Study years turn your life around and this phase of life also includes happiness as well as sorrow. The present time requires much from students and that is why you should also give time to yourself and your relationships. Sometimes even the best students at Aalto may end up at a dead end. However, plenty of help is available!
On this page, we have gathered the contact information of those organisations that provide help. It is advisable to check out the current course and event information on websites. Please remember that you can also turn to AYY’s social policy sector and ask for advice.
Contact information of social policy sector
We can help you!
If you have questions regarding AYY’s one-time rental facilities or other services, such as membership, please contact ayy@ayy.fi.
Do you need advice about the University or student life but do not know where to ask? Send a message to our Student Advocacy Specialists. The Student Union’s advocacy experts will advise you and guide you forward as best as they can. They can help you, for example, in conflict situations with the University and in issues related to student health and studying in Finland, as well as in other student life problems. The email will be sent to them and you will get a personal reply from a suitable person.
If you have witnessed harassment or experienced harassment yourself, you can contact our trained harassment contact people Annika Mällinen at hairinta-nainen@ayy.fi and Lauri Jurvanen at hairinta-mies@ayy.fi. The service is confidential and your email will only be sent to the harassment contact person. Read more about the service further down this page.
If you have questions concerning AYY’s apartments, please contact our Housing Office.
For association-related matters, please contact jarjestoasiat@ayy.fi.
Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS)
Finnish Student Health Service is responsible for the health care of science and art students. FSHS services are divided into three sectors: general health, mental health and oral health. FSHS services do not include hospital care, maternity clinic services or night and weekend emergency services. A student is entitled to use municipal health services during the times when FSHS is closed, when they can visit a health centre or the nearest emergency hospital. Further information is available on the website of the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa.
FSHS health care fee is included in the student union’s annual membership fee, and most of FSHS services are free of charge. Students can use all FSHS health centres. Health centres in the metropolitan area are located in Töölö and Otaniemi.
FSHS invites all first-year students in health examination, which consists of an electronic health survey (SÄTKY) and a personal appointment if necessary. If you do not receive an email invite to fill out a health survey during your first year of study, please contact a public health nurse at your health centre.
Have you already opened a citizen’s account? After your appointment, you can use the account
to discuss matters related to your treatment (test results, treatment fees, care instructions etc.) securely with FSHS staff at any time that suits you. Watch the video about the citizen’s account here.
Please remember to cancel your appointment on time if you do not intend to use it. An appointment fee and a fine will be charged for uncancelled appointments.
Nyyti
Nyyti students’ support centre offers confidential counselling, support and an outsider’s perspective on various situations in life, when you feel helpless or cannot cope alone. Nyyti’s most popular services are web groups where we discuss various themes during the academic terms.
In cooperation with Nyyti, AYY organises hang out nights that are open to all students. See the hangout night dates in AYY’s event calendar or weekly newsletter.
With study-related problems – difficulty with concentration, motivation problems and other issues – you can get help from the university’s study psychologists. The staff at your faculty and your fellow students, of course, can help you in smaller study-related problems.
Aalto University employs several university pastors. Aalto pastors provide confidential conversations on all topics between heaven and earth. You can contact a pastor whether or not you are a member of the Church – in addition to religious issues, pastors are trained to discuss and help you.
Students’ legal protection
If you think that your rights as a student are not respected, you can confidentially get in touch with AYY’s specialist in charge of legal protection issues. AYY provides help in the form of information and contacts.
Help to Students with families
You can find information about services and benefits available to students with children from Finnish social insurance institution Kela -pages http://www.kela.fi/web/en/families
There is also a AYY run facebook group for Students with families you can join to connect with other Aalto students with families.
Legal advice for students
The co-operation between AYY (the Aalto University Student Union) and the law firm Havumäki and Grönqvist ended in February 2016. Havumäki and Grönqvist offered the members of AYY legal advice free of charge. AYY is investigating the opportunities for offering its members the same kind of service in the future.
Have you experienced sexual harassment, racism, bullying or other inappropriate treatment?
The Student Union defends the well-being of its members also regarding matters that are not directly related to studies. Discriminatory speech, sexist jokes, racist talk and approaches should not be taken lightly.
Forms of bullying may include:
- humiliation, derogation and the use of mental violence
- exclusion from the student community or other forms of isolation
- threatening of health and physical inviolability
- unjustified underestimating of opinions and unjustified restriction of presenting opinions
Instructions for those who face inappropriate treatment
- You do not have to tolerate inappropriate treatment. If you have been treated inappropriately, you can immediately tell the person in question that you do not approve his/her actions and insist the person to stop
- You can also contact AYY’s harassment contact persons or the equality contact person of your school
- You can request help from the party that you find the most natural. No action is taken without the consent of the bullied and conversations with the contact persons are strictly confidential
- Write down what happened, when it happened and who were present in the situation. You should also keep any e-mails or other messages. Documented material allows us to investigate the matter.