Vernetti 20 Years – The Service Users’ Own Association Celebrates Its Long Journey

How It All Began – From a Dusty Workshop to a Community Living Room

When Vernetti was first planned in the early 2000s, the current café space in Haaga was an old, dusty workshop filled with tools and thick layers of dust, says Seppo Eronen, Executive Director of Niemikotisäätiö. Seppo remembers well how the ideas started to take shape as they considered how the space could be used and what new opportunities it might offer to service users.

Behind it all was the Mielikki Café, whose operations gradually shifted to Vernetti. Service users held several meetings to explore how an association could be founded and whether the café’s cash reserve could be transferred to serve as the starting capital of the new association. In the end, it was concluded that the transfer was possible, and this gave Vernetti the initial funding it needed to begin its activities.

Later on, the café operations were taken over by Niemikotisäätiö’s food services, and Vernetti no longer runs the café itself. However, many other activities have emerged since then.

Peer Support and Technology – How the Name Was Born

The core ideas of the association became peer support and IT-related support, both of which were timely needs. The name Vernetti was created from these two elements: peer support (vertaistuki in Finnish) and the internet (netti in Finnish), together.

Renovating the Space and the Support of Niemikotisäätiö

Niemikotisäätiö renovated the space for the association at its own expense, even though project funding was not granted. The architectural firm Rauhalammi designed the facilities, sliding doors, routes, and accessibility – everything required to build a new kind of community space. This investment is still remembered as a key enabler: without the foundation, Vernetti would not exist in its current form.

Of the association’s 18 founding members, 6–7 are still active today. This shows how meaningful the community has become to many over the years.

What Does Vernetti Do Today?

Vernetti organises activities throughout the year – precisely when they are most needed. The activities are supported by Niemikotisäätiö, and the aim is to increase inclusion, prevent loneliness, and offer safe places to meet also in the evenings, on weekends, during holidays, and even during the organisation’s summer break month. Chairperson Kaisasums it up: “We want to be open exactly when other places are closed.”

Monthly Member Coffee Meetings and Active Board Work

• Member coffee gatherings are held on the first Thursday of every month.
• They are a place to discuss upcoming trips, events, and the association’s news.
• The board meets once a month.
• It consists of a chairperson, a vice chairperson, six regular members, and three deputy members – most of them service users themselves.
• The activities are supported by the instructors Minna Harju and Marko Hanni, who take part in the meetings to offer guidance and support.

Trips, Events, and Outings

Vernetti is an active community that regularly heads out together – and often completely free of charge for members.

The selection of trips and events includes, among other things:

• 1–2 trips every month
• theatre evenings
• ice hockey and football matches
• a trip to Tallinn
• a planned trip to Pärnu
• a cruise to Stockholm
• seasonal outings, such as the autumn visit to the Halva candy factory

Sami serves as the trip coordinator and independently organises destinations: when he discovers an interesting place in the city, he immediately starts thinking about planning a trip there for Vernetti. The activities are largely organised by peers themselves – without staff involvement.

What Does Vernetti Mean to Its Members?

Members describe Vernetti as a warm, open, and equal community.

Kirsi says that it feels pleasant and safe to be part of the community.
Rauno adds: “Everyone is a peer. Everyone is taken into account. Everyone is equal.”

Over the years, the trips, travels, and shared moments have created lasting memories. The Valentine’s Day pastries at the Haaga centre are still remembered fondly – each year they were even more impressive than the last.

Peer Support in Practice

Peer support is at the heart of Vernetti’s activities.

It can be seen in:

• trips
• events
• shared everyday activities
• conversations and encounters
• the work of the board

“All members help one another, and simply being together has been the most important thing in Vernetti for 20 years,” Sami says. In addition, IT support is part of the peer activities – “peer support and the internet” are still the association’s core.

If Vernetti Were a Person – What Kind of 20-Year-Old Would It Be?

The thought experiment brought smiles to the group’s faces. Vernetti would be:

• balanced
• mature, yet full of possibilities
• friendly and helpful
• adaptable
• a friend who offers support through life’s challenges

“It’s like our own child – a 20-year-old with a strong foundation and a future ahead,” as Minna and Marko describe it.

Vernetti’s Future – Small but the Best

The future is not expected to bring growth in numbers, but in quality. Marko and Minna sum up the goal:
“We don’t want to be the biggest association in Finland, but the best.”

The association has:

• around 60 members
• a committed board
• a clear annual plan
• room for spontaneous activities (such as theatre trips that start from an idea)

The voice of the members is the foundation that guides the activities. All new ideas are warmly welcomed. Cooperation with Niemikotisäätiö is vital for the association, and it will remain strong. The association runs with low costs when the values and the facilities are in good shape.