The goal of Familia’s recently started BElingual Project is to enhance the well-being of under school age, intercultural children and their families by  guiding and supporting the development of children’s bilingualism and intercultural identities as well as supporting their parent’s educational work using social pedagogic methods.  

During the project we will:  

• Set up a voluntary family network to lead family club activities 
• Organize training events for those working with bilingual, multicultural children and their families 
• Design and produce learning materials 

If you are interested in the project and would like more information, get in touch with our team.

​The three-year project is funded by the Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations (STEA). 

---

BElingual family clubs

BElingual family language club activities for families with under school-age children will start in 2022. The volunteer-led clubs will be implemented nationwide both virtually and face-to-face, in at least ten minority languages.  This fall (2021), we will develop and test our child centered, language-oriented family club model together with researchers, experts and intercultural families in the greater Helsinki area.

Join us in developing our family club activities
If you are a parent of a bi- or multilingual, under school-age child and you want to find activities for your children where they can practice your family's minority language in Helsinki, Espoo or Vantaa, get involved! 

We will form pilot family language clubs,  in different languages and hold four, two-hour club sessions during the fall and we are looking for families join us.  We will find a location for the club to operate, find other families to join activities and sort out all the practicalities. 

If you are interested in taking part in a family language club with your children this fall, email us at laura.hytti@familiary.fi and tell us what languages you are interested in, how old your children are and where you are located.

What you need to do:

• Be open to learning new ways to support your child’s language and identity development together with other parents and the BElingual team
• Be ready to take part in facilitating club activities together with our team at least once during the fall (one 2-hour session) and give feedback.

What you will get in return:

• Support and skills in encouraging the development of your children's language and identity in a safe environment
• Access to tools and methods developed by professionals 
• The opportunity to influence the direction of our club activities and make sure they meet the needs of your family
• Continued club activities in your minority language for next year 

Remember upcoming events, register now!

Duo Vanhempainvalmennus #1

Place and Time:  The event will be held on October 27, 2021 at Familia's office (Kotola) in Helsinki. The duration of the event is 2h, 16: 30-18: 30. In parent peer workshops, you and your spouse can share ideas and experiences with other couples from two cultures expecting a baby. You will also receive research and experience-based information on relationships, parenting and family life, as well as support for children’s identity and bilingualism. The meetings will focus on the relationship between the two cultures, parenting and familyization, and supporting the child's identity and bilingualism.

Sign up Here.

For more information, please contact Hanna Kinnunnen:
hanna.kinnunen@familiary@fi
​+358 44 796 1113

​Multiplier Event

Place and Time:: The event will be held on October 31, 2021, as a hybrid event at Familia's office (Kotola) in Helsinki and via virtual Zoom. The event will also be streamed live on Facebook. The duration of the event is approximately 2.15 hours, from 10.30 to 12.45​

Sign up here.

Lisätietoa antaa Laura Hytti:
laura.hytti@familiary@fi
​+358 44 716 8752

LANGUAGE CLUB PILOTING

Place and Time:  Pilot phase at Familia's office (Kotola) in Helsinki.
There's still time to join.

For more information, please contact Laura Hytti:
laura.hytti @ familiary @ en
+358 44 716 8752​

---

CONTACT INFORMATION:
​Familia ry, Lintulahdenkatu 10
​00500 Helsinki
​
Mohamed Ali
Expert
(Somali, Finnish & English)
+358 50 366 0551
mohamed.ali (at) familiary.fi
​
Laura Hytti
Coordinator
(Finnish, English & Spanish)
+358 44 716 8752
laura.hytti (at) familiary.fi