A joint service point for the City of Seinäjoki, the South Ostrobothnia wellbeing services county and Kela will open on Kalevankatu on 3 February

A new joint service point for the City of Seinäjoki, the South Ostrobothnia wellbeing services county and Kela will open at Kalevankatu 17 on 3 February. Customers will then be able to access adult social work services, employment services and social welfare services in one place.

The new joint service point will bring together staff and expertise from the City of Seinäjoki, the South Ostrobothnia wellbeing services county and Kela, so that adult social work services, health examinations for the unemployed, housing counselling, project activities, multisectoral employment services and social welfare services can be provided at the same service point. The service point will be located at Kalevankatu 17, and it will open to the public on 3 February 2025.

New forms of cooperation and new practices make customers' lives easier

The City of Seinäjoki will provide multisectoral employment services and project services for the unemployed at the new joint service point on Kalevankatu. The South Ostrobothnia wellbeing services county will provide adult social work services, health examinations for the unemployed and housing counselling services, while Kela will be in charge of advising customers on benefits, how to access and use services and social security. 

“From now on, our customers will only need to visit one service point for access to many different services. Having so many organisations under the same roof also promotes cooperation across organisational lines,” says Maarit Pasto, head of adult social work at the South Ostrobothnia wellbeing services county.

Comfortable and functional facilities for customers and staff

A joint service point for several organisations saves on costs and helps ensure that the premises are used in an efficient and flexible manner. The organisations involved have been working together on developing multidisciplinary services and working methods for years by now.

Kela owns the recently renovated and modernised premises on Kalevankatu, which consist of 5,400 square metres. Some 300 employees of the City of Seinäjoki, the South Ostrobothnia wellbeing services county and Kela will move into the shared space. The back office has 214 workstations and plenty of meeting rooms and quiet rooms. The office layout complies with the Finnish government’s objectives for more efficient use of its premises.

“A customer service point just opened for Seinäjoki’s employment services in the municipal office building across the street from the theatre, and the joint service point on Kalevankatu will also serve jobseekers with an appointment. I believe that this will significantly improve our services to jobseekers because appointments are now available at the joint service point on Kalevankatu if necessary, and our customers can use this opportunity to access services provided by other authorities at the same time,” says Ilkka Rintala, Employment Director at the City of Seinäjoki.

“Our goal was to create modern, safe and energy-efficient premises that we can use in different ways to meet both present and future needs. The building on Kalevankatu has been in use for 46 years. We respected the original spirit of the building during the renovation process and included elements of it in our renovated offices,” says Project Manager Tomi Suursalmi from Kela. 

The joint service point will be open from 9.00 to 16.00 on weekdays

The joint service point on Kalevankatu will be open from 9.00 to 16.00 on weekdays (Monday to Friday). The information desk provides customer advice, while the advisory offices serve customers with an appointment. Kela will provide services to customers both with and without an appointment. Services for customers without an appointment are available from 12.00 to 16.00 on weekdays. The South Ostrobothnia wellbeing services county and the City of Seinäjoki will only serve customers who have booked an appointment in advance.

Visit the South Ostrobothnia wellbeing services county’s website at hyvaep.fi/in-english for instructions on how to book an appointment. The employees of the City of Seinäjoki’s multisectoral employment services and project services will book appointments for their customers at the joint service point on Kalevankatu according to their customers’ needs and circumstances.

The new joint service point will also have several digital service points available for customers. The staff at the information desk will assist anyone who needs help with using the e-services. 

Parking spaces are available for both cars and bicycles in front of the building. Parking spaces reserved for persons with disabilities are also available with ramp access to the joint service point.