Partnering with Helsinki Sports Services for adaptive physical activities
The City of Helsinki’s strategic goal and objective of its welfare plan is to balance the differences in the well-being and health of its residents. The city will begin to organise guided adaptive physical activities for people with various long-term illnesses and disabilities, regardless of age. Some of the city’s guided adaptive physical activities are organised in cooperation with the city’s partners.
City of Helsinki Sports Services is seeking partners for adaptive physical activities for 2025–2026
We are seeking partners to organize guided adaptive physical activities for the 2025–2026 period, which includes the autumn of 2025 and the spring and summer of 2026.
These adaptive physical activities are particularly targeted for persons with disabilities, long-term illnesses, as well as those over 65 years of age with clear deterioration of functional capacity due to age, disability or long-term illness, and for whom the organisation and supervision of physical activity requires an adaptive approach and special expertise. In adaptive physical activities, an injury, illness or other functional impairment or social situation, is the basis for adapting the activity to the situation.
The supplier and the implementing partner must are required to meet the following conditions:
- the target group of the activities must be persons with various long-term illnesses, disabilities or other impairment who, due to their health or social situation, are unable to participate in the sports activities for the general population
- the activity must be an open, recreational physical activity for all members of the reference group
- the activity must be free of charge or reasonably priced
- the activities must take place in Helsinki
- the instructor in charge must be a legal adult.
Compensation to the operator:
- Instructor in charge: €35/hour. *) Instructors must be legal adults.
- Instructor in charge *) and assistant instructor: A total of 45€/hour.
- In addition, it is possible for the operator to gain access to a Helsinki Sports Services facility free of charge or compensation for the rent of reasonably priced external sports facilities, if the city is not able to provide its own facilities that are suitable for the type or target group for the operator to use.
Applying to become a partner
New and previously involved operators both apply to join the cooperation for the 2025-2026 period, which begins autumn, with the form during the application period. Existing partners will receive the form by email and it will be published on the city’s website and other channels during the winter.
The application period is open from 17 February to 2 March 2025
Sports Services will begin to process received applications during the application period. We will contact all applicants after the application period ends. The sports coordinator will agree on practical matters and explain the terms of the agreement with the selected partners. Sports Services retains the right to select partners as service providers.
Additional information:
Regarding the adaptive physical activity partnership search for Helsinki Sports Services during the application period: Sports Coordinator Riikka Valo /riikka.valo@hel.fi
General information on the operating seasons of instructed sports and partnered activities
The operating periods of Sports Services are autumn and spring, usually from September to December and from January to April. Summer activities and camps are also held during the summer season. Some of the adaptive physical activities are held in cooperation with partners.
Both new partners and those previously involved in the cooperation can apply for the next period during the application period with the application form. The search for an adaptive physical activity partner will be held during late winter and early spring of the year, and information thereof will be shared with the partners and published on the city’s website early in the year.
We work to provide activities in the entire Helsinki area and for as diverse a target group as possible. Applicants for the partnership must commit to the operating principles and the responsible instructor(s) must be at least 18 years old.
The scope of the supported activities is determined by the city’s resources. If more than one club, association or company that meets the criteria wants to carry out activities in the same area or for the same target group, we primarily strive to offer activities to everyone who wishes to do so. If the activity cannot be allocated to all interested parties, the selection will focus on applicants who are able to provide the service to target groups for whom there is no similar activity available in the area, either by a cooperation partner or the city. We will contact the applicants after the selection process is concluded.
Partner agreements are written for one year at a time. The activities do not automatically continue in the next season, and it may not be possible to offer an activity to all partner applicants.
Further information on adaptive physical activity partnerships:
Sports Coordinator Riikka Valo /riikka.valo@hel.fi
Senior Planning Officer Kata Isotalo / kata.isotalo@hel.fi