Spanish Social Worker in Finland

Daeste · Post by **Daeste** » Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:26 am

Moi,

I am a Social Worker from Spain, I was studying one year in Turku (University of Turku) and now, I would like to work in Turku as a Social Worker. I know the city, the culture, the weather... I like the nordic way of life and my time there was fantastic! Do you know any database of Finnish NGO's??? Where could I looking for a job as a Social Worker??? I do not speak Finnish (only a few words) but I could work in a NGO that works in South America, or I could work with African Immigrants. Do you know any web site about Finnish Social Work or Finnish Social Workers??? Finnish Social Workers help me please!!!

Kiitos for all

Kind Regards from Spain,

David.

**Sponsor:**

Tiwaz · Post by **Tiwaz** » Thu Aug 19, 2010 7:47 am

So let us say you get a job as SW. You even get your own clients who speak Spanish.

What language you were planning to use in communication with your colleagues and/or superiors?
And what language you believe the variety of paperwork which you have to handle to be?

sammy · Post by **sammy** » Thu Aug 19, 2010 8:09 am

David,

your best place to ask -since it's Turku you're interested in- might be the Infotori service in Turku for immigrants. See this page and also this one for information... I wouldn't start guessing what the employment situation is at the moment, but yes the language may be an issue... or at least what we could call a "challenge"

Note that "social worker" is a regulated profession in Finland, you'd probably need to get your qualifications recognised - http://www.oph.fi/recognition (as a social worker you may need "professional practice rights" - I'm not quite sure about this but contact the NBE recognition unit to make sure)...

Daeste · Post by **Daeste** » Thu Aug 19, 2010 4:30 pm

At the begining I would speak English, but I would intend to study Finnish. I know that you need to protect your own language, it is normal, however I would like to study Finnish, of course. I lived in Turku, so I know that the Finnish language is difficult to learn. Anyway, in Spain we have a lot of immigration from Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, Morocco... and we do not speak English, so the immigrants have to learn Spanish... and they do it. I could do it!

Daeste · Post by **Daeste** » Thu Aug 19, 2010 4:35 pm

sammy wrote:David,

your best place to ask -since it's Turku you're interested in- might be the Infotori service in Turku for immigrants. See this page and also this one for information... I wouldn't start guessing what the employment situation is at the moment, but yes the language may be an issue... or at least what we could call a "challenge" Note that "social worker" is a regulated profession in Finland, you'd probably need to get your qualifications recognised - http://www.oph.fi/recognition (as a social worker you may need "professional practice rights" - I'm not quite sure about this but contact the NBE recognition unit to make sure)...

Sammy, Kiitos for your attention. I will check the information of the websites. Yeah, that is true, the State regulates the profession, so could be difficult to work in the Administration, but, I could try in the private sector any NGO, Association or Foundation.

Thanks Again Sammy!

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Thu Aug 19, 2010 4:39 pm

Daeste wrote:and we do not speak English, so the immigrants have to learn Spanish... and they do it.

Maybe we should hire you to consult our politicians...

Tiwaz · Post by **Tiwaz** » Fri Aug 20, 2010 9:52 am

Daeste wrote:At the begining I would speak English, but I would intend to study Finnish. I know that you need to protect your own language, it is normal, however I would like to study Finnish, of course. I lived in Turku, so I know that the Finnish language is difficult to learn. Anyway, in Spain we have a lot of immigration from Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, Morocco... and we do not speak English, so the immigrants have to learn Spanish... and they do it. I could do it!

And between points of not speaking Finnish and speaking Finnish you would support yourself how?

Saying "I speak English" is all good and dandy, but odds are that papers will not be in English. And your colleagues, assuming you got hired, would prefer not to deal in English.

Why would you be hired over Finn who has proper degree and speaks the lingo?

So big problem is not that you can't learn Finnish, it is paying your bills while you learn Finnish.

Daeste · Post by **Daeste** » Fri Aug 20, 2010 9:50 pm

Sorry Tiwaz, but I do not understand your position. When I lived in Turku I never felt aversion from the Finns to the immigrants. With your words make me feel that you want Finland for the Finns... Oka, I respect your position, but I have a different opinion about. I am a qualified worker and I would like to work in a qualified honest job in Finland... no more.

Anyway, I would like to work in a Finnish NGO that works in South America... my work would be useful. I can stay in Madrid, my city, but I only want to remember my great time in Finland as a student. Now, I would like to live the same good time there, but as a Social Worker. My intention is not steal job vacancies, only gain professional experience abroad.

Greetings from Spain!

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Sat Aug 21, 2010 9:56 am

Daeste wrote: I am a qualified worker and I would like to work in a qualified honest job in Finland... no more.

Well, as you have an EU degree you need to get that recognized - a small formality. So your formal educational qualifications would be at par. But even the EU rules state its not a requirement to know the language to hire for a tenure - nobody states they need to give a job to a no habla if the job requires dealing with Finnish clientele. So finding a job without the language - espeicially if your niche involves dealing with people - is going to be very hard if not impossible.

For the NGO's you should look at say KEPA and the likes, magic words would be say Nicaragua, Meksiko and Costa Rica.

Daeste · Post by **Daeste** » Sun Aug 22, 2010 7:03 pm

Thanx Prusuivant for your "magic words" I will try.

Daeste · Post by **Daeste** » Sun Aug 22, 2010 7:05 pm

Finnish Association KEPA has information in Spanish, thanx again!!!

Tiwaz · Post by **Tiwaz** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 1:51 pm

Daeste wrote:Sorry Tiwaz, but I do not understand your position. When I lived in Turku I never felt aversion from the Finns to the immigrants. With your words make me feel that you want Finland for the Finns... Oka, I respect your position, but I have a different opinion about. I am a qualified worker and I would like to work in a qualified honest job in Finland... no more.

My position?

Have you read what I said. I said that your problem is not that you cannot learn Finnish.
Your problem is that you will be extremely hard pressed to find ANY job where you DO NOT need Finnish off the bat.

To give you an analogy. You want to be a surgeon, and intend to study being surgeon on the side of the job. But who is going to hire a surgeon who cannot work as a one from day one?

Anyway, I would like to work in a Finnish NGO that works in South America... my work would be useful. I can stay in Madrid, my city, but I only want to remember my great time in Finland as a student. Now, I would like to live the same good time there, but as a Social Worker. My intention is not steal job vacancies, only gain professional experience abroad.

Again, you would not be in some bubble where you only deal with someone speaking Spanish.

I checked that KEPA website, and there was this job for some sort of coordinator.
Fluent English required... AND fluent Finnish.

Even in NGO you have to communicate with Finns, who want to do it in Finnish.
Maybe you can find from there something which would suit you, I do not feel like digging through the site, but don't get your hopes too high.

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