There for Students Every Day
For many people, changing school grade marks a new phase of their lives. This can mean moving to another municipality, having to look for new friends and thinking about your life path. At the Seinäjoki parish, with our work with the students we want to make sure that no one is left alone with these questions.
The university chaplain Aila Jaakkola works as support figure for the students of SEAMK, and the student chaplain Heikki Hangasmaa for the students of Sedu. They offer free and confidential counselling to any student, regardless of their beliefs.
“I find this job so wonderful because it allows me to engage with people’s most genuine questions. The questions that the average person asks are big questions.”, says Jaakkola.
“My aim is usually to bring joy, light, and lots of coffee. It’s easy to chat about this and that with a good cup of coffee”, states Hangasmaa, who started as a new student chaplain after the summer.
Listening is at the core
People come to conversation with all kinds of topics. Loneliness, sorrow, relationships, the search for a path in life, the future, or worries related to the studies: these are the kind of themes that come to the fore.
“You can not say who has the biggest problems. If you are already carring a lot of weight in life, sometimes just one thing can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back”, says Jaakkola.
At the heart of the student ministry offered by the Seinäjoki parish is listening.
“My job is to listen and be a shoulder to lean on when one is needed”, says Jaakkola.
Hangasmaa’s idea is to actively go around Sedu’s various campuses.
“When a face becomes familiar, then it becomes easier for the students to come and chat about anything. I’ve already agreed to building a wall and being a quality control inspector in the patisserie department”, Hangasmaa chuckles
A sense of community
In addition to the private counselling, part of the work with the students is also to build a sense of community. Especially in the beginning stages, forming a group has a big impact. Tutors, the educational psychologist and the curator all play a major role in organising events.
“The aim is to make the students feel they belong in a group. It has a big impact in preventing loneliness”, Jaakkola says.
The number of international students is also on the rise, and this shows also in our work with the students.
“Cultures are different, but in the end many questions that emerge are really similar. It is important for people to find someone with whom they can reflect on their place in a new environment.
Student workers
SEAMK: Aila Jaakkola, university chaplain, aila.jaakkola@seamk.fi, 044 580 6651
Sedu: Heikki Hangasmaa, student chaplain, heikki.hangasmaa@evl.fi, 040 184 8410
SEAMK’s new students will begin their studies with an orientation day on Friday 21.8.2026. Evenings for students and young adults at Kismus (Kalevakatu 12 B) continue every Thursday from 17–19.
