What is Familia?
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Familia ry – founded in 1988 – is a national expert organisation of intercultural families. We support the wellbeing of intercultural families by offering peer support and volunteer activities, information, and advice. We also aim at making improvements in the social and legal systems, so that the needs of intercultural and multilingual families and Finns would be better met.
Intercultural families as a term, refers to families in which family members have different cultural backgrounds. This usually means, that the partners were born in different countries and speak different languages. A child or children raised by a parent (s) with different cultural background (s), are also considered part of an intercultural family. |
Familia belongs to the Diverse-Family network. The network consists of ten different family associations representing a variety of different types of families. The aim of the Diverse Families Network is a society where families are equal, and every family can be proud of itself.
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News
Dear volunteer, participant, member,
4.9.26
We are currently going through difficult times at Familia. Our funding for next year is uncertain, as STEA grants will be cut by more than 80 million in 2027, which is a third less than this year. In 2026, about 80% of all our funding comes from STEA. As you may have already seen on our social media, we have had to prepare for a possible reduction or, in the worst case, even the end of funding by laying off all our permanent employees. Our operations are truly at risk.
These decisions have been very difficult and I understand that this will cause uncertainty and confusion for those of you who are part of our community in different ways. If we had not prepared for the future, in the worst case scenario the association would have been bankrupt and we were not ready for that. We wanted to secure the future of Familia so that we could continue our activities for intercultural families in one way or another. In what way and to what extent, we will only find out around the new year.
Read the whole Executive Director’s letter here.
4.9.26
We are currently going through difficult times at Familia. Our funding for next year is uncertain, as STEA grants will be cut by more than 80 million in 2027, which is a third less than this year. In 2026, about 80% of all our funding comes from STEA. As you may have already seen on our social media, we have had to prepare for a possible reduction or, in the worst case, even the end of funding by laying off all our permanent employees. Our operations are truly at risk.
These decisions have been very difficult and I understand that this will cause uncertainty and confusion for those of you who are part of our community in different ways. If we had not prepared for the future, in the worst case scenario the association would have been bankrupt and we were not ready for that. We wanted to secure the future of Familia so that we could continue our activities for intercultural families in one way or another. In what way and to what extent, we will only find out around the new year.
Read the whole Executive Director’s letter here.
Announcement: Familia’s activities might come to an end
1.9.26
Familia has had to adjust its operations due to the upcoming decrease in STEA funding. In its June meeting, Familia’s board made the difficult decision to restructure the organisation and its staffing. The decision means that the employment of all six permanent employees will come to an end.
The decision is based on exceptionally large cuts directed at social and health organisations, as well as uncertainty regarding STEA funding for 2027. In 2027, the available STEA grants will be approximately 84 million euros less than in 2026.
Read the announcement in full here.
1.9.26
Familia has had to adjust its operations due to the upcoming decrease in STEA funding. In its June meeting, Familia’s board made the difficult decision to restructure the organisation and its staffing. The decision means that the employment of all six permanent employees will come to an end.
The decision is based on exceptionally large cuts directed at social and health organisations, as well as uncertainty regarding STEA funding for 2027. In 2027, the available STEA grants will be approximately 84 million euros less than in 2026.
Read the announcement in full here.
Come and join us for work try-out
10.7.26
We are looking for club secretary and volunteer secretary for a 3–6 month work trial. As a club secretary, you will help with administrative and event production tasks for the Belingual language clubs. As a volunteer secretary, you will assist with administrative and support tasks for the volunteer register and volunteer activities, as well as event production tasks. Our working languages are Finnish and English, but we do not require perfect language skills. The courage to use the language is enough.
Read more about the positions on our website.
We are especially looking for clients of Helsinki employment services for a work trial.
10.7.26
We are looking for club secretary and volunteer secretary for a 3–6 month work trial. As a club secretary, you will help with administrative and event production tasks for the Belingual language clubs. As a volunteer secretary, you will assist with administrative and support tasks for the volunteer register and volunteer activities, as well as event production tasks. Our working languages are Finnish and English, but we do not require perfect language skills. The courage to use the language is enough.
Read more about the positions on our website.
We are especially looking for clients of Helsinki employment services for a work trial.
Familia's expert statement to the Parliamentary Committee on Social Affairs and Health: HE 69/2026 vp Government proposal to Parliament to amend the Act on Child Home Care and Private Child Care Allowance
10.6.2026
We are particularly concerned about the 1,050 parents who, according to the impact assessment, would remain at home to care for their child without any support. In addition to these factors that directly affect the well-being of families and children, we are deeply concerned about the increasing unequal treatment of people who have moved to Finland, which comes directly from legislation. The Norwegian model of home care allowance now presented would directly place people who have moved to Finland and their families in an unequal position with people who have lived in Finland for a longer period. In addition to the fact that increasing legal discrimination represents a development that we cannot consider acceptable, experiences of discrimination negatively affect the experience of belonging of people who have moved to Finland, which in turn negatively affects mental health and integration.
Read the whole statement (in Finnish only) here.
10.6.2026
We are particularly concerned about the 1,050 parents who, according to the impact assessment, would remain at home to care for their child without any support. In addition to these factors that directly affect the well-being of families and children, we are deeply concerned about the increasing unequal treatment of people who have moved to Finland, which comes directly from legislation. The Norwegian model of home care allowance now presented would directly place people who have moved to Finland and their families in an unequal position with people who have lived in Finland for a longer period. In addition to the fact that increasing legal discrimination represents a development that we cannot consider acceptable, experiences of discrimination negatively affect the experience of belonging of people who have moved to Finland, which in turn negatively affects mental health and integration.
Read the whole statement (in Finnish only) here.
Our objectives for the general election 2027 are out now!
4.5.2026
We have been working on our objectives for the 2027 general elections, and they are out now! We look to build a version of Finland where the specific needs and characteristics of intercultural families are recognised and taken into account at the national level of Finnish policy making. We want to thank everybody who has taken part in shaping our objectives for next year’s election!
All of the objectives can be found in English here, and in Finnish here.
4.5.2026
We have been working on our objectives for the 2027 general elections, and they are out now! We look to build a version of Finland where the specific needs and characteristics of intercultural families are recognised and taken into account at the national level of Finnish policy making. We want to thank everybody who has taken part in shaping our objectives for next year’s election!
All of the objectives can be found in English here, and in Finnish here.
JOIN US!
As a member of Familia, you are a valuable part of our community that promotes the well-being and equality of intercultural families in Finland. As a member, your voice and that of your family can be heard in the planning of services and in decision-making related to multiculturalism, multilingualism, immigration and integration, for example. As our member, you can also participate in Familia's regular meetings and thus, develop our activities.
As a member of Familia, you are a valuable part of our community that promotes the well-being and equality of intercultural families in Finland. As a member, your voice and that of your family can be heard in the planning of services and in decision-making related to multiculturalism, multilingualism, immigration and integration, for example. As our member, you can also participate in Familia's regular meetings and thus, develop our activities.
activities
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