Meeting places

Village centre – a shared living room in Ristinummi

The Village Centre Ristinummi is an open meeting and recreational space for people in the Ristinummi area. The Village Centre is open on weekdays (Mon–Fri) and on weekends by prior appointment. The Village Centre runs a wide range of group activities and events for different ages and groups.

 

Vestis – the shared living room of the Gerby-Västervik-Pukinjärvi-Isolahti area

Vestis is an open meeting place for everyone in the Gerby and Västervik area. Vestis offers activities from morning till evening. The group activities include targeted activities for children, families, young people, and seniors.

 

Mahis – A house of possibilities and a feel-good meeting place in the city centre

Mahis is a low-threshold community open to all, designed to support mental health, social well-being, and functional capacity. The weekly programme of Mahis consists of different groups on different themes: life skills, creativity, and physical activities.

 

Setlementtikeskus Palosaari – a wide range of group activities and lunch

Activities for children and families

Activity groups for adults

 

Language café in Alma – Welcome to practise different languages, meet new people, and enjoy yourself!

Choose a table according to the language you want to learn. Use the quiz and conversation cards to help you in your conversations. Snacks are also available. Once a month.

 

Kalyna Center – A friendship café in Rewell for Ukrainians and everyone else!

Coffee and tea served. Donations are also gratefully accepted. Warm and homely atmosphere.

Courses at Vaasa Adult Education Centre Alma (in English)

 

Groups with the Vaasa Finnish Red Cross

We have, for example, Women’s group, Men’s group, and  Golden Age Club (Kultaisen iän kerho).

 

Transgroup – a discussion group on gender diversity

This group is for all transgender and intersex people and for anyone who is exploring their gender identity. We welcome people of all ages. Our discussions about gender and gender diversity are always confidential.

 

See the Finnish and Swedish pages for more group activities!

Culture buddy – a friend with whom to explore the city’s cultural scene

Are you short of friends to visit museums, art exhibitions, theatres, musical performances, or other venues in your local area? A peer guide, or cultural buddy, who is familiar with the city’s  scene, will accompany people of all ages.

 

The Finnish Red Cross’s Friendship Service – providing volunteer friends for those who need the presence of another human being

In Finnish In Swedish

 

The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare’s (MLL) buddy activities – a safe adult companion for a child

MLL’s buddy activities are for children and young people aged 6–17 who need adult companionship and meaningful activities in the company of a trustworthy adult.

 

A male Buddy for your child – Pienperheyhdistys ry ja Vaasan ensi- ja turvakoti ry

Buddies for Kids are adult men volunteering to spend time with single mothers’ children who have no contact with their own father or other important male figures. The goal is to provide an opportunity for the child to have an adult male mentor in his/her life, to help the child and the volunteer build a confidential relationship, and to provide the child with an expanded network to support his/her development.

 

The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare’s (MLL): befriend an immigrant mother! An activity designed to help immigrant mothers feel more at home in Vaasa

The aim is to promote the integration and language learning of immigrant mothers.

 

Friend Card Activity – Friend activity unites people with intellectual disabilities and volunteers to friend pairs

Perhetalo Myötätuuli – The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare’s (MLL)’s family home for children near the city centre

The MLL Vaasa Association runs Perhetalo Myötätuuli, which regularly organises activities for families with children, several times a week. The activities are low-threshold events open to everyone, and most of them are free of charge.

 

You can find more group activities on the Finnish and Swedish pages.

Youth Clubs – place to hang out with friends

The City of Vaasa’s youth services have youth clubs offering both guided and self-organised activities. The facilities are especially suitable for secondary school children and above, but there are also activities for pupils in grades 5 and 6. The youth facilities offer a variety of games such as board games, billiards, and ping-pong. Some of the youth clubs also offer sports activities.

Kultsa, Centre

Sumppu, Vetokannas

Ristikka, Ristinummi

Huudi, Huutoniemi

Kyrölä, Vähäkyrö

 

Cross Youth Centre – a meeting place for young people and young adults in the Finnish parish of Vaasa

 

Rainbow activities in the youth services – a safe space where you can come just as you are, by yourself or together!

Low-threshold, relaxed activities for young people over 13 years of age on Wednesdays from 16 to 19.30 at the Sumppu Youth Club. You can come for a cup of coffee, meet nice people, chat to the counsellors, or just sit down and relax.

 

Regnbågscafé Vasa – Swedish-language group for rainbow youth aged 12–18 every two weeks

 

Vaasa A-Kilta’s sober living room and groups

You can discuss all kinds of issues in a sober environment with peer support. Have a coffee, read a magazine, or play a board game. There are also group activities such as walking, billiards, and games groups.

 

ONLINE:

 

Sekasin Gaming – on Discord, a safe online community for young people

Here you can chat via voice and text channels with nearly 14 000 other young people in Finland anonymously. 24/7 moderation ensures the safety of the conversation. In addition to peers, the server regularly hosts professionals from different fields to support you. Open 24/7.

Mahis – A house of possibilities and a feel-good meeting place in the city centre

Mahis is a low-threshold community open to all, with the aim of supporting mental health, social well-being, and functional capacity. Mahis’ weekly programme consists of a variety of groups on different themes: life skills, creativity, and physical activites. In addition to this, visitors also have the opportunity to eat out at low cost, socialise with other people, and take part in events organised by Mahis!

 

Language café in Alma – Welcome to practise different languages, meet new people, and enjoy yourself!

Choose a table according to the language you want to learn. Use the quiz and conversation cards to help you in your conversations. Snacks are also available. Once a month.

 

Groups with the Vaasa Finnish Red Cross

We have, for example, a group for women and a group for men.

 

Friend App – How to find a friend as an adult?

The app provides a national, free service for adults. It helps you find the right friends for you, based on your shared values, hobbies, or life situation.

 

You can also find other friendship apps by searching online.

 

You can find more group activities on the Finnish and Swedish pages.

Groups with the Vaasa Finnish Red Cross

We have, for example, the Golden Age Club (Kultaisen iän kerho).

 

You will find more group activities on the Finnish and Swedish pages.