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The Duo groups are peer groups and activities for people in an intercultural couple and /or family as well as intercultural people. Our activities are Duo Mother & Baby groups, Duo Fathers’ groups, Duo Living Rooms and Duo Job-Hunting groups. Adults, teenagers and children are all welcome to our Duo activities. Our groups can be launched anywhere in Finland as well as online. Currently, all our groups meet online.
VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES!
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ONGOING AND UPCOMING GROUPS
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Duo Living room Espoo
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DUO MOTHER & BABY GROUPS
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UPCOMING GROUPS
Duo Mother & Baby groups are cosy and confidential meeting places for the mothers and babies of intercultural families. All mothers - both Finnish-born and foreign-born - are welcome to take part in the groups along with their under-1-year-old babies.
Duo Mother & Baby groups are facilitated by volunteer pairs who are also mothers of intercultural baby families. The groups last about two months and they have eight weekly meetings. The groups are closed groups, which means that a registration to the group is required and new participants aren’t taken into the group once it has started. All the participants commit to take part in the meetings. Duo Mother & Baby groups have been very popular, and the groups have been organised for over ten years. The groups have received strongly positive feedback and the participants have told they’ve had a chance to meet each other and make new friends with others in a similar life situation. According to the feedback, the best thing about the groups have been the discussions, sharing of experiences and peer support. Mothers have also shared ideas and information about intercultural parenthood and family life in Finland. Ps. Are you interested in becoming a volunteer and lead a Mother and Baby group? Read more about here. |
Duo Mother & Baby groups are cosy and confidential meeting places for the mothers and babies of intercultural families. All mothers - both Finnish and foreign - are welcome to participates." The best thing about my Duo Mother & Baby group was hearing other mothers' experiences and being able to share my own experiences. The unity feeling in the group." |
Duo Toddlers
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Duo Toddlers are private meeting places for the parents and their toddlers of intercultural families. All parents- both Finnish-born and foreign-born - are welcome to take part in the groups along with their under-3-year-old toddlers.
The groups are facilitated by volunteer pairs who are also parents of intercultural toddler families. The groups last about two months, and they have eight weekly meetings. The groups are closed groups, which means that a registration to the group is required, and new participants aren’t taken into the group once it has started. All the participants commit to take part in the meetings. Registration to the group through HERE. After collecting a lot of feedback Familia has realised that importance of adding this group to our Duo Groups. Duo Mother & Baby groups has run for over 10 years and lately we have had requests to start groups for parents of toddlers above-1-year-olds and below-3-year-olds. So here we are, 2022 will have the first groups. Ps. Are you interested in becoming a volunteer and lead a Toddler's group? Read more about here. |
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DUO LIVING ROOM (FAMILY GROUP)
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Duo Living Room (Face-to-face)
Duo Living Rooms are a place for parents, guardians and children of intercultural families to meet others and exchange ideas and experiences about the daily life of an intercultural family. Meetings are run by volunteers who themselves have experience living in an intercultural family. The meetings are multi-lingual and the atmosphere is casual. Come and chat about your life over a cup of coffee ! The meetings last usually 1.5-2 hours, but you can join for as long as you want. During spring 2022 the Duo Living Rooms will be held in person with 8 meeting series. Each meeting will have a specific topic (like bilingualism or intercultural parenthood). PS; Familia is looking for volunteers to start Duo Living Rooms in other areas in Finland. So if you are interested or know someone who might be, please check becoming a volunteer and lead a Duo Living room? Read more about here. |
I joined Duo Living Room to share ideas about raising intercultural children and parenting. The group empowers me. It reminds me that we are not the only family like this and somebody understands out problems. We are not strange and we are part of something. 
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DUO FATHERS' GROUPS
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Duo Father's group is a peer support group for fathers in intercultural families. The fathers' groups encourage and support foreign and Finnish fathers in an intercultural family, giving them a space to share thoughts, concerns and frustrations, reflect on being a dad and the vital role they play in their children’s development. In the groups, fathers get to talk, bond and make new friends. The focus in this group is meeting new people, learning new tools, sharing ideas and getting support by and for dads in an intercultural family. In person, the meetings are conducted once a week or twice a month and are in person or online when needed. Each meeting takes about 1.5-2 hours. Are you interested in becoming a volunteer and lead a Duo Fathers' group? Read more about here. |
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DUO JOB HUNTING GROUPS
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The Duo Job hunting groups are peer support groups for members of intercultural families who are looking for a job. The aim is to create a space where participants can support and encourage each other and talk about different themes linked to job-hunting, among people who share a similar life situation. The participants share ideas, tips and have discussions about job-hunting in Finland and its specificity for people in intercultural families.
The groups are led by trained volunteers and meet around once a week to discuss employment, integration and well-being issues. In addition to discussions, the meetings include one Q&A session with an expert. The Duo Job hunting group are organized each weeks or every two weeks for 8 times. A meeting lasts 1.5-2 hours, and the groups are closed, which means that the same people meet each time and that there are no new members joining after the second session. The groups have between 5 and 8 participants, and can be organized online. Are you interested in becoming a volunteer and lead a Duo Job-hunting group? Read more about here. UPCOMING / ONGOING GROUPS
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"I never knew that CV's are different in Finland. And I was surprised to find out that it is expected for one to have an active LinkedIn. I enjoyed this group and got really eye-opening advises." 
"I didn't know what expect from the group, yet I leave filled with great ideas!" |
Duo Support group
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Duo Support group is a safe space for those who have experienced intercultural divorce to meet peers, share experiences and learn from others.
In Duo Support group you will not get advice on the practicalities of divorce. The focus will be on sharing your own experiences, challenges, wins and solutions with others and supporting each other. Meetings are facilitated by trained volunteers who have also experienced intercultural divorce. Meetings will be held in English. The themes for the group this autumn are coping with divorce, children's well-being in divorce, parenting after divorce and rebuilding your life. Participants will choose the theme for the last meeting. More information and resources about intercultural divorce and the practicalities of getting s divorce in Finland can be found in Familia's new online course about divorce. |
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DUO Integration GroupIntegration is not only employment. Making friends, learning about the culture, the language and these little things that make you feel at home are also part of it. Integration is about finding a new balance and keeping one’s own identity. It is also a process, with its own highs and lows. In the discussion group, we will create a comfortable space, where everyone can share and hear experiences, give and get tips, make friends and ultimately make integration in Finland a bit easier.
This hybrid closed group will be volunteer led, starting on December 19th. The places are limited so pre-registration is required to the group through here.
Finding love is a great thing, getting reunited with family is a blessing, but feeling that you are welcome back home might sometimes strike painfully with difficulties in communicating, culture shocks and language barriers. This group is a peer support group where you can safely talk about those difficulties and feelings with others who have been through them too.
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"To be honest, I don’t know what I need you to do. I just feel that huge part inside of my is missing… missing my home, missing my laughs with my own friends, missing the feeling of being accepted in my own skin with my own language! I am here because I love you, but sometimes it's just too difficult!" |
DUO ACTIVITIES AROUND FINLANDWould you be interested to have activities for intercultural families close to you? Contact us and we tell you more about the opportunities that already exist close to you or how to start a Duo activity yourself!
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"Good atmosphere, friendly people. Participants seemed to genuinely like each other." |
