1. How much does the membership cost?
2. What is SMA (SMY in Finnish), what IMP?
3. What sort of people are as members, of what age?
4. How many members do you have at this moment?
5. How many foreign members?
6. What languages are spoken?
7. How do the members participate in the organized programs?
8. How can you help people from other cultures fit in?
9. Where do you get membership forms?
To become a member you need to pay the (yearly) membership fee, which is 10 euros or 5 euros if you are a student. Membership fee is paid either to the bank account OP 570002 – 4124943 or to the office of the association. You may be freed of the membership fee on request. Only the members of the association have a right of vote in the annual meeting.
SMA is an acronym for Satakunta Multicultural Association. SMA was founded in 1996 by immigrants and their friends. From the beginning, SMA has kept an International Meeting Point in the center of Pori.
A little over half of the members are immigrants living in Satakunta and the rest are Finnish, mostly from Pori, but also from neighboring provinces. There are members of all ages.
We have about 534 members at the moment, of 60 nationalities (46 different languages).
Most of the SMA's members are Russian speakers, because the majority of people immigrating to Pori are return migrates from Russian speaking areas. That is why SMA has from 1998 onwards hired a language assistant who assists Russian speakers in different offices, government buildings, schools, daycare centers, and translating in general.
At the International Meeting Point we try to use Finnish as the common language, and Finnish is also taught to the immigrants. Of course English and Russian are used a lot. There are 46 languages spoken among the members.
We try to get the members active and encourage them to organize activities themselves.
We try to offer immigrants a place where they can express themselves and bring out their own culture. We also offer them Finnish lessons and other free time activities. Of immense help to us are the voluntary teachers of courses and other voluntary workers, and students from different schools and projects. Part of the immigrant members partake in both the courses and the events, go around in schools and daycare centers, other organizations, etc., where ever they are requested, telling about their own culture and habits.
One good way to help immigrants is 'teaching' Finnish language and culture personally, one-on-one. This means just ordinary talk about everyday issues, own habits and, for example, own family's ways to work in different situations, Finnish celebration traditions, etc. This sort of conversation may be really necessary for a lot of people (and also very fun for the 'teacher'). Many also need help in writing Finnish. There can of course be organized different theme evenings and other events that broaden the views of the immigrant about the Finnish way of life.
International Meeting Point has a pleasant atmosphere and different cultures really do meet here every day. All sorts of voluntary work is welcome, everyone can themselves find their own mission here, while at the same time getting to know the multicultural community. If you are interested in organizing some lessons or events (like cooking lessons or learning a foreign language or anything about music), all ideas are gladly accepted! You can also organize different foreign language discussion clubs. You can find some very active members of different nationalities, who are enthusiastically holding get-togethers in evenings and other events. As an example, the Arabian evening organized by our Iraqis members, and the Arabian cooking course.
You can get membership forms from us here, at Presidentinpuistokatu 3, 2nd floor.
You are welcome, every weekday from 9 am to 6 pm!
International Meeting Point
Satakunta Multicultural Association
Presidentinpuistokatu 3, 2nd floor
28130 PORI, FINLAND
Phone/Fax. (02) 621 2244
From abroad: +358 2 621 2244
Open as follows:
Mon, Thu, Fri at 9 am - 6 pm
Tue, Wed at 9 am - 7 pm
A look at the future
Read more
Ccoordinator Su Ran Kim is the person responsible for the multicultural affairs in Pori.
The City of Pori / The Centre of basic safety,
Antinkatu 16 B, 28100 PORI
Tel. 044 - 701 1268
e-mail: suran.kim(at)pori.fi
