Plans to cut funding for social welfare organisations by €80 million at the beginning of 2025, which have been the subject of widespread debate among organisations and in the media, have now been confirmed. So, organisations face major structural changes when decisions are made in the autumn about who will continue to operate and who will be reduced or terminated.
The planned cuts are causing anxiety and uncertainty among organisations about the future of their clients. NGOs work because public services need to be complemented. People need help to find, access and use services. Multicultural organisations support integration by providing reference groups and social orientation through practice and offer expertise in anti-racist and culturally aware work. These organisations are not sheltered workplaces: the work that affects people's quality of life is done with fewer resources than in the public sector, while at the same time being flexible and effective.
Cuts in funding for NGOs pose a risk to Finland's internal stability and security. They drive individuals into deprivation and increase the number of the most vulnerable, the very group the government has promised to protect. Moniheli condemns the cuts, especially their rapid pace of implementation, which makes it very difficult for associations to prepare for change while carrying out other activities.