Youth Shelters and Nettiturvis help also during the festive season

The Red Cross Youth Shelters will help visitors during Christmas and the holidays throughout Finland. A young person, their family member or another loved one can contact Nettiturvis for discussion support, and young people can also find help in Finnish anonymously through the Sekasin chat.  

In Christmas, the crisis accommodation of Youth Shelters will be open in three cities, and you can call the phone number of any shelter for crisis support as a phone service. All shelters will be open to help clients during the period between Christmas and New Year and on New Year’s Day during their standard service hours.

“Christmas and the holiday festivities are not a joyful season to all of us. People come to the Youth Shelters due to various crises and mental health issues. These can become more pronounced also during the Christmas season. Additionally, time spent at home closely together with family can lead to some tension that escalates into fights, for example. This is why we will be available to help also during Christmas,” says Pekka Väänänen, the director of Vantaa-Kerava Youth Shelter.

Online help reaches everyone

Youth Shelters will offer help online during the Christmas season: the national Nettiturvis will be open very day during the holidays, also on Christmas and New Year. Young people and their parents and other loved ones alike can receive discussion support through Nettiturvis. 

“Online help is accessible regardless of where people live. The need for help may be heightened around Christmas time, as many services are closed. Nettiturvis is there to help if you find yourself needing some support during the holidays,” says Nettiturvis coordinator Johanna Velling.  

The Nettiturvis website and a link to appointment booking are available here. The Sekasin chat is open on weekdays from 9 am to midnight and on weekends from 3 pm to midnight, also during the holidays. Click here to access the Sekasin chat in Finnish.

Youth Shelters offer a safe community

The crisis accommodation of Youth Shelters will remain open in three cities during Christmas. Young people may come to the shelter if they feel anxious about the holidays or celebrating them, either alone or with their family. They can also ask for help if they are going through a crisis. Shelters offer discussion help and a safe place to stay for the night, if necessary.

Holidays are for spending time together and eating well at the shelters. You do not need to spend Christmas alone: we focus on communal and individual support and safety. The shelters will provide the young people with the company of the Youth Shelter workers and volunteers.

“In Christmas, many public places close their doors and the importance of loved ones is highlighted. But not everyone celebrates Christmas, and the holidays may also cause anxiety. It is important to have a place to come to, even on Christmas,” says coordinator Minka Sundell from the Youth Shelter Southwest Finland.

The holiday season is actually quite an ordinary time at youth shelters. The issues that young people and families face exist regardless of the time of year.

“You shouldn’t be left alone with your concerns, life crises or bad feelings. The Youth Shelters, Nettiturvis or Sekasin Chat are low-threshold services that are also available during the holidays,” says Mari Uusi-Niemi, the director of Youth Shelter Pirkanmaa.  

Opening hours of Youth Shelters during the Christmas season

Our Youth Shelters are located in five cities. Some of the Youth Shelters have concentrated their activities for the Christmas season.

The on-call services of Youth Shelters in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area will be centralised to the Youth Shelter Vantaa-Kerava, at address Sairaalakatu 3 (Rekola Estate), Vantaa. The on-call services during Christmas will start on Monday 23 December at 5 pm and continue until 10 am on 27 December. During this period, the incoming calls of other shelters in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area will be directed to the Youth Shelter Vantaa-Kerava.

The shelters of Helsinki and Western Uusimaa will reopen their doors on 27 December at 5 pm. During the period between Christmas and New Year, all shelters in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area will be open during their normal hours, from 5 pm to 10 am every day.

Contact information for the shelters:

• Helsinki Youth Shelter
  Uudenmaankatu 32 A, Helsinki
  Tel. +358 (0)9 622 4322, WhatsApp +358 (0)40 173 4149
• Youth Shelter, Western Uusimaa
  Läkkisepänkuja 2 A 14, Espoo
  tel. +358 (0)50 339 0619
• Youth Shelter, Vantaa-Kerava
  Rekola Estate, Sairaalakatu 3, Vantaa
  Tel. +358 (0)9 871 4043, +358 (0)50 339 5413

Youth Shelter Pirkanmaa will open its doors on 24 December at 3 pm. The shelter will remain open until 10 am on 26 December.On other days, the shelter will be open normally from 5 pm to 10 am, also during the period between Christmas and New Year and on New Year’s Day.

• Youth Shelter, Pirkanmaa
  Hämeenkatu 22 C, Tampere
  tel. + 358 (0)40 556 6661

Youth Shelter Southwest Finland will be open as normal around the clock on Christmas, New Year’s Day and the days between them.

• Youth Shelter Southwest Finland
  Yliopistonkatu 24 A 15, Turku
  Tel. +358 (0)2 253 9667, +358 (0)40 660 8048