FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - Public Sector
A new online service, Lähellä.fi, is now available to enhance the visibility and accessibility of nationwide and regional association activities. This service compiles non-governmental organisations and their activity announcements. The service has been designed for use of by both professionals and citizens.
What does Lähellä.fi offer the public sector?
The service will reach a large number of NGOs and residents in the future. Implementing the service is an easy way to fulfil statutory obligations related to collaboration with NGOs. The data stored in the service can be utilised in various ways via an interface. Most importantly, using the service enhances citizen participation and wellbeing in your area.
How does the service benefit client work?
The service is excellent for everyday service guidance. By actively using the website and its search function, it becomes an integral part of service coordination. Lähellä.fi provides extensive information on NGOs operating in various fields and includes descriptions of their activities. Search results can be easily filtered based on the type of activity or geographical location.
Employees' working hours are saved
In addition to improving service guidance, the platform strengthens collaboration between local authorities and NGOs. Using Lähellä.fi saves working hours, as employees responsible for service coordination or collaboration with NGOs:
find information about NGOs and their activities in one place, without having to search across multiple sources and platforms.
no longer need to collect and maintain separate organisation registers.
can utilise various email lists retrieved via the service interface when sending public releases or collaboration invitations to organisations.
NGO data available via interface
The information is collected, where applicable, in a format compatible with the Finnish Service Catalogue (FSC) and can be easily integrated into public sector websites, service platforms, or other information systems. Interface collaboration is thoroughly planned and agreed upon separately.
Can data submitted to Lähellä.fi also be accessed via Finnish Service Catalogue?
The Lähellä.fi network collaborates with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and has established an interface connection between Lähellä.fi and the Finnish Service Catalogue (FSC). This interface is one-way, meaning that data transfers from Lähellä.fi to the Finnish Service Catalogue (FSC), but not the other way around. The interface was completed in December 2023. You can find more details on this topic here.
More information about the service
The About the Service page offers you answers to, for example, the following questions:
how was the service created?
what is the Lähellä.fi network?
which organisations are part of the Lähellä.fi network, responsible for developing, maintaining, and marketing the service?