Riihimäki supports the settlement of international families with a new program

International House Riihimäki is launching the Unseen Connections spouse program, which aims to support the integration, employment and well-being of international spouses in the Riihimäki region. The program will be piloted with two groups during 2026. The first group of the program will start in April and registration for participants is now underway. The program is free of charge and will be conducted in English. There is room for 20 participants, who can be from Riihimäki, Loppi, Hausjärvi or Janakkala.

The role of a spouse in a new country can be very lonely

The Spouse Program complements International House Riihimäki's existing integration services, which focus particularly on building communities and social contacts. The program is led by International House Riihimäki's integration specialist Karoliina Saarinen and working life and business specialist Eea Vatanen.

"We want to support international spouses' opportunities to build their own everyday lives and receive peer support, as the role of a spouse can feel surprisingly lonely. They move for their partner, and they don't necessarily have anything of their own waiting for them in the destination country. On the other hand, a working or studying family member quickly becomes part of something outside the home," Vatanen explains, justifying the launch of the program.

“As its name suggests, Unseen Connections targets those whose community is, in principle, already existing, but still invisible,” explains Saarinen.

The program includes getting to know Finnish everyday life and culture, promoting job search and self-knowledge among participants, and studying Finnish. Grouping and interaction between participants is an important part of the activity. The aim is to establish lasting relationships during the program, with whom to share everyday life also outside of meetings.

The well-being of all family members is an important part of integration

Spouse programs have been implemented for a long time in larger cities, such as Helsinki and Tampere, and the results have been very good. The program is now being tested in Riihimäki for the first time.

"There is also a need for the program in smaller communities. Finding your own place can be even more challenging in a small community," says Vatanen.

Keeping international experts in Finland requires the well-being of the entire family. Research and practical experience have shown that if a spouse cannot find a place, a job or something meaningful to do, the family may end up moving out of Finland.

"It is a challenge for both employers and the vitality of the area. That is why we want to support spouses so that they can build their own lives here and see Riihimäki as a good place to be," says Saarinen.

 

Unseen Connections 13.4. – 8 June 2026

Unseen Connections is a nine-week spouse program that is suitable for:

• for spouses of international students
• For spouses of those who moved to Finland for work
• for international spouses of Finns

The spring group will be held from April 13 to June 8, 2026. The group will meet on Mondays for face-to-face meetings in Riihimäki to discuss various integration themes, and on Wednesdays for online Finnish language lessons. You can join by filling out the registration form. We will be in touch with everyone who has filled out the form.

Register for the group starting on April 13.4th using this form. (zef.fi)