--- title: "Helsinki Employment Services awards small grants to NGOs in Helsinki; nearly 50 jobseekers in work try-outs or employment" sdDatePublished: "2026-09-04T18:09:00Z" source: "https://www.hel.fi/en/news/employment-services-small-grant-helped-people-move-forward-employment-or-work-try-outs-arranged-for" topics: - name: "labour" identifier: "medtop:09000000" - name: "employment" identifier: "medtop:20000509" - name: "non-governmental organisation (NGO)" identifier: "medtop:20000646" - name: "employment training" identifier: "medtop:20000514" - name: "unemployment" identifier: "medtop:20000533" locations: - "Helsinki" --- Helsinki Employment Services awards small grants to NGOs in Helsinki; nearly 50 jobseekers in work try-outs or employment Employment Services’ small grant helped people move forward – employment or work try-outs arranged for nearly 50 jobseekers In autumn 2025, Helsinki Employment Services awarded small grants for promoting employment to 28 NGOs. The purpose of the grant is to allow NGOs to provide support to jobseekers who are finding it difficult to find their place in working life. Thanks to the grant, 23 jobseekers were able to take part in work try-outs and 24 were provided with fixed-term employment. The grant amount was €3,000 for each person to be employed. NGOs play a significant role in supporting the employment of Helsinki residents. “NGOs have specialist expertise that complements our services. They have the means and channels to reach jobseekers who are in a challenging position in the labour market and provide them with personalised support, such as mentoring,” says Senior Specialist Ulla Juhanko from Helsinki Employment Services. A small grant that made a big difference The feedback survey on the small grant conducted in spring 2026 received responses from 27 NGOs. Based on the responses, the small grant was a crucial form of support for many NGOs in implementing their employment initiatives. According to the NGOs, the small grant made it possible to create tangible employment opportunities. As many as 72% of the respondents indicated that they would not have been able to offer a work try-out or employment without the grant. The remaining respondents considered the grant to have been fairly important and felt that it had made arrangements considerably easier. Jobseekers gained experience, built networks and received encouragement The small grant had a particularly large impact on the everyday lives of the participating jobseekers. Participating in a work try-out or fixed-term employment brought a sense of routine to their days, boosted their confidence in their own abilities and gave them a taste of what it is like to be part of a work community. Many also gained new networks and experiences of success that can carry them a long way forward. For many of the jobseekers, the work try-out or fixed-term employment offered by NGOs served as a springboard to the next stage. Some found employment with the NGOs, while others moved into the open labour market or went on to pursue studies or other career paths. This is how the NGOs described the impact of the grant on the jobseekers in the survey: “During the work try-out, the person was able to learn working life skills in a safe environment. At the same time, the participant’s Finnish language skills improved, their social life expanded and their sense of belonging grew,” assessed Monaliiku ry, an NGO working with immigrant women. A specialist from Stop huumeille ry , an NGO that focuses on substance abuse prevention, had this to say: “The work try-out allowed the person to integrate into our organisation and build a new, substance-free support network around them. It also provided them with experiences of success. They also clearly came out of their shell and developed a professional approach to their work.” Small grant being developed based on feedback The results show that NGOs play an important role in supporting jobseekers. Although the grant is small in monetary terms, it enables NGOs to offer jobseekers opportunities to gain work experience, strengthen their working life capabilities and take the next step towards finding employment. In future calls for applications, the aim is to make the grant application and implementation process even smoother and more predictable. The next opportunity to apply for the small grant for promoting employment will be in spring 2027. Helsinki Employment Services offer two different types of grants to NGOs: The small grant for promoting employment supports work try-outs and fixed-term employment, thereby helping e.g. those who have been unemployed for a longer time to return to the labour market and supporting young people and clients from diverse backgrounds in integrating into working life. Next call in spring 2027 The employment grant supports broader initiatives that promote employment and strengthen work ability, such as innovative approaches to employment, project-based activities and cooperation with Helsinki Employment Services. 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