Kamalat äidit – welcome
Kamalat äidit® – Terrible mothers organizes peer-support groups for mothers of adolescents. Peer groups discuss themes related to parenting and women’s lives, share information related to puberty, and encourage mothers to share their thoughts with other women in the same life situation.
”The Kamalat Äidit® activities started in 2005 at the Oulu YWCA. We organized a meeting of mothers of teenage girls and named it “The terrible mothers’ club”. To our surprise the subject aroused the interest of both mothers and the media.
”The terrible mothers’ club”, caught general attention and perhaps annoyed a little bit. The name was loaned. The Kallio Parish in Helsinki already had a group of mothers of children of all ages operating on the same principle. With their permission, we got the right to use the name.
In the beginning, we specifically invited mothers of teenage girls into our groups. Later, of course, the activities expanded to include the mothers of boys.
The activities expanded rapidly and there was a clear need for peer-support groups; the mothers of adolescents wanted to relieve their minds with those in the same situation.
In 2007, the Oulu YWCA created a Kamalat äidit development project, which was financially supported by the Slot Machine Association (RAY) and the operations started to be developed in a more systematic way.
We received the second RAY funding in 2013. With this funding, peer-support group leaders began to be trained all around Finland, and groups started outside the Oulu region. Kamalat äidit® operating model and name were registered in 2013. The trademark is owned by the Oulu YWCA.
The Finnish YWCA Federation launched the national Kamalat äidit® activities, supported by the Slot Machine Association, in 2015. Today, Kamalat äidit® activities are supported by the Social Welfare and Health Organisations’ support Centre (STEA).”
Maarit Peltoniemi, Executive Director, Oulu YWCA
“Right now, I don’t really have any problems other than mom. “
Maija Paavilainen: äiti on äiti.
Are you interested in Kamalat äidit?
Our peer-support groups meet in many different locations across Finland and new groups start all the time.
If your locality doesn’t have yet a Kamalat äidit group, you can start one!
Join us also on our main Facebook page as well as our multilingual Facebook page.
Terrible Mothers® group leader training is renewed!
We renewed Terrible Mothers group leader training in Finnish on the Howspace learning platform during the spring 2023. The Terrible Mothers group leaders’ orientation will prepare you to lead a peer group for mothers of teenagers or to take on different Terrible Mothers’ volunteer roles.
In the renewed peer support group leader training, we will offer an opportunity for a short introductory chat with a Terrible Mothers worker right at the beginning of the training process. During the conversation, you will learn more about the activities, about us and about the upcoming orientation, and we will get to know you a little better. Howspace training involves independent, self-paced study of the material, tasks and exercises, and one joint, time-bound, online distance learning session.
At the end of the induction, a discussion is held with each of the instructors involved to discuss issues such as how to start the peer support group.
Howspace is an easy-to-use collaborative virtual learning environment that is simple and safe to use. We will guide and help you to use Howspace.
You can read more about being a Terrible Mothers group leader here
Information on Finnish-language group leader trainings in spring 2024 can be read here
The group leader training in English
The group leader training in English has been postponed, new dates will be announced at a later date.
If you are a mother of a teenager and would like to be a peer support group leader, you are warmly welcome to join the Terrible Mothers’ group leader training!
For more information on training, contact the Terrible Mothers coordinator:
Anna Helin-Valtonen, anna.helin-valtonen@ywca.fi, 040 411 5967