Swedish-speaking friends in Finland

You can find Swedish-speaking friends in many places. The key is to find different Swedish-speaking settings in Finland, such as places, events and associations where the language of operation is Swedish. Some of the most ordinary Swedish-language settings include adult education centres that organise courses in Swedish, Swedish-speaking associations, sports clubs, theatres, choirs, and universities.

There are only around 300,000 Swedish-speakers in Finland, and many of them have common friends, are related, or know the same people. In fact, the Finland-Swedish community is sometimes referred to as the ‘duck pond’ because it seems that everyone knows each other.

Hobbies

Do you have time for a new hobby? Is there an old hobby you could pick up again? Hobbies are a great way to find new friends and practise your language skills in the process.  

For example, if you enjoy dancing, gymnastics or something similar, it is perfectly fine if you do not immediately understand all the instructions. No words are required for the movements themselves, and many of the instructions are repeated so often that you are bound to learn them eventually. Besides, you get to spend time with people who share your interests!  

When you acquire Swedish-skills through hobbies, your competence is associated with things that are important to you: on a bird-watching course you will learn the names of birds, on a cooking course you will learn cooking terminology, and in choir practices you will acquire music-related language skills. Moreover, you will also have time to discuss everyday topics with the other participants.  

Adult education centres offer a versatile and affordable selection of recreational courses and even free lectures. There is something for everyone: cooking, ceramics, book circles, painting, woodwork, sports and exercise, different languages... 

Some of the courses are very popular, so it is advisable to reserve your place as soon as the course registration opens. Many adult education centres organise Swedish-speaking courses and courses in the Swedish language, including Medis in Åland and Arbis in Helsinki. 

Finland has also sports clubs that operate in Swedish, as well as Swedish-speaking choirs and book circles.  

If you are located in the Helsinki metropolitan area (Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen), you can easily find recreational activities in Swedish at fritid.fi.  

Volunteering and association activities

Finland is the promised land of associations. There are associations for everything, also in Swedish. By joining an association and taking part in the activities, you will meet new people who share your interests. You get to practise your language skills and learn something new – all at the same time.  

Associations organise events, courses, trips and other fun activities. Many of them also publish a magazine and have webpages and social media channels. There are even associations that offer events that are open to all, member or not. 

Some of the major Swedish-speaking associations with a local presence in Finland include the health organisation Folkhälsan, the Martha Association, the folkdance organisation Finlands svenska folkdansring, the Women's Organisation of the Swedish People's Party in Finland, the Finnish Society for Nature and Environment, and the music association Finlands svenska sång- och musikförbund. Moreover, many towns have their own village associations. Search for the local associations or activities to see if your town has something interesting to offer. In addition, the Svenska.fi association offers support to those who wish to learn Swedish in Finland. You can even ask your Swedish-speaking friends for tips on great associations! 

The InfoFinland website provides general information on associations in Finland and a list of national associations for immigrants: Associations - InfoFinland.  

If you wish to start your own association or are already involved in one, SVF (Svenska folkskolans vänner) has created an online service called Föreningsresursen (association resource) that offers tips and advice on running an association.   

Volunteering, or voluntary work, is a great way to contribute to things you find important. You can help others directly or be active in some other way, such as by joining the board of an association or helping the elderly to cope in their everyday lives. 

Volunteer work is not the same as paid work or practical training; instead, it is something you do only in your free time. In essence, you will not get paid for volunteering. However, the experience you acquire can be useful when applying for a job or a trainee position.  

If you are unemployed, check with your local Employment and Economic Development Office whether volunteer work has an impact on your benefits. In some cases, volunteer work may be included in your integration plan. For more information, please visit the InfoFinland website. Participating in events organised by an association does not constitute volunteer work.   

You can find volunteer work, for example, on the website vapaaehtoistyö.fi.  

Nine concrete examples

• Search for a course at an adult education centre (‘kansalaisopisto’ in Finnish). Most of the centres list their courses on the common national website: Search for courses – Kansalaisopistot.fi
• Search for events in your town, such as ‘events in Swedish in Vaasa’, and participate in some of them. Luckan is an association that operates in several municipalities organising events and selling tickets.
• Search for associations in your town, such as ‘Swedish-speaking associations in Turku’. Take part in an event that a local association organises or, if you feel uncertain, contact the association’s contact person.
• If you have young children, you may wish to take part in activities organised for parents, whereas if you have older children, their hobbies offer you an opportunity to connect with other parents. Moreover, the hobby associations often need help with things like selling baked goods at children’s football matches. These are great ways to meet people and find new friends.
• If you are studying at a Swedish-language university, the best way to find Swedish-speaking friends is to participate in the various student associations, student nations, study events, and parties. The most important tip is to be active: for example, you can join the board of a student association or help organise events. No previous experience is required, as many others are also first timers. Student life is a perfect opportunity to learn!
• If you have Swedish-speaking colleagues and would like to get to know them better, you can suggest having lunch together or meeting up after work or during the weekend. You can get together at a coffee shop or at an event that you both/all would like, such as a sporting event, book fair, festival, or a marketplace. It is quite commonplace to plan get-togethers (=decide when and where to meet and what to do) several days or even weeks in advance. Some people can be spontaneous but, in general, it may be difficult to meet up at a short notice especially with people who have children, pets and regular hobbies.
• The Finnish Red Cross organises friend activities for immigrants. Find out if there are active volunteers in your town.
• If you already know some Finnish or can produce a translation of the website, you can use the kaverihaku.net forum to search for friends. You can write your ad in Swedish even if most users write in Finnish. You can also use hashtags like #Swedish, #FinlandSwedish, or #SpeakSwedish. 
• There are also various local Facebook groups that organise activities:
  • Many towns and districts have their own Facebook group, and you may also find special groups for neighbourhoods, dog owners, or perhaps parents within a specific village. 
  • If you cannot find any special groups, you can ask in the general local group if such groups exist, as the groups may also be hidden. 
  • Be bold and look for new friends openly by, for example, publishing a ‘friend ad’: Hi, I moved here six months ago. I am interested in getting to know the local people. If you are aged between 20 and 30 years and want company for a walk or to the movies, I would love to hear from you!