The More Accessible Sauna Project
The More Accessible Sauna Project (Saavutettavampi sauna) explored barriers to sauna bathing and possible solutions from the perspectives of people with disabilities, gender minorities, and people with migrant backgrounds.
During 2024, the project organised a series of workshops, some of which also included sauna experiences. The project was coordinated by Seurasauna Association in collaboration with FEMMA Planning, a participatory urban planning consultancy. Other project partners included Amal Association, which promotes the well-being of Muslim women and girls; Threshold Association (Kynnys ry), a disability rights organization; and Trasek, an organization advocating for the rights of gender minorities.
The project was supported by the Finnish Heritage Agency and the Arts Promotion Centre Finland. It was preceded by pilot workshops in 2023, supported by the Otto A. Malm Donation Fund and the Finnish Sauna Society.
The project resulted in a digital guide offering practical information and recommendations for creating a more accessible Finnish sauna culture. The More Accessible Sauna Guide was launched at Uusi Sauna on 27 November 2024.
Sauna for Good Population Relations
The project brought together women from diverse backgrounds to explore public sauna culture, share experiences, and reflect on what makes sauna spaces welcoming and accessible for different communities. It also sought to foster mutual understanding and create conditions in which people from different backgrounds can enjoy sauna safely and comfortably, both together and separately. We believe that public saunas have the potential to play a much greater role in promoting social inclusion, integration, and positive community relations.
As part of the project, we organized a sauna workshop at the legendary Kotiharju Sauna in Helsinki. Participants included women from Monaliiku Association’s Swim Power and My Life in Shape projects, together with sauna enthusiasts from Seurasauna Association. The project was implemented in collaboration with FEMMA Planning, a company specialising in participatory urban planning.
The project was funded through the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre) as part of the Good Population Relations programme and its regional action plan. The programme’s overall aim is to strengthen interaction, participation, and social inclusion across different communities.
