Frequently asked questions
Answers about SYKÄ and about finding hobbies in the Helsinki region. If your question is not answered here, write to info@syka.fi.
Where can I find a hobby in Helsinki?
Hobbies in Helsinki can be browsed in the SYKÄ app, which gathers hobbies across the Helsinki region into one place. The categories are sports, music, dance, art and much more. The Helsinki listings come from the city's open data interface and from providers' own entries. Browsing works without an account.
Where can I find a hobby for a child in the Helsinki region?
Hobbies for a child in the Helsinki region can be searched in the SYKÄ app by age group, which leaves the options that suit a child visible. SYKÄ shows the place, the time and the price of a hobby. Enrolment and payment always happen in the organizer's own system, not through SYKÄ.
Is there an app for finding hobbies?
Information about hobbies is scattered across dozens of sites, and SYKÄ was built to gather it: the hobbies of the Helsinki region in one view. SYKÄ then recommends the ones that suit you by interest, age group and location. There are seven categories: sports, music, dance, art, nature, technology and other.
I just moved to Helsinki, where do I find a hobby?
In a new city, hobbies are easiest to find in the SYKÄ map view, which shows what is around you without needing to know the district names. The map also shows what you can reach by bus and what is happening nearby right now. Distances are calculated on the device and the location is not stored.
How do you start a new hobby as an adult?
When you do not yet know what to try, SYKÄ lets you browse hobbies one at a time by swiping and save the interesting ones as favourites. A saved hobby can be added to the calendar, and SYKÄ reminds you before the first session. Suggestions narrow down by the categories and age group you choose.
Where can I find hobbies in Helsinki in English?
Hobbies in Helsinki can be found in English in SYKÄ, whose interface is available in English. Hobby titles and descriptions are also translated between Finnish and English, so the app can be used without knowing Finnish. The translation is machine translation, so the original text always takes precedence.
Where can a student find a hobby?
On campus, the search distance in SYKÄ can be set small, which leaves the hobbies nearby on the list. The price of a hobby is shown in its details in SYKÄ, before you move on to the organizer own channels to enrol. The price is always set by the organizer.
What is SYKÄ?
SYKÄ is a Finnish app that gathers hundreds of hobbies in the Helsinki region into one place and recommends the ones that fit you. It works in Finnish and in English and is free for users. The app is built by HIO Labs Oy in Helsinki. SYKÄ is on the App Store and Google Play.
What can be found on SYKÄ?
SYKÄ gathers hobbies across the Helsinki region — sports, music, dance, art and much more, seven categories in total. They include regular groups, courses, camps and venues, among others. The focus is on taking up a hobby: things you can start and continue. The information comes from city open data and from providers' own listings.
Is SYKÄ available yet?
Yes. SYKÄ is available on the App Store and Google Play in the Helsinki region, and downloading is free.
What does SYKÄ cost?
SYKÄ is free for users. Downloading and using the app costs nothing, and SYKÄ has no subscriptions. For hobby providers: SYKÄ is a new service, and the first organizers join for free. The price of a hobby itself is always set by its organizer, and payment happens in the organizer's own system, not through SYKÄ.
Which area does SYKÄ cover?
SYKÄ covers the Helsinki region. Hobby information comes from the open data interfaces of the cities of Helsinki and Espoo, and from listings providers add to SYKÄ themselves. The city data is updated continuously, and outdated entries are removed once their retention period ends.
Who is SYKÄ for?
SYKÄ is for all ages: children, adults and seniors. Hobbies can be filtered by age group, which leaves the options that suit you or your child visible. An account can be created from the age of 13, and anyone younger can browse the app without an account.
What categories does SYKÄ have?
SYKÄ has seven categories: sports, music, dance, art, nature, technology and other. Within a category there are groups, courses, camps and venues, among others. The categories you are interested in are chosen in the app settings, and the choice can be changed at any time.
Which languages does SYKÄ work in?
SYKÄ works in Finnish and in English, and the language can be changed in the app settings. The language choice is stored on the device and is not sent to the server. The syka.fi website and its FAQ are available in the same two languages. Swedish is not included for now.
Can you enrol or pay through SYKÄ?
You cannot enrol or pay through SYKÄ. SYKÄ shows the details of a hobby — the place, the time and the price — and directs you to the organizer's own channels, where enrolment and payment happen. SYKÄ is not the organizer of a hobby and is not a party to the agreement between you and the organizer.
Where does SYKÄ's information come from?
SYKÄ's hobby information comes from two sources: the open data interfaces of the cities of Helsinki and Espoo, and listings that providers add to SYKÄ themselves. SYKÄ does not guarantee individual details such as times or prices, so it is worth confirming them with the organizer.
Does SYKÄ collect location data?
SYKÄ does not store location data. Location is used only momentarily in the device's memory to calculate distances, and it is not sent to the server. Using location requires permission from the device's operating system, and the app can be used without it. Details are in the SYKÄ privacy policy.
Which devices is SYKÄ available on?
SYKÄ is available for iPhone on the App Store and for Android phones on Google Play, and downloading is free on both. SYKÄ works in Finnish and in English on both platforms.
How can a hobby provider join SYKÄ?
A provider joins SYKÄ by registering in the provider portal at portaali.syka.fi. Associations, clubs, adult education centres, companies, public bodies and hobby venues can all join, among others. New providers and their listings are checked before publication.
Who is behind SYKÄ?
SYKÄ is built by HIO Labs Oy, a software company based in Helsinki, business ID 3634554-5. The company designs and builds its products itself. HIO Labs Oy is also the data controller for SYKÄ, and it can be reached at info@syka.fi. More about the company is at hiolabs.fi.