In my view, people’s motivations should not be ranked or judged. During the supervisor training I attended, we discussed several times how even a seemingly self-interested motive can be a good motive in the field of volunteering.
At Niemikotisäätiö’s Haaga Activity Centre, a group of service users runs their own editorial team, producing the annual Haiku magazine. Haiku is not just a magazine; it is a shared project in which everyone has an important role.
Over the past year, Niemikoti Foundation has made a determined leap forward in developing its data protection practices. The starting point was clear: in an external assessment, the level of data protection scored just 14 points. Today, that figure has already risen to 75.
Niina Sahlberg, who has served as the Data Protection Officer, describes the initial situation simply: there was a lot of room for improvement. Once the results showing 14 points were received, the work began in a systematic and step-by-step manner.
Niemikoti Foundation’s activities in Kontula have entered a new phase as two of the foundation’s units, Jälleenvuokraus and Otsonpolku, have moved to the same address at Kilpolantie 2.
Snow lashes down and the wind hits our faces. It is quite dark and gloomy. We may find ourselves wondering where to draw more strength and resilience from.
The staff of Niemikotisäätiö selected Arja Hacklin-Markiala, Lead Instructor at Niemikotisäätiö Myllypuro, as Rehabilitator of the Year 2025. The recognition comes from colleagues – people who see the work up close and understand what it means to be present even when the work cannot be measured in numbers, schedules, or documentation.
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We stand alongside our service users and their loved ones also during life’s most difficult moments. When someone in our community passes away, we want to express our sympathy and honor their memory in a dignified way. That is why a dedicated condolence card has been created for Niemikotisäätiö.
Niemikotisäätiö’s units compete each year in a friendly spirit in the annual Eco-Deed Contest. The purpose of the contest is to encourage environmentally conscious solutions in everyday life—both big and small—and, above all, to highlight the valuable work being done in the units to promote sustainability.
Cooperation between Kotka-based Kakspy, Estonia’s AS Hoolekandeteenused, and the Niemikotisäätiö Foundation was strengthened in December when the parties signed a cooperation agreement in Tallinn on 19 December 2025. The agreement is based on the idea of long-term and close collaboration also outside of individual projects — even when no external funding is available.
We have turned a new page in our lives: the old year has passed and a new one has arrived. Letting go can sometimes feel bittersweet, and it isn’t always necessary. It’s worth holding on to what has already been tested and proven to work, while at the same time releasing what weighs us down or exhausts us. Sometimes it’s enough for something to take on a new form, or to be done a little differently than before.
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