Founding an association

Have a hobby that’s close to your heart that you feel your fellow students could also enjoy? Share a passion for a sport you feel is currently underrepresented at KY? Why not trying to organize one event or start your own club?

Once you have an idea, start off by flicking through KY’s association register. Check if KY already has a club that caters to ideas close to yours? If you’re confident you can bring something new to the table, familiarize yourself with KY’s by-laws for associations (in Finnish), which provide the framework for operating under KY. Once you’re convinced your association satisfies these criteria, you can start the foundation process:

Contact the Secretary for Clubs and Societies

Before funding a legit association, you should contact KY’s Secretary for Clubs and Societies Iiris Savolainen, iiris.savolainen@ky.fi. The aim is to discuss about your idea, see if there’s anything specific you need to take into account, anything KY can help with and to talk about the planned actions. As a result, you’ll have better understanding what it means to be a KY Club and how the foundation process works.

Organize a test event

Before registering your club as an association at the Finnish Patent and Registration Office and applying to KY association register you should organize a test event ect. This is a great change for you to see if KY members have interest towards your club’s actions and whether you are eager to continue and develop the club. You are entitled to use KY’s official communication channels, reserve KY premises free of charge and apply for project funding from KY foundation.

After the event, the Secretary for Clubs and Societies will be in touch to discuss about the event and your thoughts about the future of the club.

Hold a constitutive meeting

• Select the name and form the rules for the association (can be formed beforehand but must be approved in the constitutive meeting)
• Decide how people can become members of the association (remember that all KY members need to be able to join)
• Sign the charter of the association
• Compile minutes of the constitutive meeting that will be checked and signed
• Draw up an action plan for the association (a long-term plan as well as a more detailed plan for the following year)

Register your association at the Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH)

• Apply online and pay the registration fee (85 euros in 2019)
• Prepare and attach the following to the application:
  • Official rules and signed charter of the association
  • Association’s notice forms

Make sure your association meets KY’s criteria

• The association must be registered at PRH
• The association must comply with KY’s by-laws for associations

Apply for KY’s association register, KY Clubs

To be able to be a KY Club, ⅔ of the criteria must be fulfilled:

1. High-quality operations
2. Operated by KY members
3. Activities directed mainly for KY members

Apply for KY's association register by filling this form. The Secretary for Clubs and Societies will handle your application and present it to KY Board for approval. You will be informed during the process.

To be able to fill the form you need the following information:

• Association's name and aim
• Business ID or association’s registration number
• Home page (if applicable)
• Description of planned activity
• Brief description of planned member policy
• Plans to ensure club’s continuity
• Primary and secondary email addresses
• The board’s names, posts and contact information
• The time and date of the annual meeting

The KY Board will choose to accept or reject new associations to KY’s association register and may assign certain restrictions if all the criteria are not met.

Apply for KY’s association register, Other Clubs

Other clubs are allowed to use KY’s communication channels e.g. Facebook pages. Other clubs cannot reserve KY’s premises or use the KY van. This category is mostly for interdisciplinary clubs which wish to reach also KY members.  

Apply for KY's association register by sending a freely formed email to the Secretary for Clubs and Societies. The email must contain the contact information of the association. The association needs to agree with the rules of by-laws for associations, organize events which also benefit KY’s members. The operation of the association must be in conformity with the aims of KY Association. The Secretary for Clubs and Societies will handle your application and present it to KY Board for approval. You will be informed during the process.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch! The Secretary for Clubs and Societies, Iiris is always eager to answer any questions you might have!