Until autumn 2025, the service has been available in Finnish and Swedish. We are now pleased to announce that Lähellä.fi has been updated with a new language version and the service is also available in English!
In the new English version, the service interface and all its original Finnish content are now available in English, including the data entry view for registered users. Activity announcements can be submitted in English in the same way as in the Finnish version, but all input fields now include English-language equivalents and instructions.
Users can switch the language using the language menu in the top right corner of the page. The English-language site will also display activity announcements in both Finnish and Swedish. If organisations wish their English or Swedish-language announcements to also be transferred to the Finnish Service Catalogue, the organisation’s name and description must also be entered in the relevant language fields in the organisation’s basic information tab.
The new, long-awaited language option improves both the accessibility and usability of the service. According to Statistics Finland, there are over 600,000 people in Finland whose native language is other than Finnish, Swedish, or Sámi. With the launch of the English version, NGOs and associations with different operating languages benefit from the service better, and more people can now discover meaningful activities, sense of community, help and support, and opportunities to participate. It also enables your association to reach a wider audience. We encourage you to create language versions of your activity announcements so that as many people as possible can discover your activities!
Welcome to explore the new English version of Lähellä.fi – let’s make NGOs’ activities accessible for everyone!
