Valintana vapaus

Valintana vapaus ry is a Finnish nonprofit association founded in Tampere in 2024. Its name means “Freedom as a Choice,” reflecting its aim to support people seeking a life free from substance use and crime. The association offers a low-threshold first point of contact for people affected by alcohol or other substance problems, people caught in cycles of imprisonment, and young people at risk of social exclusion. It also supports the families and wider circles of people in prison or struggling with substance use, and can guide individuals to further help when needed.

Prevention is a central part of its work, especially with young people. Association representatives share information and lived experience in schools, child welfare settings, youth events and confirmation camps, encouraging people of all ages to choose a crime-free, substance-free life. Its prison work includes visiting inmates who want to avoid returning to prison, holding spiritual gatherings in prison churches, and offering “survival package” training for people entering or leaving prison.