Lasten Kesä ry

What Lasten Kesä ry does

Lasten Kesä ry is a Finnish registered non-profit association (rekisteröity yhdistys) founded in 1952, headquartered in Helsinki with its operational center at Hauhon Lomakeskus (Hauho Resort) in Hämeenlinna. It operates overnight camps for children and youth aged 6-17, family camps, school camps (leirikoulut), and collaborative weekend camps in partnership with condition-specific NGOs such as Adoptioperheet ry, Keliakialiitto, and Kilpirauhasliitto. All activities run year-round across school holiday periods, with summer camps and weekend collaborations serving approximately 1,800 participants annually (2018 figure) at a purpose-built lakeside facility accommodating 100+ guests.

The business model is a hybrid of STEA government grant funding (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health), subsidized camp fees (with vacation support granted on social, health, and financial criteria; without support the price doubles), and ancillary facility rental income (€62-65/person/night). The operating stack is light: 5 permanent office staff plus approximately 40 seasonal counselors and 3 annual camp leaders. Technology consists of a WordPress website with electronic application forms, a customized Lumi CRM for applicant data with audit logging, Azure EU-hosted data storage for GDPR compliance, and Google Workspace for collaboration camp administration.

Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via the website, supplemented by bus transportation from Helsinki, Hyvinkää, Hämeenlinna, and Tampere, and by referral partnerships with 164+ organizations including membership in the Leiritoiminnan foorumi advocacy coalition. The organization's regulatory moat is reinforced by national policy recognition of preventive child welfare work, though its dependence on STEA funding exposes it to public-sector budget cycles, as evidenced by its 2026 participation in protests against NGO grant cuts.

Name

Lasten Kesä ry

Legal name

Lasten Kesä ry

Website

https://lastenkesa.fi

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lasten Kesä ry is a Finnish non-profit association founded in 1952 that operates subsidized overnight, family, and school camps for children and youth at its Hauhon Lomakeskus facility, funded primarily by STEA government grants and serving approximately 1,800 participants annually through direct applications and partner organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Camps and Recreational Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMALAA

Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Summer & Holiday Enrichment Camps (Multi-Activity, Academic)

SECONDARYTHAGAOAI

Group Camping & Scout Camps

Travel & Hospitality/Lodging & Accommodation/Camping & Glamping Facilities

Keywords

• Children's camp services
• Preventive child welfare
• Family vacation support
• Outdoor education programs
• Nonprofit recreational services

Headquarters

HQ city

Helsinki

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. STEA Government Funding: Primary funding from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö) through the Social Welfare and Health Organization Funding Centre (STEA). This supports the subsidized camp fee structure for families.
2. Camp Participation Fees: Camp fees charged to families. Without STEA vacation support, the camp price is doubled. STEA-supported places are allocated based on social, health, and financial scoring criteria.
3. Facility Rental: Hauho Resort (Hauhon Lomakeskus) is rented out to other groups during non-school holiday periods for camp, training, and recreation use. Pricing: 62€/person/night for education and children's organizations including full board.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lasten Kesä ry organizes and operates overnight and weekend camps for children and youth (ages 6-17), family camps, school camps (leirikoulut), and collaboration camps with partner organizations at Hauhon Lomakeskus in Hämeenlinna, Finland. The association also rents out its camp facilities to external groups during non-school holiday periods. Camp fees are subsidized through government funding from STEA (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health) for families meeting social, health, and financial criteria.

Product overview

Lasten Kesä ry operates a unified camp service portfolio centered at Hauhon Lomakeskus (Akkimaa) in Hämeenlinna, Finland. The core offerings include overnight camps for children and youth (ages 6-17), family camps under the Leiritoiminta perheitä tukemassa project, school camps with customized educational programming, and collaborative weekend camps with partner organizations. Additional services include facility rentals for external groups and internship opportunities. All programs provide 24/7 supervision by trained staff, accommodation, meals, and activity programming in a lakeside natural setting. The organization has operated since 1952 and serves children and families year-round across all school vacation periods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lasten ja nuorten yöleirit (Overnight Camps)

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of surveyed families would recommend summer camps to others (2019 feedback)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Adoptioperheet ry (Adoption Families Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Annual collaboration since 2015 organizing five camps per year at Hauho Resort for adopted children, youth, and families. Joint planning with the association's youth activity developer and volunteer coordinator. Includes children's camps, youth camps, and family weekend camps.
• Keliakialiitto (Finnish Celiac Society)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration weekend camps organized for celiac community members at Hauho Resort. One of several health-organization partnerships.
• Kilpirauhasliitto (Finnish Thyroid Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration weekend camps organized for thyroid patients and their families at Hauho Resort.
• Pienperheyhdistys (Small Family Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration weekend camps organized for small families at Hauho Resort.
• Leiritoiminnan foorumi (Camp Activity Forum)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational advocacy forum of 12 camp organizations (including Kesälukioseura, Leirikesä, Parasta Lapsille, Pelastusarmeija, Suomen Partiolaiset, etc.) advocating for camp funding and policy recognition. Lasten Kesä ry is a founding member. Forum published '10 theses on the importance of camp activity' in 2026.
• AIESEC (International Association of Students in Economic and Commercial Sciences)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational youth leadership organization that provides international volunteers for summer camps at Hauho Resort. AIESEC handles volunteer selection and placement in Finland. Volunteers from countries including Canada and Hong Kong have participated.
• Lastensuojelun Keskusliitto (Central Association for Child Welfare)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational child welfare organization coordinating the 'Kaikille eväät elämään' (Provisions for Life) funding program. Lasten Kesä's 'Leiritoiminta perheitä tukemassa' (Camp Activities Supporting Families) project is part of this program. Provides network events, training, and evaluation support.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• SOS-Lapsikylä (SOS Children's Villages Finland): Finnish child welfare organization providing family-style accommodation and support for vulnerable children. Comparable in mission and beneficiary overlap, though focused on residential care rather than camp settings.

Direct peers

• Suomen 4H-liitto (Finnish 4H Federation): National youth development organization offering camps, training, and outdoor programs for children and adolescents in Finland. Comparable mission around accessible youth recreation and skill-building.
• Pelastusarmeija (Salvation Army Finland): Operates youth and family camps in Finland, including subsidized programs for disadvantaged children. Listed as a Leiritoiminnan foorumi member, with overlapping mission around child welfare and recreation.
• Mannerheimin Lastensuojeluliitto (MLL): Finland's largest child welfare organization, with family camps, recreational programs, and child welfare services. Through Lastensuojelun Keskusliitto, it is directly connected to Lasten Kesä's funding project.
• Kesälukioseura ry: Finnish summer school association running residential summer programs for youth. Fellow Leiritoiminnan foorumi member with comparable overnight programming targeting school-age children.
• Suomen Partiolaiset (Scouts of Finland): National youth organization running overnight camps, outdoor programs, and adventure activities for children and youth in Finland. Fellow Leiritoiminnan foorumi member with overlapping child/youth camp offerings.
• Parasta Lapsille ry: Finnish non-profit focused on children's well-being and recreational programs, including camp activities. Fellow Leiritoiminnan foorumi member running comparable subsidized camp experiences.
• Leirikesä ry: Direct Finnish non-profit peer operating children's summer camps. Shares the Leiritoiminnan foorumi membership with Lasten Kesä and operates a similar overnight camp model serving children and families.
• KFUM Finland / YMCA Finland: Operates youth camps, outdoor education, and family programs across Finland. Comparable non-profit camp operator with trained counselors and subsidized access for disadvantaged families.

Regional players

• Friluftsfrämjandet (Swedish Outdoor Association): Swedish outdoor recreation non-profit running camps and outdoor activities for children and families. Comparable in mission and operating model, but serves Swedish rather than Finnish market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lastenkesa
• Instagraminstagram.com/lastenkesa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lastenkesa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lasten Kesä ry