English

Welcome to Naistari

Here you can:

• study Finnish language

• get to know nice people

• ask and receive help and advice

• use internet and read magazines

• participate in organizing activities

• participate in sport activities

• share your own ideas

Purpose:

The aim of Naistari is to provide for migrant women and children a living room where they can in a safe way take part in different activities.

Description:

In Naistari migrant women can e.g. study Finnish language, practice the use of language in discussion

groups, share their experiences of living in Finland and get more information about the Finnish culture and society. At Naistari you can also receive assistance and help in different matters regarding social and health services. Especially the Russian and Estonian speaking elderly immigrants and their families are assisted by the returnee counsellor to manage the everyday life and learn to use services offered for elderly immigrants.

Beneficiaries:

All visitors are mainly from the cultures

where women traditionally stay at home and who therefore have lack qualifications for vocational training and working life.

Migrant women are often very family oriented.

Empowerment of women and girls concerns therefore the whole family. Support of the other women in the same situation is very important.

Also possibility to have professional help from the staff is very valuable in solving the problems that arise in the new cultural context.

Results:

Most migrant women have learnt Finnish and have got courage to take care of daily tasks in Finnish. By combining social and cultural work many cultural conflicts have been prevented and the empowerment of women has become possible.