Turku is continuously investing in support services for immigrants. The service center Monitori in Kauppatori offers advice in different languages on everything ranging from everyday activities to setting up a business or helping with legal matters. The services are part of the new International House Turku.
International House Turku also employs customer advisors Jonathon Murphy and Hero Palani.
— My job is to help clients with issues such as job searching, residence permits, networking or learning Finnish. Often we also draw up a personal plan for settlingin. Clients have appreciated the opportunity to talk to someone who has been through the same experiences, says Jonathon Murphy, who provides advisory services in English.
Help may also be needed with issues that require the skills of a social worker.
— I offer guidance on social issues, especially on social benefits and how to combine them with getting a job or starting a course of study. The target group is not only foreign-language speakers, but also returnees who are unfamiliar with the system after years of living abroad, for example, says Hero Palani. The target group is not only foreign-language speakers, but also returnees who are unfamiliar with the system after years of living abroad, for example, says Hero Palani.
International House Turku services are free of charge and open to all. The services are available with and without an appointment. The easiest way to get started is to come to Monitori, where the Welcome Desk will help to identify your needs.
The story was published originally in Finnish on Turkuposti 1/2022.