Students from International Seminar Volunteer Across Helsinki
Last week Helsinki was filled with the spirit of helping as 150 international students spread out across the city to take part in volunteer work. During the day, the students had the opportunity to experience in practice how small actions can make a big difference.
The students participated in volunteer activities as part of Helsinki Business College’s international seminar. The aim of the day was to bring opportunities for helping others closer to young people and encourage them to think about how they can pass on good deeds in their everyday lives.
Helping Around the City
During the volunteer day, students visited 18 different locations across Helsinki. They helped with a variety of tasks, including food aid, organizing activities, event preparations, and everyday tasks within different community organizations.
The locations were found through the Commu platform, which connects people offering help with those in need of it. The day gave students the opportunity to learn about Finnish organizations and see in practice what volunteer work in Finland looks like.
Hilla Helasaari, Head of International Affairs at Helsinki Business College, explains that the goal of the volunteer day was to encourage students to think about helping others in a new way.
“This time we wanted to encourage young people to think about others instead of themselves, and about how they can pass on good with small actions. It is good for all of us to sometimes reflect on what we can do for others and focus, even for a moment, on the people around us.
When you start noticing the people around you and are able to offer help even in the middle of everyday life, it is truly valuable. It gives strength to both the person offering help and the one receiving it. It is also a way to build a safer environment for all of us.”
Students Helping and Learning
Timo van Zandbrink, a teacher from Rijn IJssel in the Netherlands who participated in the seminar for the second time and described the volunteer day as one of the highlights of the event.
“The best part was visiting the organization Kaapatut Lapset (Abducted Children). We worked on their social media by updating their online training and planning and producing TikTok videos to raise awareness about child abductions and their prevention.”
Students David, Letizia and Ivana from FIM in Munich also found the day especially meaningful. They spent their day at Maunula House baking cupcakes with children.
“It was a wonderful experience. The children were happy, and it was great to share the moment with them. It was also nice to talk with many different kinds of people.”
Small Actions, Big Impact
Helsinki Business College has organized international seminars for more than 20 years. This year the theme focused on helping others and building a sense of community — the idea that everyone can do good in their own way.
For many participants, a one-day volunteering experience can be the first step toward active citizenship. At the same time, it reminds us that helping others does not require big gestures — sometimes it is enough to pause for a moment and notice the people around us.
