Vaasa is participating in the Finnish championships in caring and invites residents to join in!

The first Finnish Cup of Caring will take place from 1 April to 31 May 2025. It is an open team competition, welcoming businesses, organisations, parishes, wellbeing services counties, and other suitable communities to participate as organisers of Cup events.

At the Cup events, volunteer teams are encouraged to engage with diverse target groups, such as children, young people, seniors, individuals with disabilities, mental health and substance abuse rehabilitees, immigrants, or, for example, contribute to the preservation of nature and the environment. The Cup events may feature outdoor activities such as games, making music, singing, dancing, baking, hosting pancake parties, helping with food aid, sorting items, or doing volunteer work for the preservation of nature and the environment.

The Cup aims to foster meaningful interactions between different target groups, promoting mutual understanding and compassion.

The Talk to Someone New campaign promotes caring

Since August, the City of Vaasa has been running a campaign under the theme ‘Talk to Someone New’, encouraging residents to engage with people they don’t know and exploring ways to prevent and eliminate loneliness. The aim of the Finnish Cup of Caring is to inspire new people to volunteer their time for low-threshold group activities, and to collectively foster well-being, community spirit, and a culture of responsible caring.

-The Finnish Cup of Caring aligns perfectly with our activities and the Talk to Someone New campaign. Both aim to foster community spirit, a culture of responsible caring, and prevent loneliness, says Virve Flinkkilä, Director of Welfare for the City of Vaasa.

Vaasa is participating by organising events and spreading information. Success and the increase in caring are shared goals for all Vaasa residents, which is why the city hopes for broad participation.  

-Any community, organisation, or association is welcome to participate as a Cup event organiser. There are many ways to participate, and the threshold for getting involved is low. The main goal of the events is to create a comfortable and safe environment where people can meet and interact with one another. We hope that as many organisations as possible will participate as event organisers, and that we can raise Vaasa’s profile in a positive way, says Flinkkilä.

Registration and important dates 

Cup event organisers should register via the registration form available on the Cup website by 30 January 2025. The exact dates of the events do not need to be given at the time of registration. Instead, registrants can select the option ‘Päivämäärä ei ole vielä tiedossa/Ajankohta on sovittavissa erikseen’ (Date is not yet known/can be set later) on the registration form.

Further information about the Finnish Cup of Caring is available on the website at www.valittamisensm.fi. The competition is organised by the Välittämisen kansanliike ry association. 

A webinar for Cup event organisers will be organised on8 January 2025 from 14–15. The webinar will address the planning, organisation, and other practical aspects of Cup events. Registration for the webinar: How to organise a Finnish Cup of Caring event? Wednesday, 8 January 2025, from 14 to 15 (Teams)