We want to thank all KVT members, volunteers, partners and other supporters for the woderful year. This past year we have had many types of activities and now it’s time to slow down and prepare for the next year. Our work for peace, volunteering and cooperation will continue next year too.
KVT office will be closed from Wed 24th December to Tue 6th January. During this period messages can be answered slower than usual also in our working groups.
The office and board wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Why have you chosen to be KVT’s member? What has joining our activities given to you, how could we continue to improve the way we work, and how could you gain even more of your KVT membership? Share us your thoughts!
Kansainvälinen vapaaehtoistyö ry will have the annual Fall meeting on Thursday 27th of November at 5:30 pm at Peace Station (Veturitori 3) saunatupa in Helsinki. The meeting place is in the basement level of Peace station and there are stairs to the place (a ramp is also available, but the space isn’t fully accessible, you can check the details from the Peace station webpages: https://rauhanliitto.fi/en/rauhanasema/spaces-for-events/cabinet-and-sauna
The Fall meeting will cover issues according to our rules, such as annual activity plan and budget plan for 2026 and choosing the chair and board members for 2026. Read more about the board member and chairperson applications. The annual meeting is open to all, but only members of KVT can vote. Please make sure you are a member before the meeting. Invitations will be sent to members directly by email, so if you have any doubts, make sure your contact details are updated too. Any questions regarding the Fall meeting or membership can be sent to the office .
After the Fall meeting we will continue the evening at the Peace station saunatupa with laid back pre-christmas hangout. We’ll have some snacks and coffee/tea. Join us for some good company even if you couldn’t participate in the fall meeting earlier.
Would you like to enhance your leadership skills and gain valuable experience of managing a small association? KVT is looking for a new chair person for 2026!
What?
Chair of KVT’s board is a voluntary position in which you will coordinate the work of the board, chair board meetings and collaborate closely with the office staff for example in preparing topics for the board’s meeting agenda. More information on tasks of the board can be found here. You won’t be carrying all the chair responsibilities alone but will share tasks with one or two vice chairs depending on each of your interests. You will also get briefing and support from the previous chair.
Why would I want to become the chair?
You will get valuable experience of administration of a small association and volunteer coordination. Working together with a great crew of volunteers, you will get to enhance your leadership, collaboration and practical facilitation skills. If you already have ideas of how you would like to see KVT develop in the near future, as a chair you will be in a great position to advance those goals (and if you don’t, no worries – general motivation to be the chair is equally important)! You will also have a great opportunity to get to know KVT’s partners and networks, both in the SCI’s international network and the Finnish NGO sector.
What are the requirements?
We hope for the new chair to already be at least somewhat familiar with KVT’s activities and have previous experience as a board member of a non-profit association. Knowledge of written Finnish is an asset (although does not need to be native-speaker level), as the position involves dealing with official documents written in Finnish. To enjoy the tasks coming up with the position, it is also helpful to like working with people and doing things together, building group spirit and motivation among other volunteers, and at least tolerate administrative tasks.
Does being the chair mean that I need to be always available?
No. The chair, too, is a volunteer who is carrying out their tasks according to their own capacity and other commitments in life. It is possible and even recommended to share responsibilities with the vice chairs and to delegate tasks to other board members. However, it is good to have time for the board meetings (although you don’t need to be able to attend every single one of them) and for coordinating the board’s main responsibilities, such as preparation of the annual report and plan of action. We hope you are ready to commit to the position for a full year, but acknowledge that sometimes life happens and that’s totally ok.
I might be interested, how can I apply and where can I get more information?
Message the current chair Hanna () and ask for more details! Applications for the position can be sent to the same email at the latest by Monday, November 24th. In your application, please tell briefly
who you are,
why you are interested in the chair position, and
what kind of previous experience you have with KVT and/or other associations.
(optional:) If you have a particular aspect of KV’s work in mind that you would like the board to focus on improving next year, you can also share that.
The new chair will be elected in KVT’s fall annual meeting on November 27th along with the other board members. The meeting will be organized at Rauhanasema, Helsinki on Thursday, November 27th at 5:30pm. Online participation is also possible.
Are you interested in association activities and gaining a deeper understanding of how to manage a small organization? Would you like a front-row seat to make an impact on what happens in KVT? Apply to join the board for 2026!
KVT’s activities are planned and carried out by a board, known as “Johtis,” consisting of 9-12 volunteers elected by KVT members. In Johtis, you will gain a deeper understanding of KVT’s work and peace activities both locally and internationally. You’ll gain experience of governance of an association and have the opportunity to do meaningful volunteer work in a great team. As a board member, you can develop your skills not only in traditional board activities but also by participating in events, trainings, and seminars.
The board meets about once a month, and meetings are held both in person and online, depending on the preferences of the board members. It’s also possible to attend in-person meetings remotely when needed.
You are welcome to join Johtis with any level of experience with association work; there are roles for both beginners and veterans. Board members share tasks based on their interests: you don’t need to know everything beforehand, and you will not be working on things alone. The most important things are enthusiasm for influencing KVT’s activities, active participation in the board’s work, and sharing KVT’s values.
Board members and chair person will be elected in KVT’s fall annual meeting on Thursday, November 27, starting at 5:30pm at Rauhanasema. It is also possible to join the meeting online.
What kinds of positions are available?
We are looking for people for the following roles in KVT’s 2026 board:
Chair person (see a separate call for applications)
7 other actual members, amongst whom 1-2 vice chair will be nominated
1-4 vice members
Vice members participate in the activities of the board like actual members, apart from that they cannot act as a chair or vice chair and can only vote when an actual member is absent. The board will select the vice chair(s) in its first meeting of the year.
What does the board do and what can I do in the board?
The board plans, implements and evaluates KVT’s annual activities together with the office staff and working groups. The main responsibilities of the board are creating and following KVT’s annual plan of action, representing KVT as an employer, following up on the association’s finances, and making important decisions concerning KVT’s activities and future plans (including updates on the annual budget, approving proposed voluntary workcamps for the coming camp season, recruiting new employees, applying for project grants or joining international projects..).
In addition, activities of the board depend on the interests of its individual members. As a board member, you can decide yourself what kind of tasks or topic you would like to focus on. Here are some examples:
Secretary tasks in board meetings, participating in writing of annual report, plan of action or grant applications
Organizing events (e.g., the annual volunteer weekend) and recreational activities
Following up on finances
HR-related tasks, such as acting as a contact person for the office staff, annual development discussions, recruitment processes
Fundraising
International relations: e.g., joining SCI’s international seminars or working groups
Communications tasks, such as writing membership letters, creating content for social media, or visiting events, educational institutions, or youth work organizations to tell about KVT
Monitoring climate impact of KVT’s activities and developing environmentally friendly practices
Equity and accessibility issues, such as multilingual and accessible communication, improving inclusivity of KVT’s activities for volunteers from diverse backgrounds and in different life situations
Perspectives of young volunteers on developing KVT’s activities
How can I apply?
If you are interested or would like to know more, please be in touch! To apply, you can send a short introduction of yourself to KVT’s current chair Hanna () at the latest by Monday, November 24th. In the introduction you can share:
who you are
how well you know KVT beforehand
why you would like to join the board, and
what kind of tasks or topics you would find especially interesting.
A video competition for young volunteers (18 to 29 years of age) currently living in Finland.(*) The winner gets a gift card that covers KVT’s coordination fee for attending a voluntary workcamp.
How to participate:
Send us a short video (30 s. to 2 mins) through this form by May 31st to tell us why you would like to attend an international voluntary workcamp. There is no standard format for the video – creativity is an advantage! Just make sure the picture and voice on the video is clear.
Why to participate?
A voluntary workcamp is an amazing opportunity to get to know a new place and people while giving your contribution to a local community project in an international group of volunteers. By bringing people from different backgrounds to work together for a common goal, workcamps contribute to building peace and intercultural understanding. During the camp you get to learn about different cultures, gain valuable experience of working in an international group, and of course make new friends from different parts of the world! Learning about a local non-profit project can also give you inspiration and ideas for how to make an impact in your own community.
Where can I go for camp? What kind of workcamps there are?
The gift card covers a coordination fee for a camp in Finland, elsewhere in Europe, or in the U.S., Australia, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan or Turkey. Workcamps usually last from one to three weeks. Camps have different themes, and the type of work done at different camps varies from environment protection to manual renovation work, organizing community events, or work with children or marginalized groups. You can find a full list of camp themes and browse upcoming workcamps in our international network in this database.
What happens if I win?
You can use your gift card for a coordination fee of a workcamp in any of the countries listed above during 2025 or 2026. You can apply for a camp of your choice in the database. You can apply for many camps at the same time, but the gift card only covers the participation fee for one camp. Please note that we cannot guarantee you a place at a specific camp as the participants for the camps are selected by our partner organizations in the receiving countries . You can find more information on the application process here.
Conditions:
The gift card only covers the camp coordination fee for the camp charged by KVT (120€). You will still be responsible for your travel costs to the camp location, possible visa costs and any extra fees possibly charged by the receiving organization abroad (most camps in Europe don’t have these). All volunteers attending workcamps through KVT are required to join as KVT’s members. You cannot exchange the gift card for money.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to be in touch:
(*) KVT’s board and working group members excluded from attending
Hi KVT’s volunteer, alumni, partner, or a young person interested in volunteering and peace,
Here is something to mark in your calendar: KVT’s bi-annual volunteer weekend is coming again on April 5th at the Peace Station in Pasila, Helsinki.
Join us for a day full of exciting program from getting to know this summer’s projects, workshops and getting to know other volunteers. You will also have a chance to enjoy sauna and hang out together in the evening. We will try and organize accommodation with our Helsinki volunteers to those of you coming from outside of Helsinki.
Registration for the event is free and participants will be provided with food the whole day. Registration and a more detailed program will be published soon!
All KVT’s members are welcome to join the weekend; if you are not yet a member or have not yet paid this year’s membership fee, you can do that at any time before the event.
If you would like to help with practical arrangements of the event (kitchen help, workshop facilitation, evening program..), feel free to contact Anni ().
We want to thank all KVT members, volunteers, partners and other supporters for the woderful year. This past year we have had many types of activities: visits and events, trainings and six international camps. We have received dozens of lovely volunteers in Finland and we have sent enthusiastic volunteers to camps, long-term projects, trainings and meetings all around the world. Our work for peace, volunteering and cooperation will continue next year too. Now it is time to slow down and prepare for the next year.
KVT office will be closed from Mon 23rd December to Mon 6th January. During this period messages will be answered slower than usual.
The office and board wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Kansainvälinen vapaaehtoistyö ry will have the annual Fall meeting on Tuesday 26th of November at 5pm at Peace Station (Veturitori 3) in Helsinki. The Fall meeting will cover issues according to our rules, such as annual activity plan and budget plan for 2025 and choosing the chair and board members for 2025. Read more about the board member applications. The annual meeting is open to all, but only members of KVT can vote. Please make sure you are a member before the meeting. Invitations will be sent to members directly by email, so if you have any doubts, make sure your contact details are updated too. Any questions regarding the Fall meeting can be sent to the office .
After the Fall meeting we will have a movie night for all interested people at the Peace station. The program starts after the Fall meeting, so if you only join the movie night, come to Peace station by 6:15pm. The movie night will continue with the themes familiar from the October Volunterr Weekend, such as environmental and responsibility issues. We’ll watch together a documentary called Day Zero – A city without water. The film focuses on water shortages and how they will affect cities and communities; it is estimated that one of four cities will face issues with water shortages in 2050. After the film we will discuss about the topic more and think about ways to promote responsible volunteering and traveling.
Some light snacks will be provided with coffee and tea. Please sign up for the movie night through this form so we know how much snacks to prepare.
Are you interested in association activities and gaining a deeper understanding of the management of a small organization? Would you like a front-row seat to influence what happens in KVT? Apply to join the board for 2025!
Kansainvälinen vapaaehtoistyö ry (KVT) has been working for over 75 years to promote peace and understanding between people. At KVT’s volunteer camps, volunteers from different backgrounds work together towards a common goal, helping to challenge prejudices and break down barriers. KVT’s activities are grassroots-level peace work, grounded in cooperation and equality.
KVT’s activities are planned and carried out by a board, known as “Johtis,” consisting of 9-12 volunteers elected by KVT members. In Johtis, you will gain a deeper understanding of KVT’s work and peace activities both locally and internationally. You’ll gain experience in organizational governance and have the opportunity to do meaningful volunteer work with a great team. As a board member, you’ll develop your skills not only in traditional board activities but also by participating in events, trainings, and seminars.
The board meets about once a month, and meetings are held both in person and online, depending on the preferences of the board members. It’s also possible to attend in-person meetings remotely if needed.
You are welcome to join Johtis with any level of organizational experience; there are roles for both beginners and veterans. Board members share tasks based on their interests, and you don’t need to know everything beforehand. The most important things are enthusiasm for KVT, active participation in the board’s work, and sharing KVT’s values.
Each year, KVT elects a chairperson, 7 full board members, and 1-4 deputy members. At the start of the year, 1-2 vice-chairpersons are elected from among the full board members. The chairperson is expected to have at least some familiarity with KVT’s activities and experience in board work. The chairperson’s duties include chairing and preparing board meetings in collaboration with the executive director, representing KVT as an employer, coordinating the annual activity plan and report, and overseeing the organization’s finances with the executive director.
If you’re interested or would like to ask for more information, please send a short introduction about yourself to Chairperson Hanna Rask () by November 12th at the latest. In your introduction, please mention who you are, how familiar you are with KVT, and why you are interested in becoming a board member. The board members will be elected at KVT’s autumn general meeting on November 26th.
