Category: News

KVT Finland board has in its meeting on 25th of June discussed the COVID-19 situation and its effects on KVT’s projects. Restrictions on travel and gatherings have been lifted and we will start to organize projects with physical participation starting from August 1st. This means that we will organize two voluntary workcamps in Finland in August, only receiving volunteers from countries with no travel restrictions according to the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We also invite Finnish volunteers to participate in Finnish workcamps this year.

Volunteering abroad is also possible starting from August 1st, but only to countries with no travel restrictions according to the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We will assess the situation with each volunteer one month prior to the start of the project.

The leading principle in KVT’s actions is responsibility and in this situation we still cannot responsibly promote international mobility everywhere in the world. We still want to promote and build peace in the areas where it is possible both in Finland and abroad and offer meaningful projects to our volunteers in the safest way possible.

The board and working groups are still planning activities that could be done safely online. Still to come are, for example, a workshop on ethical and responsible volunteering, international coffee breaks and KVT’s info evening. We will give more information on these events on our website and in our social media channels. We will also share initiatives from our partner organisations in Finland and abroad to which you can participate online.

We will still follow the pandemic closely both in Finland and elsewhere in the world and we also take part in regular discussions within our international network Service Civil International (SCI). We will continue to publish all future decisions on our website and in our social media channels. SCI also has a website where they give information on all common decisions and practices the network makes.

If you have any questions on KVT activities or decisions, please contact KVT office ().

KVT Finland board has in its meeting on 23 April decided to suspend sending volunteers to projects abroad as well as all projects in Finland that require physical participation until 31 July.

The leading principle in KVT’s actions is responsibility and in this situation we cannot responsibly promote international or even national mobility. We don’t want to expose our volunteers or the communities we work with to any risk of contracting the virus. In many countries and regions the healthcare system is already burdened and accessing services is limited. We don’t want to put any extra burden on healthcare by encouraging volunteers to travel in Finland or abroad. By avoiding traveling and mobility in general we will also protect those areas and communities where the coronavirus has not yet spread.

The board and working groups are instead planning activities that could be done safely online. These plans include an evening to share workcamp memories, a workshop on ethical and responsible volunteering, international coffee breaks and KVT’s info evening. We will give more information on these events on our website and in our social media channels. We will also share initiatives from our partner organisations in Finland and abroad in which you can participate online.

We will still follow the pandemic closely both in Finland and elsewhere in the world and we also take part in regular discussions within our international network Service Civil International (SCI). We will continue to publish all future decisions on our website and in our social media channels. SCI also has a website where they give information on all common decisions and practices the network makes.

If you have any questions on KVT activities or decisions, please contact KVT office ().