From Displacement to Belonging: The Power of Volunteering in Finland

How volunteering supports people fleeing the war in Ukraine

When war displaces thousands, the first response often focuses on logistics—providing shelter, food, and legal protection. But integration, the process of building a meaningful life in a new country, is much more complex. For people who fled the war in Ukraine and now reside in Finland, that process has been shaped not only by public services but by the work of volunteers. Volunteers become essential bridges in crises where institutional support can be slow, impersonal, or difficult to access. They offer empathy, flexibility, and culturally sensitive guidance.

Many people arriving in Finland faced unfamiliar housing systems, language barriers, and confusion about basic procedures like booking medical appointments or setting up utilities.  Many respondents of the House of Helsinki report “Mapping the needs of people who fled the war in Ukraine and now reside in Finland” 

were unaware of their rights or the services available to them. Volunteers stepped in to offer step-by-step support with tasks such as securing housing, filling out paperwork, and enrolling children in school.

“There is almost no information about the paperwork process; we learned everything through Telegram chats.”

These informal support networks, often facilitated by volunteers, became lifelines. While official information may be available on websites or brochures, it was volunteers who interpreted it, translated it, and explained what it meant in practice.

Cultural and Language Sensitivity Creates Real Connection

The House of Helsinki mapping showed that over 80% of respondents were women, many with children, and most preferred to receive support in Ukrainian or Russian. This creates a significant challenge for public services, where Finnish or English are often the only languages available. Volunteers have stepped in to bridge this gap. Many speak the same languages as those they help and understand the trauma of war and displacement from personal experience. This shared background makes it easier for people to ask for help and ensures that communication is more sensitive and respectful.

Language barrier is the most significant obstacle to employment (352 respondents) and education (501 respondents), with many respondents highlighting the need for language support to access opportunities. In this context, volunteers who provide translation help or informal language coaching are playing a key role in expanding access to essential opportunities.

Volunteers Fill Gaps in Public Services

Even when people are connected with official services, these systems often don’t meet all their needs. This is where volunteers can make an enormous difference, offering emotional support, personal guidance, and practical assistance that public services are not always equipped to provide. Many respondents expressed experiencing psychological stress but had not sought professional mental health care. Reasons included the cost of services, lack of information, or discomfort with seeking help from unfamiliar professionals. In these cases, volunteers often became informal sources of mental health support—listening, encouraging, and helping people navigate available services.

Volunteers are also more approachable. Many respondents said they found it easier to ask for help from community members or non-governmental organizations than from public officials. In 2024 alone, the House of Helsinki received over 1,600 help requests. These requests are often related to issues that are not covered by public services, such as:

• Clarifying bureaucratic paperwork

• Navigating housing rights

• Understanding electricity contracts

• Securing childcare

• Help with CV writing and job applications

This kind of support does more than solve immediate problems—it helps build trust and confidence.

Creating a Sense of Community and Belonging

Social isolation remains one of the greatest challenges for people trying to rebuild their lives after displacement. The mapping found that nearly 60% of respondents reported limited social contacts. Only 17% said they had strong, supportive relationships in Finland. Volunteers help to change this. Through language cafés, peer support groups, cultural events, and everyday conversations, they create spaces where people feel welcome. These community-based efforts are especially important for single parents, older adults, and individuals with disabilities who may have fewer opportunities to connect with others.

“Social life is equal to zero now because of the lack of language skills. Volunteers are the only ones who make me feel like I belong here.”

Recognizing and Supporting Volunteer Efforts

While the mapping highlights the powerful impact of volunteerism, it also shows the limitations of relying on unpaid labor to carry out essential integration work. Volunteers cannot replace public systems, but they must be seen and supported as critical partners.

Based on the findings, there are several key recommendations for moving forward:

• Improve coordination between NGOs and public institutions

• Ensure stable funding for volunteer-driven initiatives

• Offer multilingual materials and interpretation services in public systems

• Provide training and support for volunteers working with complex needs

As Finland approaches the 2026 expiration of temporary protection for many displaced individuals, the need for sustained civic engagement is more important than ever. Volunteers have laid much of the foundation for integration, but long-term support will require coordinated efforts between civil society and government agencies.

Turning Displacement into Belonging

The mapping by the House of Helsinki reminds us that integration is not only about rules and policies. It is about people who care enough to act. In moments of crisis, when systems are overwhelmed or slow to respond, volunteers are often the first to step in. They fill the human-sized gaps that public services cannot always reach, offering emotional support, practical guidance, and culturally sensitive help that is both immediate and deeply personal. They are not just helpers, they are community builders, translators, problem-solvers, and often the first people newcomers trust.

Whether it’s explaining how to navigate a new city, helping someone write their first Finnish CV, or simply offering a warm conversation in a familiar language, volunteers are providing the kind of care that turns emergency relief into long-term recovery. In the absence of trust in unfamiliar institutions, it is often a volunteer who builds the first bridge toward belonging. As we look toward the future, and especially toward the 2026 expiration of temporary protection status, it is clear that volunteers will continue to play a critical role. But to sustain this impact, they need recognition, resources, and inclusion in broader integration planning. In times of crisis, it is not only systems that carry people through—it is other people.

Click here for the Mapping Report