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The sense of security in a small community and the dream of owning a house led social worker Helena to bring her family and move to Åland. Now they have lived for a year in their new home in Mariehamn. - We had children and wanted to buy a house, but realized it wasn't possible for us to do so in Sweden.
Helena and her husband Erik were already familiar with Åland, as Erik has family there and had also moved to Åland. During a visit to relatives, the couple noticed that house prices were completely different from those in Gothenburg.
- Your perspective changes when you become a parent, you see everything through the eyes of your child, and Åland is calm, safe, and well-organized. We thought about our daughter – where would her future be best? In an apartment without a yard, or in a house with its own plot and within walking distance of school?
After the move, Erik continued working with IT matters for his employer, but now does so remotely. For Helena, however, finding a new job in her profession was a prerequisite for the move.
- I contacted the Municipal Social Services, KST, which is responsible for social welfare in Åland, and asked whether it was possible to work as a social worker in Åland with my Swedish social work degree, and they responded that it was absolutely possible.
The education to become a social worker in Finland is longer and more in-depth than in Sweden. For Helena, this meant she needed to supplement her Swedish degree in order to have her qualifications approved by the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health, which grants professional rights for social and healthcare in Finland. The qualification process is still ongoing, yet Helena has already worked for a year at KST.
- I was given the choice of writing an exam, completing the missing courses, or working for a year as a substitute social worker – and I chose to work. I can only receive a permanent position once my qualification has been approved.
Helena submitted her application to the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health while she was still living in Sweden. It went smoothly; she received good help and quick answers to her questions.
- What took time was getting in touch with my schools and previous employers here in Sweden in order to compile old course plans and job descriptions from my previous workplaces. Ordinary employment certificates are not sufficient for the documentation – it needs to be clear what you have worked with.
Helena enjoys working at KST. She feels there is a closeness within the organization and that the decision-making processes are straightforward. It is also easier to voice your opinions and have a dialogue with those who make the decisions. - I feel that there is a genuine interest in listening to those of us who are actively working on various cases.
In a small community, social problems exist on a different scale than in larger cities. The really serious cases are fewer, which means there is more room to think proactively and work in a motivating and preventive way.
- Something new for me is that I previously worked with adults, addiction, and domestic violence. Now I focus on children, young people, and families. This makes it difficult for me to make a fair comparison between working as a social worker in Sweden versus in Åland, but of course there are advantages and disadvantages to both.
The sector is smaller in Åland, for example – there is not the same breadth and range of employment opportunities. On the other hand, Helena feels that workplaces are more stable and that staff turnover is not as high.
Life on Åland otherwise means less commuting and more time for family and leisure.- It makes an enormous difference; there is a different kind of closeness here. Before, I had an hour's commute each way to work, and my daughter had almost fallen asleep by the time I got home.
Helena appreciates the trust that exists within the community and thinks it is wonderful for families with children.- I keep stumbling upon playgrounds all over town. They are impressively well-maintained and suitable for children of different ages. It is also very charming that you can have unmanned vegetable stalls or pumpkin carts by the roadside, where you can take what you want and leave money in a small piggy bank.
What she misses most is her own family in the Gothenburg area, and she would have liked it to be a little easier to shop online and choose delivery to Åland. Otherwise, life ticks along, and everyday life is just everyday life as usual.
- But a lot happens on Åland, despite it being so small – all the markets, events, and activities that are organized are also well-attended!
The Municipal Social Services k.f. (KST) is responsible for the Åland social welfare.
Apply for professional rights through the National Supervisory Authority's e-service.
Welcome guide – everything you need to know before moving to Åland.
Information for those looking for a new job.
Find your new home – tips and advice for those looking for housing in Åland.
Det finns många anledningar att välja Åland. Ibland är det jobbet, andra gånger familjen, kärleken eller möjligheten till en enklare vardag. Läs mer om hur livet på Åland kan se ut i våra intervjuer med nya ålänningar.
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