Vindeln

Housing

There are five urban areas in Vindeln municipality: Vindeln, Hällnäs, Tvärålund, Åmsele and Granö. The main town is Vindeln with around 2,500 residents. The municipal accommodation company VIBO has around 250 flats with right of tenancy distributed over all the towns. The queuing time is relatively short. There is also a number of private landlords.

Most of the established refugees currently live and work in the chief town of Vindeln.

Language groups in the locality

Many language groups are represented in Vindeln municipality. Apart from Swedish and English, Arabic and Dari/Persian are spoken by many residents. Other languages represented include Tigrinya, Turkish, and Pashto.

Associations and organisations

We are proud of out wide choice of associations. You'll find here most areas such as sport, handicrafts, theatre, photography and music associations. The wide choice alone will mean that most people will fine something they are interested in.

For young people of school age there is the option of getting help with homework in their own language and within commuting distance there are other ethnic and religious organisations, including Swedish Muslims in Umeå.

Vindeln has a good deal of adult education with a number of adult educational associations. These act as meeting places and organise, for example, language cafés, swimming for women, gardening courses etc.

If you want to meet new friends living in Vindeln you can take part in Friends in Vindeln. You will be assigned a friend/family who can help you become a part of society.

What is available in the immediate area

In the centre of the cosy community of Vindeln you'll find a number of shops, selling items such as clothes and shoes, to hardware stores, paint shops and DIY stores. There are two shops for everyday commodities, ICA and Coop Konsum, which also sells halal meat. You can buy inexpensive furniture and household appliances at, amongst other places, Lions flea market and the municipality's second-hand shop Retrå. The job centre, refugee reception point, and the social welfare office are located centrally in the heart of the community. At the library there are books in many different languages – if you want something special the staff are open to suggestions.

The hub of sporting activity can be found at the leisure centre which is located in the centre. There you play handball, basketball, tennis, volleyball and badminton amongst other things. The swimming baths are open to everyone and at certain times are reserved for women only. There is also a riding club 3 km from the centre if you can or want to learn to ride. If you want to learn to slalom ski, there is an excellent skiing facility by the name of Buberget.

In order to find activities and events in Vindeln, there is Vindeln's local tourist website Visit Vindeln. For the whole of the Umeå region's activities and events there is Visit Umeå.

Vindeln is situated within commuting distance of Umeå which has the facilities you would find in a big city, such as shops, a tax office, regional social insurance office, and Migration Board, and so on.

Childcare

In Vindeln your child has access to a well established range of activities for childcare, with six preschools, five after-school recreation centres and private alternatives. Those in need of a childcare place will be dealt with quickly with short waiting times.

If you are at home with your child there is an open preschool in the same building as sfi where you and your child can meet other parents and children and take part in different activities and have a cup of coffee.

Comprehensive and upper secondary schools

There are six comprehensive schools in our municipality. Two of these are located in the main town. For children who have recently arrived in Sweden, there is the opportunity to first of all learn Swedish in the international class in the main town, and then move onto ordinary classes in comprehensive school.

All children receive swimming lessons from year 3. There is also a municipal music school where you can learn to sing or play an instrument.

We do not have our own upper secondary school, but young people of upper secondary school age from Vindeln have chosen to acquire their education in schools primarily in the municipalities of Umeå and Vännäs. Most pupils commute by bus and the municipality pays for the bus pass to and from school.

Education opportunities

There is a wonderful learning centre in the middle of Vindeln where adult education is provided. Here we can offer särvux, basic, upper secondary and sfi studies at all levels. Established refugees can get help with their application for sfi from the refugee reception point, contact the refugee coordinator.

There is also a folk high school with, amongst other things, a handicrafts study programme and keep-fit and health education. Umeå University with its 36,000 students is also located at a comfortable commuting distance.

Social orientation is provided in collaboration with the Umeå region. The teaching is provided in Vindeln, Umeå or at a distance via videoconference.

Health and medical care

The region's medical care centre and the Public Dental Service (Folktandvården) is in Vindeln. For emergency, accident and specialist care use Norrland University Hospital (NUS).

Interpreter assistance

People whose mother tongue is not Swedish are entitled to interpreting whenever they contact the municipality or a government authority.

Public transport

Vindeln has good bus and train links. There are railway stations in Vindeln, Tvärålund and Hällnäs. It takes about 40 minutes by train and 50 minutes by bus to Umeå. For bus and train times, see tabussen.nu.

It is about 6 miles to Umeå Airport. Currently the Umeå - Stockholm route is operated by three airlines. It takes less than an hour to fly to Stockholm. In addition to this there are also overseas flights from Umeå to many places in Europe.

Work and entrepreneurship

The municipality is one of Vindeln's largest employers with around 530 employees. There is a need for more labour in many sectors, including the care sector. Vacant jobs in Vindeln municipality are advertised on the municipality's website.