Services for stay-at-home parents: Planning your future work or studies with the Expertise Centre

Voit lukea tämän jutun myös suomeksi.

Вы можете прочитать об этом на русском языке. 

In addition to our services to the unemployed, the Expertise Centre for Immigrants also works with fathers and mothers caring for their children at home. Stay-at-home parents can get support toward thinking about their own future through personal guidance or Career Start groups. These activities are organized by our career advisor Sara Robinson-Moncada. "You can contact me in Finnish, English and Spanish or another language through an interpreter. Let's talk together about how we can help," Sara hints to the parents. The activities are voluntary and you can bring your small children with you. Groups start as needed when there is a suitable group of people interested in joining. Career Start groups are also built around the families’ schedules with flexible times and content guided by the participants’ interests.  

The participants of one Career Start group has met three times already with four mothers, two fathers and up to three kids at a time. This group explained that they have discussed together their own strengths, as well as each person's dream job and how to achieve it. They have liked the group being their “me time" when they can plan and do things for their career. In everyday life, there is no time to think about such things while busy with other matters.  

The participants appreciate the fact that the career advisor who guides the group provides them new perspectives and knowledge. Also, they feel that this way they can get more expert information than, for example, from their acquaintances. One mother with a teacher's degree from her home country gave an example of how she had considered a career as a practical nurse, but Sara helped her to see other opportunities where she could make use of her previous competence.  

A big plus for the participants is that you can come to the group with small children. "If I can't come with my child, there's a problem," said one mother. According to the participants, the group also motivates them to study and learn more Finnish. Among other things, they had received tips on where to practise  Finnish with the whole family. In addition, they had noticed that coming to the Career Start group also allows them to practice Finnish!  

These Career Start participants recommend the group to any stay-at-home parents who want to learn what kind of jobs suit them, which direction to go or what to study. At the same time, you will also learn how these things work in Finland, “in the local way.” “Career Start is a good place to think about and plan your future for the moment in your life if and when you want to return to working life or studies,” points out Sara who guides these groups.  

Please, contact us and come along!

Sara telephone/WhatsApp 050 550 4226