From us, you can get personal advice on important and everyday matters as well as in different life situations. The service is free of charge.
Service for immigrants
Support for immigrant women
At Girls’ House, we provide support and communal actitivies for women and girls with migrant backround. You can also make an appointment for individual meeting, where you can share any matters concerning e.g. womenhood, family life, future hopes and dreams, also difficult experiences and the most personal issues. An interpreter can be booked for meetings. All discussions are confidential.
Contact us for more information
Sanni Mäkinen
p. 050 368 8906
sanni.makinen@puijola.net
Kompassi – International meeting place
Kompassi is an international meeting place maintained by Kuopio’s Settlement Puijola, established in 1999.
Kompassi offers a wide range of activities that support integration, such as language instruction, peer support and hobby groups, volunteer work, guidance and counseling, as well as various events and gatherings.
Growing together
Growing together is a new project by Setlementti Puijola in Kuopio, supporting immigrant families and schools in collaboration with the City of Kuopio. Funded by the EU’s AMIF programme, it addresses challenges such as limited understanding of the Finnish education system, which can lead to misunderstandings and hinder children’s success.
The project places a community instructor in schools to strengthen cooperation between home and school, and organizes weekly Perhekerho family clubs for preparatory class pupils and their families. Kuopio is home to people from around 100 nationalities, with nearly 950 foreign-language students in basic education.
Contact:
Jenni Karhunen, Project Coordinator
jenni.karhunen@puijola.net, p. 044 767 5181
Delia Chinta, Community Instructor
delia.chinta@puijola.net, p. 044 354 8515
Varkaus community house
In summer 2025, a warm and welcoming Community House opened in the lower level of the Varkaus Library. It is an open meeting place for everyone – a space that strengthens community spirit, prevents loneliness, and invites people to participate, make an impact, or simply spend time together. The Community House offers a low-threshold environment where everyone can feel a sense of belonging.
The activities are carried out in collaboration with the City of Varkaus and local organizations. The doors open on June 30, 2025, and the official opening celebration will take place on August 19. Summer opening hours can be found via the link below. Everyone is welcome – there’s a place for you at the Community House!
Heidi Hartikainen, Lead Community Instructor
heidi.hartikainen@puijola.net, p. 044 723 1683
Employment and Coaching services
Puijola’s coaching services connect skilled individuals with immigrant backgrounds and employers in the North Savo region, taking into account both the needs of employers and the backgrounds of the jobseekers.
Are you an employer looking for suitable employees among immigrant professionals but unsure how their language skills and competencies match your requirements? We have the tools to support you.
Feel free to get in touch – I’ll be happy to tell you more!
Helena Räisänen, Project Manager
p. +358 44 901 8638, helena.raisanen@puijola.net
Finnish language teaching
Kompassi offers walk-in Finnish language lessons twice a week.
The lesson levels are defined by Kompassi and do not directly correspond to the official language proficiency levels.
In addition to the walk-in lessons, we offer Finnish language support groups led by Kompassi’s volunteers to help strengthen language skills.
No registration is required for these lessons. They are open to everyone and free of charge unless otherwise stated. All teaching takes place at Kompassi’s premises.
Girl`s House
At the Girls’ house we encounter, see and hear person as they are. Our purpose is that everyone that comes to the House would find a activity that suits them. We think that every person grows as a person in relation to other people, as a member of a community, and you are an important part of it. Together, we build community where it is good for everyone to be themselves. You can find more information about us and our services below. Our house is located in Kuopio, at Kuninkaankatu 26
