Paluu juurille Erasmus Project

Project Title

Paluu juurille

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Social dialogue; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy)

Project Summary

Context and background of the project
Our organizations represent small rural municipalities in Finland and Iceland. Pyhtää is a seaside municipality in the countryside located 120 km away from Helsinki, Finland. Marine way of life and archipelago at our sea area has a big part in the community of around 5,400 people. The municipality of Húnaþing vestra is located in the northwest of Iceland. The total area of the municipality covers over 3,000km2 and contains a total population of around 1,200. Agriculture is one of the main economic pillars of the municipality.

Living in a small rural area often has associated stigma linked to perceptions of poverty or lack of education and cultural refinement. Because of their remoteness, rural areas are often excluded from development policies that are written in cities and/or the capital. Rural areas are more vulnerable to out-migration as young individuals and families move to larger cities for work or for education. Small communities–such as Pyhtää and Húnaþing vestra–need to strategically pool resources and assets together to build resiliency and to combat some of these challenges.

Objectives of your project
Our overall project aim is using a best practices approach from Finland and Iceland to: (1) encourage youth to be more involved in the decision-making processes of youth projects; (2) have more influence into matters which affect their lives and future; and (3) prepare youth to be able to cooperate with different cultures and in an international environment. We want to learn together how we can support youth in rural communities to help them find and use their voices.

Number and profile of participants
Participants included in the transnational exchange program are:
* 5 youth workers and youth leaders from Iceland and 5 from Finland
* 10 youth from Iceland and 10 youth from Finland (a mixture between youth council and other youth)

Participants for the local events in Iceland and Finland are:
* Local and national policymakers
* Local schools
* Youth and youth leaders from youth centers, nonprofits, and NGOs
* Other youth (youth clubs, youth programs, and school)
* Local stakeholders who are interested to learn more about youth work. Participation in the local workshops.

Description of activities
During the six transnational meetings workshops are planned. The workshops are organized around a central question that we would like to explore.
*1: KICK-OFF meeting in Iceland: What is youth work and policy in Iceland? What is youth work practice?
*2: Workshop in Finland: What is youth work and policy in Finland? What is the “Child and Youth Welfare Plan” of Pyhtää?
*3: Workshop in Iceland: What are the skills needed for civic engagement? This workshop focuses on capacity building, healthy communities, and training on community engagement and civil rights in Iceland, Finland, and the EU. This workshop ends with a discussion with the ministers in Reykjavík, Iceland.
*4: Workshop in Finland: What are the different ways we can make an impact in our community? This workshop focuses on future work within our municipalities and youth work.
*5: Workshop in Iceland: What is the legislative process in Iceland and in Europe? The workshop focuses on building skills in the area of project management, civil rights, civil duty, and public speaking. The workshop ends with a national youth council meeting in Reykjavík.
*6: Meeting in Finland: What did we learn? This workshop focuses on our combined lived experiences of the overall project and discussions for future work together between the municipalities of Húnaþing vestra, Iceland, and Phytää, Finland. This will mark the official start of our long term agreement and the start of our “Twin Municipality.”

Methodology to be used in carrying out the project;
The Roots project aims at helping youth learn basic elements to take control of their own lives and become more engaged in their community. The project uses a community-based participatory (CBP) approach that involves participants in all aspects. As a partnership approach, CBP acknowledges community strengths and resources and uses these as a foundation for projects. Co-learning and capacity building among partners are integral to the overall project.

Short description of potential impacts envisaged
* Capacity-building among the youth and youth workers and leaders.
* Increased youth civic engagement
* Increased self-confidence and a better understanding of the processes of making laws and policies.
* Increased quality of life and well-being.

The potential longer-term benefits
* Long-term partnership between the municipality of Phytää and Húnaþing vestra through a “Twin Municipality” agreement
* Increased pride of place.
* Youth policies that are more reflective of the needs of youths living in the rural countryside.
* Increased interest in young families moving to rural communities.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 137000 Eur

Project Coordinator

Pyhtään kunta & Country: FI

Project Partners

• Hunathing vestra Orion