Frequently asked questions

Anyone who accepts the purpose and rules of Helsinki Pride Community and its activities.

Yes. All supporters of human rights are welcome, regardless of sexual orientation, gender or any other trait.

We open a call for volunteers two times a year, in the spring and in the fall. Applying is easy through our online application form. Once the application period is over applicants are invited for interviews and chosen new volunteers are given a two day training on volunteering with us. 

There is a separate application process for Pride Week volunteers, announced yearly.

Generally our volunteers work in your year-round community activities, or in different Pride Week production tasks from communication and translations to traffic control during the week.

No, you do not have to be a member. Everyone is welcome to participate, whether they are members or not.

You can find information on our activities on our website here, or by emailing Aleksanteri (aleksanteri(at)pride.fi)

You can find Information on Youth Pride activities on the Youth Pride page, or by emailing Aleksanteri (aleksanteri(at)pride.fi)

Activities for youth are generally aimed for children over 13 years and arranged in cooperation with municipal youth services. Activities are targeted thematically and according to age.

Group activities for youth are arranged all around the metropolitan area. They are organised by municipalities, organisations and congregations. If you can’t find activities in your area or you want to know where activities are check out the Youth Pride page or email Aleksanteri (aleksanteri(at)pride.fi) 

Our support work consists of one-on-one meetings and closed group peer support activities. For professionals working with asylum seekers we offer training and consultations. Please contact Yasmin for more information.

This way we can have a translator present. Helsinki Pride Community does not have funding for translation services, so please note that if you need a translator present you have to book the appointment through a reception centre employee.

At the moment we don’t have open office hours for walk-in appointments. Please book appointments beforehand with the staff member you wish to meet with.

Group meetings are closed, which means that they are not open for anyone to join. This is why we don’t post meeting times and places online. We do our best to ensure the groups remain safe spaces and that we take the participants’ privacy seriously. You can get more information on the groups in pre-booked appointments with staff.

Joining a group is discussed with each client alone. Joining groups is only possible through a one-on-one meeting with one of our staff members to discuss the groups and prerequisites of joining one. We cannot guarantee that all that want to join a group will be able to.

In the groups we talk, spend time together, learn and do different things together. From time to time we have visitors from other NGOs that we work with. You can get more information on the groups if you choose to join group activities.

Yes, the groups have rules related to safety, privacy and common procedures. You can get more information on the rules in a one-on-one meeting with one of our staff. We go through the rules at the beginning of every group meeting, and group members commit to adhering to them. One of the prerequisites for joining a group is the ability to commit to group rules.

Unfortunately we cannot help with finding an apartment. You can ask your social worker to help you in matters like these.

Unfortunately we cannot influence the decisions made by the Finnish Immigration Service. We can provide the Finnish Immigration Service a statement regarding the client’s situation, if they so wish. 

No, unfortunately we cannot. You can ask your social worker to help you in matters like these.

Unfortunately Helsinki Pride staff cannot come to court with you.

We never contact officials without discussing it with the client. The only exceptions are situations, when we have a strong reason to believe that a major crime has been committed or when someone is in grave danger.

We cannot help anyone get to Finland. We can only support those who are already here.

We do our best to support paperless people in sexual and gender minorities. If you are paperless or contacting us for an undocumented person, please contact Yasmin.

Every year Helsinki Pride week brings all the colours of Pride to town the week after midsummer! This year the dates are 27.6. – 3.7.2022.

Helsinki Pride week is the biggest and most influential cultural and human rights event in Finland. Helsinki Pride week is produced in cooperation with tens of partner organisations and numerous volunteers. The program is made up of workshops, outings, peer meetings, lectures and performances. 

The program consists of events by over a hundred different organisers. Each day of the week Youth Pride, now a whole concept of its own, brings hundreds of young people together in various events. Helsinki Pride is still very much a volunteer production with over a hundred volunteers working in different roles. In addition to staff and volunteers the event is made possible by a large group of supporters, members and allies of the LGBTQIA+ community as well as different organisations and companies.  

In 2022 Helsinki Pride week is a hybrid event, where some of the program is accessible online and some in real life. Helsinki Pride will use its judgement to decide if physical events need to be held online instead. Traditional Pride Parade and Park Picnic will be arranged as usual if official corona restrictions and recommendations allow. 

You can take part in Pride week as a participant, community partner, volunteer or cooperation partner.

You can support Helsinki Pride week by becoming a member or by donating to us. 

Every year you can submit your idea and apply to organize an event or other program. The finalized program and schedule for Pride Week will be published in June.

Pride House is a rainbowcoloured event venue in the centre of Helsinki during Pride week. At Pride House the focus is on current LGBTQIA+ themes in panel discussions, workshops, movies and performances. Pride house is open to all free of charge and houses our Info & Shop booth, where you can buy our delightful rainbowcoloured products. 

Stay tuned: the program and location of Pride House will be revealed soon!

Pride Parade is a celebration of diversity and a protest for human rights, equality and equal treatment. All Helsinki Pride events are free of discrimination, and so it is with the Parade as well: everyone has the right to be exactly who they are. You are welcome to march for equality – let’s show the world how many and diverse we are! 

Traditionally the Parade has begun at Senaatintori and this year it will be arranged as usual, if official corona restrictions and recommendations allow.

Information on the time, place of assembly and schedule will be announced closer to the event.

We will give specific instructions on coming to the Parade and assembly closer to the event.  In previous years the Parade has been assembled by forming groups that join into thematic blocks. A group is a set place in the Parade as a part of a bigger block. Previously the blocks have been Youth Pride, Together with Pride, Rainbow Families, Gender Diversity, Exercise etc. The groups will be placed into blocks taking their size and theme into account.