The Turku Model for Leisure Activities

The aim of the Turku model for leisure activities is to enable every child and young person attending comprehensive school in Turku to have a free, meaningful hobby in connection with the school day. The Turku model for leisure activities is part of The Finnish model for leisure activities of the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Hobbies for the academic year 2022–2023

In autumn 2022, Turku launched more than 120 free hobby groups. The hobbies have been selected based on surveys conducted for children and young people.

Hobby groups in school facilities

The majority of the hobby groups are organised weekly in school facilities immediately after the school day. In addition to clubs, twelve schools also started supervised recesses in arts or physical activity. The free hobby and club activities in the schools and their neighbouring areas have been put together in school-specific hobby schedules.

Check out the school-specific hobby schedules

In addition to schools, the clubs of the Turku model for leisure activities are also organised in other city premises:

• Local branch libraries: Art clubs in the libraries of Aunela, Hirvensalo, Ilpoinen, Paattinen, Pansio, Varissuo and Vasaramäki.
• Museums: Visual art and handicraft courses for primary school pupils.
• Vimma Art and Activity Centre for Youth: Arts and handicrafts groups for pupils in local schools.
• Children’s Culture Centre Adventure Park: Groups of outreach activities.
• Youth Centres: Multi-activity groups for secondary school pupils at Ypsilon, Runosmäki, Ilpoinen and the Swedish-speaking Pastell youth centres.

SchoolPT and SchoolPCAC activities

School Personal Trainer activities (SchoolPT activity) 

SchoolPT activities to be organised for the first time in autumn 2022 will be available in the schools of Puropelto, Syvälahti, Topelius, Yli-Maaria and Vasaramäki. The activities are intended for pupils interested in well-being and physical activity. The activities begin with an individual meeting with the SchoolPT, who discusses and maps out individual needs and wishes related to well-being. Based on the meeting, the pupil can continue to a small group or individual coaching guided by the PT.

School Personal Culture & Arts Coach (SchoolPCAC activity) 

In autumn 2022, the SchoolPCAC activities will be piloted for the first time in Turku Teacher Training School, Turun Steiner-koulu, Turun Lyseo, and in the lower secondary schools of Luostarivuori and Rieskalähde. The aim of the small-group activities is to increase young people's holistic well-being and sense of cultural cohesion, to support their artistic self-expression and to offer routes to new cultural experiences. In the SchoolPCAC activities, the participants work on a joint community artwork, and familiarise themselves with different art and cultural sites. Hobby instructor Jenni Honkamaa is responsible for the activities.

Outreach activities

In the academic year 2022-2023, outreach activities are carried out in a total of 28 schools. The school's contact person for outreach activities helps pupils in finding a meaningful hobby. 

Read more about outreach activities

For hobby organisers

Activities based on the Turku model for leisure activities are organised in comprehensive schools in Turku in Finnish, Swedish and English. High-quality leisure activities are organised in cooperation with school staff, clubs, organisations, companies and other actors. The organisation of the activities has been put out to tender for the academic year 2022–2023. 

Read more about organising leisure activities (in Finnish)