Frequently Asked Questions – Public Sector
You now have access to LähelläPRO, a new online service that brings associations closer together and strengthens collaboration between NGOs and the public sector. The service is designed for association professionals and active members, as well as for municipalities and wellbeing services counties.
What does LähelläPRO offer to the public sector?
With LähelläPRO, you can reach associations in your region. You’ll find association information and can publish announcements directed at them. Services intended for citizens can still be found through Lähellä.fi.
Saving employees’ working time
The service improves collaboration between local authorities and associations. Staff working with associations save time because they can:
find up-to-date information on associations and their activities in one place, without searching across multiple sources
avoid collecting and maintaining their own association registers
use mailing lists available via the service interface when there is a need to send announcements or invitations for cooperation
Association data available via an Rest-API
Information is collected, where applicable, in a format consistent with the Finnish Service Catalogue (FSC) and can easily be integrated into public sector websites, service platforms, or other systems. Each interface integration is planned and agreed upon separately.
Are announcements published in LähelläPRO also available in the Finnish Service Catalogue (FSC)?
LähelläPRO is not intended for publishing services aimed at citizens. Announcements published in LähelläPRO are not transferred to the Finnish Service Catalogue. Services intended for citizens should still be published in Lähellä.fi, from where they are automatically transferred to the Finnish Service Catalogue. You can read more about this here.
More information about the service
On the About the Service page, you’ll find answers to questions such as:
How did the service originate?
What is the Lähellä network?
Which organizations are part of the Lähellä network, the group that developed, manages, and promotes the service?