Form a Communal Study Group
Do you have an idea for a project? Would you like to make it real it with others? Do you want to develop your association’s or group’s activities together? Citizens’ Forum grants financial support to study groups within associations and communities.
“Working in a study group is very inspiring and liberating. We’ve learned to share our own ideas and be inspired by the ideas of others!” – Participant Feedback
What is a communal study group?
A communal study group is a group that learns something together. The group has a goal. The group aims to develop the future activities of the group. The most important thing is that you acquire new skills and knowledge. All group members take responsibility and work together towards a mutual goal. This is how the group’s activity is communal.
In your communal study group, you can, for example:
- Plan and produce theatre, dance, circus or other art productions
- Create a plan, for example, on how to improve communication or marketing
- Investigate ways to develop your association’s activities
The communal study group subsidy is central government transfers for study centre operations under article 29.10.31 and is based on the Act on Liberal Adult Education. Read more about the Act on the Finlex website (in Finnish).
What can we get support for?
Your group can apply for funding for its activities when:
- The work of the group is goal-oriented, communal and develops the group’s activities.
- Group members gain new knowledge and/or skills.
- The group works together for a minimum of 20 lessons (45 minutes each).
- The group has a minimum of five participants above the age of 15.
We can grant a maximum of 250 euros of financial support to cover study group expenses. Acceptable expenses could be ones related to, for example venue, wgaes, travel, materials, photocopies and advertisements.
You cannot use the study group funding for materials and services that do not support the group’s studies directly, such as instructor’s personal study excursions, fundraising, exhibition space for artwork and venues for a performance, concert, or an event.
If your group produces marketing materials or publishes something, you should add ”Produced with the support of Citizens’ Forum” and the Citizens’ Forum logo. If you share information about the study group’s activities on your social media channels, please use the hashtag #KansalaisfooruminTuella in the update.
You can find all instructions for applying, implementing and reporting the study group support here:
Skaftuki contact person’s instructions for study group activities 2024
How and when should you apply?
You can apply for funding in the Skaftuki web service. Your group must choose a representative to use the service. That person must register to use it. You can find instructions for registration on the Skaftuki-service page.
Study group support can be applied for 2024 from the beginning of January, continuing until 31.10.2024.
The group writes a funding application together, answering the following questions.
We will process all support applications. After this, we will inform the representative about the status of their application through the Skaftuki web service and by email.
In the application you need to tell
- Timetable of the group
- Amount of participants
- The activitivities
- Goal for learning
- The costs
- How does the group take sustainability into consideration
After the study group
If your study group begins in 2023, you should complete its activities in 2023, by 31.12.2023.
The group’s Skaftuki representative must submit a communal study group report to the Skaftuki-service within a month of the study group ending. We will process the description of activity and expense report. After that, we will make a payment to the bank account you provided. If the study group is not part of a registered association, you must attach all receipts for all the expenses to the expense report.
Forms required for study group reporting
N.B! Save the forms to your computer before filling them out. This avoids potential compatibility issues with your web browser.
Ideas and instructions for study group activities
You can also get to know the Guide for Course Instructors (in Finnish)
Citizens’ Forum also has material for communal study groups to use in their studies. For more information and support, contact our education coordinator Pekka Kinnunen pekka.kinnunen@kansalaisfoorumi.fi.