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 Background and location
Piispala is located by the Lake Kivijärvi in the midst of the most beautiful nature in Kannonkoski in Central Finland. In the winter time, the clean white snow and excellent ski tracks attract people to attend camps, have holidays and do various activities. Excellent exercise and arts and crafts facilities, e.g. public swimming baths (3 pools, diving possibilities etc.), an ice skating rink, a bowling alley, two indoor gymnastics halls and a gym guarantee functional activities all year round. Piispala has functioned as a national youth centre since 1982 in the facilities of a former renovated primary school.
 Services
Piispala offers accommodation for 190-350 persons in terraced houses with rooms for 2-4 persons and in cabins for 4-8 persons and in semi-detached houses. All facilities contain sleeping lofts. Piispala offers a buffet at the dining room rich in atmosphere. Feasts, dining in the woods and packed lunches are part of our services at all camps, as are other full board services. Conference rooms: altogether six conference rooms with seats for 20-150 persons and several facilities for group work. The facilities contain e.g. an overhead projector, a video recorder, a wide screen television projector and a flap board. Arts and crafts facilities: centre for water activities and ice sports (swimming baths, three pools, an ice rink, a bowling alley, Environment School, a gym, a climbing tower), two gymnastics halls, three arts and crafts rooms, a climbing wall and lounges. The conference rooms can be also turned into arts and crafts facilities.
Outdoor activities: a 4,5 km long lid sawdust track, excellent ski tracks, hiking trails with resting areas, an adventure course, 12 m high climbing and abseiling walls, an artificial turf field for ball games, two tennis courts, a place for practicing golf swings, a sandy bathing beach with a jumping stand, and a wide selection of sports equipment for various activities. Saunas: lakeside saunas Ahti and Wellamo + a fireplace room for 40 persons, a traditional sauna and a fisherman’s hut for 50 persons, two cabin saunas and sauna facilities in the training centre. Programme services: more than 50 programme options, e.g. indoor and outdoor activities, adventures, experiences in the nature, arts and crafts; (over 10 options) archery and air pistol shooting, ice climbing, snowshoe hiking and paddling trips. The instructors are Piispala’s own professional activity and wilderness guides.
 Strengths and expertise
The strength of Piispala lies in its versatile activities (sports, adventures, nature, arts and crafts). It is specialized in environmental and physical education which are integrated into all the programmes available at Piispala.
Future
Piispala has commenced a strategy project called "Piispala - kasvun paikka", which aims at turning the centre into an international centre of expertise dedicated to child, youth and family work. Our new accommodation facilities will be ready in the autumn of 2009. The strategy project includes developing the contents of all the different areas of youth activities, which will be further supported with investments (environment programme, mental recreation at Piispala).
In the area of the Youth Centre Vasatokka you can e.g. paddle, hike, ski, walk with snowshoes and fish depending on whether it is a summer or a winter, and practice your wilderness skills. Siida, the Sámi Museum and Northern Lapland Nature Centre, is located in Inari which acquaints you with the nature and culture of the area. In addition, the reindeer farm and the kennel situated close by are also worth visiting. In the summer, you may participate in white water racing in the rapids of Juutuajoki and in a cruise on Lake Inari. A marked route goes from Vasatokka to the Otsamo Fell which offers spectacular views beyond the village of Inari and the vast fell areas. Also, the areas of placer mining in Lemmenjoki are not far. Groups can also order guided tours from Vasatokka to the shores of the Arctic Ocean in Norway. During the tour you will get acquainted with the culture of the Skolts, Lake Inari, the everyday of the Sámi people living in Inari, the culture of the originally Finnish Kvens in Norway, the wonders of the Arctic Ocean, fishing in the Tana River, the culture of Northern Sámi people and the municipality of Utsjoki.
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