Information about Youth Shelters for professionals
The trained professionals at Youth Shelters offer systematic, goal-oriented and professional help in order to support adolescents and young adults between the ages of 12 and 29 as well as young families and their immediate communities.
We operate in five wellbeing services counties, in addition to which we provide help online via the Nettiturvis (site only in Finnish) and the Sekasin chat (site only in Finnish). We also meet and support young people in their own everyday environments, such as schools. The contact information of the Youth Shelters is provided below.
At each Youth Shelter, we provide discussion support, short-term crisis accommodation, support for young people in becoming independent as well as help with fixing sleep patterns. Additionally, we provide shelter-specific help in various ways.
Our help is not limited to any particular subject area. You can contact Youth Shelters regarding matters such as the following:
- major life changes or crises
- difficult social situations
- mental health challenges
- challenges related to education and working life
- situations in which a young person’s family member or other loved one requires support.
We provide help according to the young person’s needs. Our help is free of charge and you do not need a referral. We help young people and their loved ones in their first language, with the assistance of an interpreter if needed.
You can contact Youth Shelters if you are a young person, a family member or other loved one of a young person or a professional working with young people.
We are a multi-professional work community applying a dialogical and resource-focused approach in our family and network cooperation. In addition to the professionals at Youth Shelters, trained Red Cross volunteers also support young people.
Help is agreed upon together
The help offered at Youth Shelters is goal-oriented individual and community work that strengthens the relationships and interaction of the young person and their family and loved ones. We provide support for strengthening everyday wellbeing, resources and ways of coping. The overall aid is always planned individually, taking into account the age and other background factors of the young person in question.
Our activities are based on the voluntary participation of the young person and their loved ones. We set the goals for the work together with the young person, their loved ones and any other support networks. The discussions can cover issues related to coping, functional capacity, different stages of life, relationships or various life crises.
Parents of young people requiring support for their parenting can also seek discussion support, as can other loved ones of a young person. If people are unable to come to a Youth Shelter in person, discussion support with the young person or their loved ones can also be implemented via a remote connection.
The support is not limited to any particular amount of time or number of visits. Support is offered as needed for as long as it benefits the young person and the person is committed to the work and is motivated to improve their situation.
At the Youth Shelter, we aim to create a place of mutual understanding where the individual and community are able to listen and discuss and engage in an exploratory change process.
Humane and safe help
The help offered at our Youth Shelters is primarily intended for young people living in the five wellbeing services counties in question and their loved ones. The contact information of the Youth Shelters is provided below.
We carry out cooperation in multi-professional networks in order to create support that meets the specific needs of the young person and their loved ones. We are committed to equality in our work.
Different Youth Shelters also offer their own specific forms of support, for which you can find printable brochures below. Also provided below are printable brochures about the different types of services we offer as well as brochures about our activities in several languages.
Contact us for discussions about cooperation and helping together!
Information for professionals by location
Youth Shelter, Western Uusimaa
Läkkisepänkuja 2 A 14, 02650 Espoo
+358 (0)50 3390619
turvatalo.espoo@punainenristi.fi
(temporary accommodation, discussion support, fixing sleep patterns and volunteer activities)
Director Isto Onali
+358 (0)40 770 4579
isto.onali@punainenristi.fi
Coordinator Erik Bruun
+358 (0)40 627 3431
erik.bruun@punainenristi.fi
(support in becoming independent, cooperation with schools and educational institutions, student internships)
Instagram, TikTok: @nuortenturvis
Facebook, LinkedIn: @Nuorten turvatalo
Opening hours
The Youth Shelter is open around the clock on weekdays and from 5 pm to 10 am on weekends. Temporary accommodation for young people is open every day from 5 pm to 10 am.
Contact details and parking
Youth Shelter Western Uusimaa is located in Leppävaara and is easily accessible by public transport (bus and train). The shelter is easily reached with A, E, S, U, L and Y train services that stop in Leppävaara and with Espoo’s internal buses.
There is a carpark approximately 70 metres away, with two designated parking spaces for people with reduced mobility.
Accessibility information for the building
There are signs at the entrances to the shelter. The widths of the external doors when fully open are 162 cm and 130 cm. The downstairs external door has a buzzer at a height of 152 cm. To open the door on weekday evenings and at weekends, press this buzzer. During the daytime, the downstairs door will be open.
The shelter is located on the third floor of an office building. The shelter can be accessed by lift, which has a door width of 80 cm and a threshold approximately 4 cm high. There are no ramps available.
You can see a photo of the front door here.
Venue
The toilet and shower facilities in the shelter are not fully accessible, and have a door width of 57 cm and a threshold height of 2.5 cm. Youth Shelter Western Uusimaa has a clearly laid-out structure and is an office-like space. There are five bedrooms for young people to use, one of which features twin beds. The door openings to the bedrooms are 85 cm wide and they have a threshold of 3 cm.
The shared living room is spacious but the dining room is narrower. The rugs, plants and furniture in all the rooms in the shelter can be moved around.
Assistants
Assistants are welcome in the accommodation. If you are bringing an assistance dog with you, please contact the shelter in advance.
We always try to find alternative meeting places in situations where an individual requiring assistance and support cannot come to our premises. For example, we can arrange meetings online or in-person meetings by agreement in other locations. An interpreter can be present at all meetings.
Address
Uudenmaankatu 32 A, 00120 Helsinki
Tel. +358 (0)9 622 4322, WhatsApp +358 (0)40 173 4149
turvatalo.helsinki@punainenristi.fi
Manager Kirsti Viinikka
+358 (0)40 570 9397
kirsti.viinikka@punainenristi.fi
Coordinator Tiia Suutarinen
+358 (0)40 660 6980
tiia.suutarinen@punainenristi.fi
(volunteer activities, cooperation with schools and educational institutions, student internships)
Instagram, TikTok: @nuortenturvis
Facebook, LinkedIn: @Nuorten turvatalo
Opening hours
The Youth Shelter is open around the clock on weekdays and from 5 pm to 10 am on weekends. Temporary accommodation for young people is open every day from 5 pm to 10 am.
Contact details and parking
Helsinki Youth Shelter is located within easy reach of public transport connections in Helsinki’s Punavuori district. There are a number of options for getting to Helsinki Youth Shelter: the number 20 and 30 bus routes and tram routes 1 and 3. There are metro and train stations within walking distance. There is no dedicated client parking.
Accessibility of the building
Helsinki Youth Shelter is located on the second floor of an old stone apartment block. There are four steps and a railing up to the main entrance of the shelter (no ramp). At the top of the steps is an entry phone, with which you can contact the shelter’s personnel. The entry phone is located at a height of 140 cm. The logo of Youth Shelter is at number 6 on the entry phone unit. Helsinki Youth Shelter does not have any signs visible at street level.
In the stairwell is a small lift and a winding stone staircase. The lift is not big enough to accommodate a wheelchair.
You can see a photo of the front door here.
Indoor spaces
The shelter is set up as a home-like apartment. The shelter is located on a busy road and above a restaurant, so noises from the street can be heard in the apartment. There are four bedrooms for young people, two of which feature twin beds. The thresholds to the rooms are 2–5 cm high and the door openings are 70–85 cm wide. The living room is spacious but the dining room is somewhat narrow.
The toilet and shower facilities are narrow and not obstacle-free. The furniture, rugs and house plants in the rooms in the shelter can be moved around.
Assistants
Assistants are welcome, however please notify the youth shelter in advance if you wish to bring an assistance dog.
We always try to find alternative meeting places in situations where an individual requiring assistance and support cannot come to our premises. For example, we can arrange meetings online or in-person meetings by agreement in other locations. An interpreter can be present at all meetings.
Tampere Youth Shelter brochures
- Mobile Youth Shelter (PDF)
- Group activities (PDF)
- Video on fixing sleep patterns at Tampere Youth Shelter
Youth Shelter, Pirkanmaa
Hämeenkatu 22 C, 33200 Tampere
Tel. +358 (0)40 556 6661, WhatsApp: +358 (0)40 556 6661
turvatalo.tampere@punainenristi.fi
Director Mari Uusi-Niemi
+358 (0)400 740 798
mari.uusi-niemi@punainenristi.fi
Coordinator Johanna Riiheläinen
+358 (0)40 726 1307
johanna.riihelainen@punainenristi.fi
(volunteer activities, cooperation with schools and educational institutions, student internships)
Instagram: @nuortenturvis_tampere
Facebook: Youth Shelter, Tampere
TikTok: @nuortenturvis
Facebook, LinkedIn: Youth Shelters
Opening hours
The Youth Shelter is open around the clock on weekdays and from 5 pm to 10 am on weekends. Temporary accommodation for young people is open every day from 5 pm to 10 am.
Contact details and parking
Youth Shelter Pirkanmaa is located in the centre of Tampere and is easily accessible by public transport. The shelter has good bus and tram connections. There is no dedicated client parking, but there is plenty of room to stop outside the door.
Accessibility information for the building
Youth Shelter Pirkanmaa is located on the fourth floor of an apartment building. There are two steps up to the main entrance to the shelter (no ramp or railing). Next to the door is an entry phone, which can be used to contact the shelter’s personnel, as well as a sign with opening hours and contact details. The Youth Shelter Pirkanmaa logo is shown on the entry phone. There is no lift available in the stairwell, only a straight staircase. Each step is 14 cm high and there is only a railing on one side.
You can see a photo of the front door here.
Venue
Youth Shelter Pirkanmaa is located in an old stone building and the premises are clearly laid out, in an office-like space. There are three bedrooms for young people, all of which feature twin beds. The bedrooms, living room and kitchen are spacious, with door widths of 88 cm. The furniture, rugs and plants in the rooms can be moved around. The toilet and shower facilities are less spacious and the doors are narrower than 68 cm.
Assistants
Assistants are welcome in the accommodation. The ventilation and street noise are audible in the apartment to an extent.
We always try to find alternative meeting places in situations where an individual requiring assistance and support cannot come to our premises. For example, we can arrange meetings online or in-person meetings by agreement in other locations. An interpreter can be present at all meetings.
Southwest Finland Youth Shelter brochures
- Family group conference (PDF)
- Family group mediation (PDF)
- Petty theft discussion (PDF)
Youth Shelter Southwest Finland
Yliopistonkatu 24 A 15, 20100 Turku
tel. +358 (0)2 253 9667, +358 (0)40 660 8048 (also available by WhatsApp)
turvatalo.turku@punainenristi.fi
(cooperation with schools and educational institutions, student internships)
Director Marina Stubb
+358 (0)40 187 0664
marina.stubb@punainenristi.fi
Coordinator Minka Sundell
+358 (0)40 540 8430
minka.sundell@punainenristi.fi
(volunteer activities)
Instagram: @nuortenturvis_turku
TikTok: @nuortenturvis
LinkedIn: Youth Shelters
Opening hours
The Youth Shelter is open every day around the clock. Temporary accommodation for young people is open from 5 pm to 10 am.
We are also available by phone around the clock.
Contact details and parking
Turku Youth Shelter can be reached easily by public transport and is located in central Turku, on a pedestrianised street. The closest bus stop is located two blocks away. Cars can stop outside the door to pick up and drop off. There is no client parking at the shelter. There are carparks and on-street parking located close by. The shelter has no dedicated spaces for people with reduced mobility, but there are two public spaces nearby. In this photo you can see the public parking spaces for people with reduced mobility on Kristiinankatu. The parking spaces are located on a slight slope.
Accessibility information for the building
The shelter is located on the fifth floor of an apartment building. The front door is heavy and is kept locked. You can contact the shelter’s personnel using the entry phone, which is labelled ‘SPR turvatalo’. There are two steps to the entrance. There is a portable ramp in the stairwell, right next to the door. There is a small lift available, however it is not big enough to accommodate a wheelchair. The lift door is heavy.
In this photo you can see the front door to the building.
Venue
The shelter is located in an old stone apartment building. The apartment is home-like in nature. There are three bedrooms available to young people, with two of these rooms featuring twin beds. The doorways to these rooms are 80 cm wide, with 2 cm thresholds. The living room is spacious but the kitchen is small. The toilet and shower facilities are not fully accessible. The furniture, rugs and plants in the rooms of the shelter can all be moved around.
Assistants
Assistants are welcome, however please notify the youth shelter in advance if you wish to bring an assistance dog.
We always try to find alternative meeting places in situations where an individual requiring assistance and support cannot come to our premises. For example, we can arrange meetings online or in-person meetings by agreement in other locations. An interpreter can be present at all meetings.
Youth Shelter, Vantaa-Kerava
Rekola Estate, Sairaalakatu 3, 01400 Vantaa
tel. +358 (0)50 339 5413, WhatsApp: +358 (0)50 339 5413
turvatalo.vantaa@punainenristi.fi
Director Pekka Väänänen
+358 (0)40 548 2750
pekka.vaananen@punainenristi.fi
Coordinator Sara Jessen
+358 (0)40 620 2138
sara.jessen@punainenristi.fi
(volunteer activities, cooperation with schools and educational institutions, student internships)
Instagram, TikTok: @nuortenturvis
Facebook, LinkedIn: @Nuorten turvatalo
Opening hours
The Youth Shelter is open around the clock on weekdays and from 5 pm to 10 am on weekends. Temporary accommodation for young people is open every day from 5 pm to 10 am.
Contact details and parking
Youth Shelter Vantaa-Kerava is best reached by the K train (stop Rekola, 750 m from the shelter) or by Vantaa’s internal buses, with the nearest bus stop approximately 200 m away. If arriving by car you can drive into the building’s yard, where there is plenty of space, but there are no marked parking spaces.
Accessibility information for the building
The building’s entrance is not fully accessible. There are 12 steps up to the entrance and the doorbell is located at the entrance. There is no ramp.
You can see a photo of the building here.
Indoor spaces
The shelter is located on the Rekola estate, in a two-storey wooden house built in the 1880s. The building has a somewhat complex layout and the hallways and doorways are narrow. Downstairs are meeting rooms, while the bedrooms are located upstairs. There is a narrow, twisting stairway leading upstairs. The floors and stairs are uneven and there is no lift in the building.
There are three bedrooms, two of which feature three beds each and one of which features twin beds. The bedrooms are relatively spacious.
The toilet and shower facilities are not fully accessible. The furniture, rugs and house plants can be moved around.
Assistants
Assistants are welcome in the accommodation. Please inform the shelter in advance if you wish to bring an assistance dog.
We always try to find alternative meeting places in situations where an individual requiring assistance and support cannot come to our premises. For example, we can arrange meetings online or in-person meetings by agreement in other locations. An interpreter can be present at all meetings.
Youth Shelters offer discussion support nationally for young people and their loved ones with remote connections as necessary through Nettiturvis.
Download Nettiturvis posters (PDF) in Finnish, Swedish and English here.
Youth Shelters also offer discussion support online by appointment. Youth Shelters offer support for young people and their loved ones by appointment. You can read more about Nettiturvis here.
Youth Shelters are also a part of the Sekasin chat service, where young people can talk to reliable adults about anything that may be on their minds (this service is only in Finnish).
Facebook: facebook.com/turvatalo
Instagram: instagram.com/nuortenturvis_
TikTok: tiktok.com/@nuortenturvis
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/nuorten-turvatalo/
Pekka Väänänen, Manager of Finnish Red Cross Youth Shelters (interim)
tel. +358 (0) 40 548 2750
pekka.vaananen(at)punainenristi.fi
