As a volunteer at a Helmet library, you can participate in arranging myriad activities.
Volunteers at libraries can, for example, head a book club or a language club for adults, read fairy tales or books to children, arrange activities for the young (for example, gaming evenings), oversee a handicraft club, or arrange discussion evenings.
Volunteers act as, for example, supervisors of reading circles, library grannies and grandpas, handlers of reading education assistance dogs, readers of novels and fairy tales, as well as supervisors of handicraft and gaming clubs. You can also try out new forms of volunteer activities at the library. You can, furthermore, arrange activities in your mother tongue.
By providing volunteer activities, the library supports civic activity, participation, and sense of community. As a volunteer, you get to share your skills, learn new ones, and meet new people. Activities arranged by volunteers at the library will not replace the work conducted by library professionals.
Volunteering at Espoo libraries
Become a language café organiser
Do you want to organise a language café? As a language café organiser, you select a topic to discuss, ask questions, listen and give advice and encouragement. You can organise a language café in a language of your own choosing. You can teach others your native language or practice speaking a language you are studying or have studied.
Join in! For more information on language cafés, please contact katja.lofgren@espoo.fi
Become a leader in a book club
Do you like to read? Want to discuss the books you’ve read? How about starting a book club! We are looking for leaders for new book clubs and co-leaders for already meeting clubs (check times and places from events). In a book club you facilitate discussion of a book you’ve chosen to read.
If interested, please contact katja.lofgren@espoo.fi
Reading dog or reading pet owner
Animal-assisted reading is an important form of volunteer work. Do you have a pet who would be suitable? A dog, a cat, a bunny, a tortoise, any other pet? Your pet should be in your control, should not be afraid of the noise of the library and should like humans (particularly children). Your pet can be perky and peppy. Personally, you should be interested in helping children struggling with reading in their early attempts. The schedule and the suitable library are agreed upon according to your wishes. You’ll get an introduction to the task. The library hopes your pet has taken some sort of an aptitude test to ensure they are happy to work as a volunteer. Please see Suomen Karva-Kaverit or The Finnish Kennel Club for further details. For further questions please contact kirjasto.lukukoira@espoo.fi.
Become a homework club instructor
For many children, library is the place where they spend time and do their homework. Sometimes, though, the children need help with the homework. Why don’t you come and help them!
The homework club is an open club where school children can ask help with their homework from the volunteers. The homework club is organised in different libraries on agreed dates. Volunteers should commit to the club for one school term at a time.
If interested, please contact ira.cottier@espoo.fi for more information!
Makerspace instructor
Have you tried library’s makerspaces? Can you sew, knit, crochet, felt, draw, make handicrafts, build or something else? Would you like to share your skills by guiding others?
We’re looking for makerspace instructors for groups. You could also help other patrons with machines in the makerspace, such as the vinyl cutter, 3D printers and sewing machines. We will train you in how to use the library equipment. Come and join us!
More information on the makerspace: katja.lofgren@espoo.fi
Volunteering with organisations
Couldn’t find anything suitable for you? You can also volunteer via several different organisations arranging volunteer activities in the Espoo City Libraries. Digital support for the elderly is provided by Enter ry. Reading dog activity is organised by The Finnish Kennel Club.
If you are interested in volunteering in the Espoo libraries, you can also contact your local library directly or katja.lofgren@espoo.fi.
For more information:
Volunteer at Helsinki City Library
Book club instructor
Our book clubs get together once a month to read books and discuss literature. Our staff will familiarise you with the task and can also help you get started on leading the club.
Book club volunteers are expected to have an interest in literature, but no other experience is required.
After-school activity instructor for children and young people
Library grandmas and grandpas and other after-school activity instructors play games, read aloud stories, draw pictures and just spend time with children after school. As a library grandma or grandpa, you can take part in activities that you enjoy. The volunteers spend approximately 2–2.5 hours at the library on an agreed day every week.
Finnish language café instructor
At Finnish language cafés, you can help immigrants learn Finnish or act as the café instructor. You are required to have a good command of the Finnish language, good communication skills and patience to listen and understand various levels of spoken Finnish. Library staff are sometimes also involved as language café instructors. All volunteers are trained for the task.
The purpose of the activities is to strengthen the participants’ Finnish language skills, provide them with information about the Finnish society, help them integrate into our society and give them the opportunity to meet new people.
Language cafés are usually held once a week, some less often.
Reading ambassador
Do you enjoy reading? Would you like to pass on the joy of reading to others? Why not join our reading ambassador activities! As a reading ambassador, you will support reading as a hobby by reading aloud to senior citizens or others who need help with reading. The reading usually takes place at service homes.
Helsinki libraries will support you in your role as a reading ambassador. The libraries organise get-togethers for reading ambassadors where they give tips on books that are suitable for reading aloud, share the joy of reading, and discuss questions and experiences related to reading.
Keep an eye on our event calendar on the Helmet.fi website to see when the reading ambassadors will next meet. For further information, please email lukulahettilas@hel.fi or contact your local library staff.
You can also act as a reader in various library events, such as Novellikoukku (Hooked on short stories).
Other activities
Libraries offer many volunteering opportunities – come up with your own idea or get involved in our existing activities! Where possible, we offer support in organising events, instructing groups or hosting other activities.
As a library volunteer, you will sign a volunteering agreement, and the City of Helsinki will insure you during your voluntary work. You can commit to volunteering for as long or short period of time as you wish. In certain tasks, volunteers commit to the activities for one semester at a time.
How to get involved
If you are interested in volunteering, please get in touch at vapaaehtoistoiminta.kirjastot@hel.fi or your local library.
Volunteer at Vantaa libraries
As a volunteer at a Vantaa city library, you can participate in arranging many different activities. You can also arrange activities in your mother tongue. Inform us about your interest in acting as a volunteer at the library through the link below, or by contacting a library.
Volunteers at libraries can, for example, head a book club or a language club for adults, read story books to children, arrange activities for the young (for example, gaming evenings), oversee a handicraft club, or arrange discussion evenings.
You can join library volunteer activities for as long as you like. As a library volunteer, you will sign an agreement on volunteer activities, and the City of Vantaa will insure you for the duration of your volunteer work.
How to join
If you are interested in acting as a volunteer at the library, contact your own local library. You can also enroll through the link below, and we will contact you.