Family Friends
at the Hospital
A Perhekaveri (Family Friend) helps at the New Children’s Hospital. During hospital visits, Perhekaveri can provide support and conversation for a parent or be around to keep a child happily occupied.
From the hospital you can also be directed towards conversation support for families.
Family Friend-volunteers helping families in the New Children’s Hospital
A Perhekaveri (Family Friend) is a volunteer trained by HelsinkiMissio to bring a sense of normalcy to the hospital world. A Family Friend helps families who need to attend the New Children’s Hospital in Helsinki by making their time there as pleasant as possible.
Family Friends are available in the hospital lobby on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. You can spot them easily as they wear pink Perhekaveri T-shirts, or you can call the volunteers phone number 09-23120240.
You can, for instance, ask a Family Friend to:
- Be an extra pair of hands during hospital life
- Keep you company or go for a walk outside
- Be a guide to nearby services
- Keep a child company at the hospital during a treatment meeting
- Provide a break for a parent who is attending a child in a ward
- Be someone to talk to for an adult, or perhaps play a game with a child or young person
Our volunteers also arrange group activities in cooperation with the hospital’s own Play and Youth Activities.
Do you need help at other times?
Ask for help by filling in a contact form. We will then get in touch with you as soon as possible.
You can also ask for help by phoning the coordinator at 044 739 6250. If you ask for a Family Friend volunteer for a child, be sure to provide information about the child’s age and interests on the form, as well as specifying what kind of support you are hoping for from the volunteer.
For more information, please contact:
perhekaveri@helsinkimissio.fi
Phone: 044 739 6250 / 044 750 0143
We were late for our appointment at the hospital, which was new to us. The Family Friends saved our day by helping us with signing in and taking us to the appointment room. After the ordeal of a blood test and whatnot, the volunteer coloured in fish with my child and for once I could have my coffee in peace while it was still hot!”
Conversation and Crisis Help to Support Families (in Finnish)
Are the worries of family life getting to you? We offer conversation and crisis help to families, allowing you to get support you need to deal with exhaustion, loneliness, couple’s issues, or family relationships. We offer the service in English case-by-case.
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