The charter of the Association of Guidance Counsellors in Finland was signed on 7 November 1997.
The official name of the association in Swedish is Studiehandledare i Finland. The abbreviation of the association’s name is SOPO.
The purpose of the Association of Guidance Counsellors in Finland is to develop educational and vocational guidance and to advance the professional competence of and solidarity among its members. SOPO, as a pedagogical organisation for guidance, acts as an advocate for professionals in the field of educational and vocational guidance, and aspires to improve the availability and quality of basic education and further training in guidance counselling.
The SOPO association is led and managed by a president elected by the annual general meeting and an executive board of eight members, where all forms of education are represented. An essential part of the association are committees and working groups appointed by the board. When necessary, these are supplemented with invited expert members.
Collaboration benefits us all
As a guidance professional your job has significance both from the perspective of individual pupils or students and the educational system and working life. And as a member of SOPO Association, you can improve the prerequisites for guidance counselling and affect the value of your work. Through the Trade Union of Education in Finland (OAJ), we influence the development of the employment and pay system.