infopankki .

13.00 – 13.05 Opening Team leader Anne Rasskasov, Espoo Adult Education Centre and Communications officer Ljudmila Helanterä, City of Helsinki, Infopankki

13.05 – 13.15 Presentation of participants

13.15 – 13.25 Finnishcourses.fi, Communications officer Eija Kyllönen-Saarnio, City of Helsinki, Infopankki

13.25 – 13.35 Espoo Adult Education Centre, Coordinating teacher Laura Hartikainen

13.35 – 13.45 Helsinki Upper Secondary School for Adults, Heljä Nurmela

13.45 – 13.55 University of Helsinki, Language Services, Head of Language Training Leena Evesti

13.55 – 14.30 INFO – Information and personal advice provided by public and private training providers

14.30 – 14.40 The Institute of Adult Education in Helsinki, Training manager Sirpa Rönkkö

14.40 – 14.50 Language Cafés – an informal way to improve your Finnish, HelMet Library, Tiina Larva, Helsinki City Library, Timopekka Sillantaus, Espoo City Library

14.50 – 15.00 Finnishcourses.fi, Communications officer Eija Kyllönen-Saarnio, City of Helsinki, Infopankki

15.00 – 15.30 INFO – Information and personal advice provided by public and private training providers

15.30 – 15.40 The Finnish Adult Education Centre of the City of Helsinki, Head instructor in Finnish language Marjo Yli-Piipari

15.40 – 15.50 University of Helsinki, Palmenia Centre for Continuing Education, Nuppu Tuononen

15.50 – 16.00 Swedish Language Courses at The Swedish Adult Education Centre of Helsinki (Helsingfors Arbis), Ann-Jolun Grüne

16.00 – 16.10 Finnishcourses.fi, Communications officer Eija Kyllönen-Saarnio, City of Helsinki, Infopankki

16.10 – 17.00 INFO – Information and personal advice provided by public and private training providers

During the event there will be access to the computer room. You can search information about courses and enroll online.

Fortune cookie for all participants

Take part in a quiz and win a free Finnish language course provided by Espoo Adult Education Center or the Institute of Adult Education in Helsinki.

Try your luck (pdf, 331 kB) (link to the questions)

Event Notice Board

Are you a student looking for a job as part time baby sitter?

Are you a family looking for a student for occasional baby sitting?

POST IT your contact information on the notice board at the event.

For more information

Ljudmila Helanterä

Communications Officer

ljudmila.helantera[at]hel.fi

Registration for Finnish language courses, autumn semester 2012

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 18:29:55 GMT

According to the finnishcourses.fi almost 300 Finnish language courses start in August 2012. Check the exact starting date from the finnishcourses.fi course search.

At present the course search has about 30 courses that are free of charge. If you have questions about registration, please contact the training provider.

Some training providers will not provide information about their courses before the beginning of August. For example, Helsingfors Arbis, which provides Swedish language courses, will not announce its courses before August.

In Helsinki there are 48 Finnish language courses for beginners. The courses start as of 1.8.2012. Courses vary in price and duration.

In Vantaa 48 Finnish language courses start after the beginning of August, most of them are provided by Vantaan aikuisopisto. Those courses that are free of charge are aimed exclusively at Vantaa residents.

In Espoo 19 Finnish language courses will start at the beginning of August. Most of the courses are provided by Espoon työväenopisto. The library Entresse and the library Sello arrange an information event about studying Finnish language. The events take place on 7^th of August and 9^th of August between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Enrollment dates by training providers

Amiedu 21.9.2012⇒

Axxell 9.-16.8.2012

Edupoli 3.8.2012⇒

Espoon työväenopisto 6.8. -23.8.2012

Helsingin aikuislukio 30.07.2012 – 10.08.2012 , 15.08.2012 – 29.08.2012

Helsingin aikuisopisto 23.8.2012⇒, 06.08.2012 – 31.08.2012 , 06.08.2012 – 19.10.2012

Helsingin työväenopisto 15.08.2012 – 29.11.2012

Kielikeskus, Helsingin yliopisto 30.08.2012 – 10.09.2012 , 27.08.2012 – 17.09.2012

Kalliolan kansalaisopisto 15.08.2012 – 11.09.2012

Kauniaisten kansalaisopisto 15.08.2012 – 01.12.2012

Koulutus- ja kehittämiskeskus Palmenia 03.05.2012 – 12.08.2012

Laajasalon opisto 1.8.2012⇒

Tugals -seura 07.06.2012 – 03.08.2012

Vantaan aikuisopisto 15.08.2012⇒

Additional information:

Training providers

Finnish for foreigners study info in Espoo, 7th and 9th of August 2012

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:22:58 GMT

Would you like to study Finnish? Teachers of Espoo Adult Education Center and Finnishcourses.fi give you information about the different Finnish language courses in the Helsinki region and also help you to enroll to the courses.

Meet you at:

• Sello Library (computer room) in address Leppävaarankatu 9, 02600 Espoo on Tuesday 7th of August 2012 at 2:00 PM-4:00 PM

• Entresse Library (Blue Room/Sininen huone) in address Siltakatu 11, 02770 Espoo on Thursday 9th of August 2012 at 2:00 PM-4:00 PM.

You can ask questions in Finnish, English or Russian.

Welcome!

You can to plan your route using «Reittiopas» in the lower left corner of the page.

Additional Information:

Sello Library

Entresse Library

Ljudmila Helanterä

Communications Officer

ljudmila.helantera[at]hel.fi

Welcome Weeks 25 August to 21 September, 2012

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:59:24 GMT

Welcome Weeks: 25 August to 21 September, 2012 – a chance to discover the regional opportunities!

International people living in the Helsinki region are invited to take part in Helsinki Region Welcome Weeks.

The aim of the event is to serve as a platform for dialog between the internationals, locals, city officials, service providers, higher education institutions and employers as well as provide information about services available in Helsinki region. Beside this Welcome Weeks is about spending time together and creating contacts. The event is aimed at new inhabitants and those who have already lived in the region for a longer time.

Please take part in the extensive program of the Welcome Weeks with its12 different main events!

The Infobank’s project (ESF) - Finnishcourses.fi organizes

Learn the Local Lingo event on Thursday 13 September from 1 pm to 5 pm.

The event is held in international cultural center Caisa, Mikonkatu 17 C / Vuorikatu 14 / Kaisaniemi metro station.

Come and learn more about finnish and swedish language courses for adults and meet the course providers themselves.

For more information:

www.welcomeweeks.fi or contact:

Søren Berg Rasmussen, project coordinator, tel. +358 50 464 6464, email: soeren.rasmussen@helsinki.fi

Ruslan Haarala, head of project steering group, tel. +358 9 310 38364, email: ruslan.haarala@hel.fi

Finnish language courses in the Helsinki Region now available at one address

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:50:51 GMT

Finnish language courses arranged in the Helsinki Region can now be found through the new online service at www.finnishcourses.fi.

The Finnishcourses.fi course search service is intended for all those who have moved to Finland and would like to learn the language.

The service features information from Finnish language course organisers in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen. The organisers include vocational institutes, workers’ institutes, upper secondary schools for adults and various organisations. Most of the courses are open to all, and the prices vary depending on the scope of each respective course. Some courses are free of charge.

About 500 courses are held in the Helsinki Region every year.

Users can search for course information based on course level, municipality, description and time. The information can be searched in Finnish, English and Russian.

The new course search service already features information on Swedish language courses, even though the development of the Swedish language course search is still under preparation.

With the Finnishcourses.fi course search, users can gain a good grasp of the current course availability in the region in one go and select a suitable course on that basis. To enrol for a course, contact the organiser.

The course search is maintained by the Info Bank editorial team of the City of Helsinki Communications Office. The course organisers are responsible for the course information provided.

The Finnishcourses.fi course search service has received partial funding from the European Social Fund (ESF).

The Finnish language course search is available at www.finnishcourses.fi.

Info Bank (Infopankki) is a national online service maintained by the City of Helsinki featuring information on Finland in 15 languages – Finnish, Swedish, English, Estonian, French, Russian, Somali, Serbo-Croatian, Turkish, Spanish, Albanian, Arabic, Persian, Chinese and Kurdish (Sorani). The release on the new course search service is available at the Info Bank website in all of the listed languages:
www.infopankki.fi

Additional information:

Eija Kyllönen-Saarnio
Communications Officer
eija.kyllonen-saarnio(at)hel.fi
(09) 310 73367, 050 363 3285

Ljudmila Helanterä
Communications Officer
ljudmila.helantera(at)hel.fi
(09) 310 37941, 040 336 0791

Invitation to a press conference at 10 am on 6 March 2012

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:41:49 GMT

Finnishcourses.fi – a compilation of Finnish language courses in the Helsinki Region

For the first time, the Finnishcourses.fi course search service gathers together information on Finnish courses for immigrants in the Helsinki Region . The service provides information on courses that are intended for adults and open to all. Course information can be searched in Finnish, English and Russian at:
www.finnishcourses.fi.

At the moment, the service includes 15 training providers who offer Finnish language courses in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen. The new course search service also contains information on Swedish language courses.

With the course search, users can gain a good grasp of the current course availability in the region in one go and select a suitable course on that basis.

The Finnishcourses.fi course search service is maintained by the Info Bank editorial team, which is part of the communications operations of the City of Helsinki Administration Centre. The course organisers are responsible for the course information provided. The course search has received partial funding from the ESF.

TIME

Tuesday 6 March 2012 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am

PLACE

Virka Info, lower lobby of the Helsinki City Hall, Pohjoisesplanadi 11–13

PROGRAMME

10:00 am – Welcome, Veikko Kunnas, Acting Cultural Director, City of Helsinki

10:05 am – Course search presentation, Ljudmila Helanterä, Communications Officer, Info Bank team

10:15 am – The benefits of regional cooperation, Teemu Haapalehto, Manager of Immigration Affairs, City of Espoo

10:20 am – My Finnish language and I, Alexandra Salmela, author

The main language of the event will be Finnish.

Time for questions and open discussion.

An opportunity to familiarise yourself with the course search online.

Coffee and tea will be provided.

We look forward to seeing you!

Additional information and enrolment:
Information Secretary Susanna Mokrousov, susanna.mokrousov@hel.fi, tel. (09) 310 37505, 040 334 1085

The Finnish language courses website has been published

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:33:25 GMT

The first stage of the Info Bank online service renewal, the Finnish language courses website, is now open.

The Finnish courses website will be officially launched after mid-January. Before the launch, all course information will be checked and the website updated.

The website gathers information on Finnish courses for immigrants in the Helsinki Region. The service gives information on courses that are intended for adults and open for all. Course information can be searched in Finnish, English and Russian.

At the moment, the service includes 20 training providers who offer Finnish language courses in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen.

Course organisers are responsible for the maintenance of course information. Info Bank will hold the next maintenance training in spring and new training providers will then have the chance to become involved in the service.

Helsinki Region Welcome Weeks 19.9.–2.10.2011

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:22:50 GMT

There is a growing number of internationals and internationally-minded people in the Greater Helsinki Area. Welcome Weeks is here to bring the new and existing residents together. The purpose is to make new friends, get the knowhow - and have fun doing it.

During the Welcome Weeks participants are given information on living in Finland, and are offered a chance to build social networks through various activities.

Infopankki is participating in the following programme:

Step by Step to Finland – Information fair

Tuesday 27 September 2011 at 16.00-19.00.
City Hall, juhlasali, Pohjoisesplanadi 11-13, Helsinki

Are you struggling with permits and bureacracy? Do you know who to ask for advice and where to find more information? Get to know the Info-points in Helsinki Region all at once!

Finnish Language Learning Opportunities in Helsinki Region

Thursday 29 September 2011 at 13.00.-16.00
International Cultural Centre Caisa, Mikonkatu 17 C/ Vuorikatu 14 (Kaisaniemi metrostation)

Do you know where and how to study Finnish in Helsinki region? Come and find out the opportunities to Study Finnish in Helsinki region all at once and meet language providers!

Event organized by Infopankki, City of Helsinki and Espoo and Mundus Nicole Saari ky.

For more information on the events:
www.welcomeweeks.fi