Riihimäki's Finnish Model of Hobbies project is looking for hobby producers

30.4.2026 News Education and training Basic education Development Projects Schools Culture Sports Participation Art

Five elementary school girls standing happily with their hands in the air in the gym. Among them sits a teacher, also happily with her hands in the air. — Photo: Finnish National Board of Education / Annika Rauhala

The Riihimäki Hobby Finnish Model project offers free, regular hobbies to comprehensive school students after the school day at schools and in nearby hobby venues. We are now looking for hobby producers for the next term, i.e. the 2026–2027 academic year. Producers of hobby activities can include local sports clubs, art and youth associations, entrepreneurs and companies.

The range of hobbies is diverse

The upcoming season will be the sixth academic year when free hobbies are offered to basic education students in Riihimäki.

We are now looking for hobby producers for the following hobbies: climbing, bowling, dance, gymnastics, circus, acrobatics, cheerleading, various ball sports, multi-sport sports, ice sports, nature hobbies, theater, band, cooking and digital gaming. We are also looking for applied hobby service producers for sports and art hobbies.

"About 800 comprehensive school children from Riihimäki participate in the Finnish model of hobbies in Riihimäki every year. It's great how local actors have joined in organizing diverse, high-quality hobbies that meet the wishes of children and young people," says project coordinator Karoliina Salminen.

The hobbies offered are based on the hobby wishes of the city's comprehensive school children and on hobbies that have already been implemented and that have been in demand.

Experience in hobbies and supervising children is required

The city requires that the hobby producer has expertise and experience in organizing and supervising hobby activities for children and young people. Supervisors must be of legal age. The offers will be scored and the service providers will be invited to produce the hobby in the order in which they have received the most points in the hobby category. More detailed information about the procurement is presented in the service description and in the attachments to the request for tender.

Submit your offer by May 22nd – selection decisions in June

The tender form and the request for tender with attachments are available for viewing and downloading via the additional information link below. The deadline for submitting the tender form is Friday, May 22, 2026. Tenders will be submitted by email to the email address specified in the request for tender.

We will announce the hobbies and selected service providers that will be implemented in the next academic year in June. The final hobbies and their number will be determined based on the government grant received. The activities are part of the national Hobby Finland Model, for the implementation of which the Ministry of Education and Culture grants government grants to municipalities.