FINNISH SCHOOL SPORT FEDERATION
is developing a sports culture! Our mission is to make school communities physically active with dialog and involvement – school children and teachers alike. At its best, physical education means red cheeks and tiny beads of sweat; children and adults out of breath. It is versatile, covers many sports, and offers different kinds of exercising experiences. The learning of new skills, cooperation, shared victories and failures, and instilling a willingness to exercise are the aims of a physically active school. An active and sportive way of life is learned as a child!
Sports for children near and far
The Finnish School Sport Federation and its partners organize exercising and sports competitions in different parts of Finland. They are aimed at pupils of comprehensive schools and upper secondary schools, as well as members of the Trade Union of Education in Finland (OAJ) outside school hours. We want to offer positive sports experiences for the whole school community. We turn school children and teachers into everyday champions!
Every year, we organize Power Mover dance and exercise events that sweep people along to the world of dancing. Our aim is to make children physically active close to their homes, in districts which are coordinated by the sports correspondent of the Finnish School Sport Federation. With our partners, we organize nationwide championships for individual and team sports. They include for example orienteering, athletics, floorball, skiing, and wrestling, as well as other sports events.
Inspiration and well-being for teachers
The activities organized for teachers are meant to be refreshing. We want teachers to feel good, release stress and strengthen their bodies and social bonds. The aim of the Finnish School Sport Federation is to encourage teachers to exercise sufficiently and to act as physically active examples for children. In addition, we inspire teachers to develop themselves further by organizing education.
International cooperation
The Finnish School Sport Federation is a member of the International School Sport Federation, ISF. We joined the federation in 1972, the year of its founding. Every year, we support a Finnish school team’s participation in international ISF competitions.
The Finnish School Sport Federation has constant contact with the School Sport Federations of Nordic countries and Baltic States, and together we exchange thoughts and develop ideas. Our Nordic cooperation includes the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. The cooperation is funded by the membership fees of each country and by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The large Nordic countries have had a leading responsibility of the cooperation every biennium.
The activities of the Finnish School Sport Federation are supported by the Ministry of Education and Culture, as well as the Trade Union of Education in Finland OAJ. The Finnish School Sport Federation is a member of the Finnish Sports Federation SLU. In addition, we are an affiliated organization of ISF, FIEP, Nuorten Akatemia (Finnish Youth Academy), Centre for School Clubs, and The Finnish Association for Swimming Instruction and Life Saving.