Information for those who work in customer service

People working in customer service meet immigrants in person, online or by phone. The time they can spend with a customer is often short. They can use interpretation services, plain language and versatile materials during the short encounter. You should keep the steps of face-to-face customer service in mind.

Interpretation and translation According to the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration, authorities must ensure interpretation and translation services when needed. Customer service people must make sure that the customer understand matters related to them.

InfoFinland.fi InfoFinland is a multi-lingual website providing important information in one place for those planning to migrate to Finland or already living here. The website also serves the authorities in the dissemination of multi-lingual information.

Integration in Swedish The Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration gives immigrants the right to choose Swedish or Finnish as their primary integration language.

Plain language Materials written in a clear and plain manner are a good tool at the early stages of language learning when the person’s Finnish skills are not sufficient for understanding communications by authorities.

Multilingual materials Multilingual materials related to Finnish society and culture help integration. You can also use the materials in customer service and guidance.

Identifying and preventing harmful practices Customer service people should be aware of and identify harmful practices, such as human trafficking, close relation, “honour”-related violence and female genital mutilation.

News for those working at customer service

Telephone helplines support immigrants during the coronavirus outbreak

23.4.2020 18.14 | Published in English on 24.4.2020 at 12.16

News item

Authorities and municipalities have opened telephone helplines providing instructions and guidance on coronavirus in different languages. Multilingual telephone helplines provided by various organisations are also functioning as usual. We have put together a news item listing the availability of multilingual instructions and guidance on coronavirus (telephone helplines and chat services). Provide access to services.

Updated on 17.8.2020 at 3pm. The page is being updated, December 2020.

National telephone helpline

General information on the coronavirus is available by telephone at 0295 535 535. The service is open on weekdays at 8–21 and Saturdays at 9–15. The service is primarily available in Finnish and, where possible, also in Swedish and English.

More information on the national helpline

General support in the coronavirus situation

Monik ry

English, Turkish, Arabic, Somali, Kurdish
Monday–Friday at 10–14
Tel. 09 4245 1999

More information on tele-guidance provided by Monik ry

Finland-Somalia Association's Caawinaad project

General advise in Somali
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday at 9-12 and 13-14
Tel. 08 0030 2140

More information about the Caawinaad project in Somali

Entrepreneurs

Startup Refugees

Helpline: Monday–Friday
Arabic at 13–14, tel. 044 958 9097
English at 14–15 tel. 044 9740420

More information on the services of Startup Refugees

Social protection and financial support

Kela

Telephone service: Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9–12
Arabic tel. 020 6344 902
Somali tel. 020 6344 905
Russian tel. 020 6344 901

More information on Kela’s telephone service (in Finnish)

Women, children, families

MONIKA – Multicultural Women’s Association, Finland

Support for immigrant women
Finnish, English, Spanish, Estonian, Russian and Persian
Monday, Tuesday and Friday at 9–16
Wednesday and Thursday at 9–18
tel. 0800 05059

More information on MONIKA's support for immigrant women (in Finnish)

Municipalities’ helplines for foreign-language speakers

Helsinki

English
Information on coronavirus tel. 09 310 10024, Monday–Friday at 7–20
Education tel. 09 310 10025, Monday–Friday at 9–18
Helsinki Helpline for people over 70 years of age 09 310 10020, Monday–Friday at 9-16

Digital support
Russian: Tuesday at 13–15.30, tel. 09 310 88693 or Skype: DigiopastusRU
Persian and English: Monday at 14–20, Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/4105889794
Arabic and English: Tuesday at 16–19 and Thursday at 16–20, Zoom: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/4350920152

More information on the services provided by the City of Helsinki

Espoo

Coronavirus Helpline for foreign-language speakers
Monday–Friday at 12–15
tel. 09 816 22620: Arabic (1), Russian (2)
tel. 09 816 22610: English (1), easy-to-read Finnish (2)

More information on the services provided by the City of Espoo

Vantaa

Helpline in Finnish, Swedish, and English: Monday–Friday at 8.15-15.30.
tel. 09 8395 0070

Information on coronavirus and its effects on the services provided by the City of Vantaa
Monday–Thursday at 11–14
Russian, tel. 0400 842 353
Estonian, Russian, tel. 040 847 3203
Somali, tel. 050 302 4362

More information on the services provided by the City of Vantaa

Tampere

Corona Helpline
Monday and Thursday at 9–15
Arabic, tel. 044 486 3635 (until 27.8.2020)
Persian, tel. 041 730 3862
Russian, tel. 040 163 2858

More information on services provided by the City of Tampere

This news item was put together in cooperation with InfoFinland.fi.