Dagtek Activity Centre - Active Participants in Society
Located in Tammisaari, the Dagtek Activity Centre provides individuals with disabilities a suite of life and work-oriented activities. These include arts and crafts, subcontracted work opportunities, and media group tasks.
Dagtek is a great example of an activity centre within the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County that provides its clients with a variety of modern and engaging activities.
The unit director, Sabina Vaarimo, explains that Dagtek organises its activities to align with the individual preferences and needs of its clients.
– We have a team of 19 employees serving around 70 clients. Our operations are divided into two core sectors: one focused on employment and work life, and the other on developing everyday life skills. Additionally, we offer short-term residential services for children and young people, Vaarimo elaborates.
Dagtek's employment-oriented activities encompass a variety of subcontracting tasks. For instance, one of the groups oversees a service kitchen and does minor cleaning duties.
– When planning activities focused on everyday life skills, we emphasize outdoor activities, communication, and social interaction, states Vaarimo.
Art, crafts, and handicrafts play a prominent role in Dagtek’s daily activities.
– We organize workshops, for example, in fabric printing, sewing, and weaving. This integrates smoothly into our operations. Our in-house store, which showcases and sells clients’ creations, is situated in the same facility as our day activities!
Additionally, products made at Dagtek are available at various pop-up events and fairs, with the activity centre participating whenever feasible.
– In the realm of arts and crafts, multiple individuals often collaborate during different stages of production. We plan additional educational opportunities for our clients and organise courses, some of which are led by external instructors, Vaarimo says.
Collaboration is Key
At the core of Dagtek’s philosophy lies a strong commitment to collaboration with various parties and organizations.
An example is the sustained partnership with the Finnbolt company, for whom Dagtek executes subcontracted tasks.
Furthermore, there has been over a decade of collaboration with Västra Nylands Folkhögskolan (VNF), a Swedish-speaking folk high school in Karjaa).
– Each year, 10–12 of our clients participate in VNF's courses. This year, the focus is on handicraft. In the past, we have benefited from their education in art, theatre, and media, Vaarimo shares.
A significant outcome of these educational ventures is Dagtek’s online TV channel, FIXtv, which produces short series. The idea behind the channel is to offer people with disabilities ways to gain more visibility and representation in society. FIXtv's productions can be watched online at fixtv.fi.
Vaarimo emphasizes the importance of working with other local actors.
– This way, we can broaden our horizons beyond our own unit and become an integral part of the larger society. This is important for everyone involved.
Dagtek has also established a long-standing cooperation with Maailmanvaihto, the Finnish branch of the International Cultural Youth Excange.
– We are delighted to currently have Lisa from Italy and Elif from Turkey with us, Vaarimo says with joy.
Looking forward, Dagtek has clear aspirations for the future.
– We will continue to advocate for our clients’ active participation, inclusion, employment, and autonomy in making their own choices. We are excited about the future and the new possibilities it will offer as the legislation is changing, Vaarimo concludes.