10.10.2023
Recently in Finland we have seen here many newcomers, mostly because of the war situation in Ukraine.
The immigrant people are either asylum seekers, refugees, students, workers or other people. They all need to get familiar with the new culture and language.
For many of them there are possibilities enough to start a language course in the morning, study during the daytime or have lessons in the evenings. Many of these newcomers in Rovaniemi have started a daily job and have no time to study. Anyhow, they all are in need to get a chance to talk Finnish and practise skills with local people.
For those people who don’t have opportunities to study Finnish language officially or practise talking to get more closer to Finnish culture, Arctic Immigrants AMAry has started a project called Kielitalkoot.
Kielitalkoot at Ounasrinne
The project is done together with Kotokunta Oy. Grant is coming from Moniheli ry and the rent from the Community House Kontu from Kotokunta.
Every Wednesday from 18 to 20 people interested in learning to speak Finnish are gathering together at Salmenperä 2, Rovaniemi. Group is changeing every week according to own will, working duties or family affairs. Kielitalkoot started on Wednesday 23rd August and will continue until 13th December 2023.
Kielitalkoot is not a proper language course, official or led by a language teacher. It’s an open group led by volunteers. The aim is to spend time together with no boring learning, writing or grammatic schedule. Kielitalkoot schedule is flexible. There have been already games, coffee talks, handicrafts, painting or even cooking. We improve language level and practice more by different methods than reading and studying the structures.
Participating Kielitalkoot is free of charge. It’s meant and available for all the immigrants who like friendly atmosphere. Children are welcome with their parents. In Kontu there is a place with toys and some other activities like painting or making handicrafts. Its open also to Finnish speakers, who want to help, guide and talk easy Finnish.
TOISTO group
Now the group is trying Toisto – method. TOISTO is suitable for starting to talk by repeating the words and sentences many times during the evening with one thematic area.
This far there has been 2-4 voluntary leaders to push ahead the methods and programs for coming meetings. On a plan there is to organise a trip to Apukka 21st October for grilling party, next month an evening connected with different tasty cheese, upcoming Christmas. One idea is to visit local families and have a chat there, in private homes.
If you got an interest to join us, please take contact and join us!
Ahad Maroufi, AMA coordinator
