The city of Imatra received a grant to support sports activities for children and young people

The city of Imatra has received a special grant of 11 euros from the Regional Administrative Agency of Southern Finland for next year. The goal of the grant is to promote the exercise hobby of children and young people aged 000-7 from low-income families in sports clubs.

In the past, the grant has been granted directly to the clubs, but this year the recipient of the grant is the municipality, from which the sports clubs can apply for the grant. The grant is distributed to the clubs as a targeted grant and its use does not require the clubs to contribute their own funds. The grant is specifically intended to support sports activities for needy children and young people.

- The grant aims to ensure that low-income young people are not left out of sports activities, but that sports activities become long-lasting and continuous. Several clubs offer a free trial period of a couple of months at the beginning of the hobby, and the subsidy enables the continuation of the favorite exercise hobby, says the head of welfare services Arja Kujala.

The amount of the subsidy is a maximum of 50 euros per month per child or young person.

The grant promotes the strategic goal of the active and inclusive civic activities of sports included in the state's 2019 budget proposal. One of the focuses of promoting physical activity is children and young people in particular.

In the near future, clubs will receive an instruction letter about the grant, which will give more detailed instructions on how to apply for the grant.

More information: head of welfare services Arja Kujala, arja.kujalaimatra.fi (arja[dot]kujala[at]imatra[dot]fi), tel. 020 617 2227.

Exercise allowance for needy children and young people

Use during 2020
Max 50€/child/month
The municipality will continue to distribute the grants as targeted grants to local registered associations that organize physical activity. No self-financing is required from the municipality or the association to implement the project.

The grant to be distributed must fulfill one or more of the following goals:

to promote equal, equal and accessible physical activity opportunities for children and young people from low-income families
enables children and young people who are at risk of being marginalized to participate in a sports club
prevent dropping out by keeping children and young people from low-income families involved in activities as athletes, exercisers and social workers
develops innovative and new operating models in supporting sports activities for children and young people from low-income families

A free-form application to the city, how the club will implement the use of the grant, so that it targets low-income families.

A written agreement with the city about the grant.

The city distributes targeted grants to local clubs and associations that organize sports