YHDESSÄ-yhdistys / TOGETHER Association

Together Association is run by a board formed of six individuals who hold their posts as volunteers. Currently Together Association runs a project dealing with social integration and suburban activities. Besides, municipal and state authorities purchase rehabilitation services from the association. Six people work at Together Association full time. In addition, the association always employs a varying number of part-timers, interns and volunteers.
The activities are funded by STEA (Funding Center for Social Welfare and Health Organizations). Together Association also gets minor support from the Ministry of Education and Culture and Regional State Administrative Agency. Also when possible, new sources of funding are sought.
Together Association works at Varissuo, neighbourhood that is the most culturally diverse in Finland. City of Turku provides the association with premises in the centre of the area. The place is open for all. Anyone can step in, read newspapers, drink coffee or meet with friends. Immigrant communities also use the location for their own club meetings and cultural events.
TOGETHER Association cooperates closely with the municipality of Turku and its branches, as well as with local immigrant and multicultural NGOs and other actors in Varissuo area.
The IKU project is in charge of the overall administration of the association´s premises and coordinating their implementation. The project offers different group activities and organizes events. The goal is to encourage different cultures to interact. The groups we offer include cooking, physical exercise, Finnish and English languages, excursions etc.