Strategy
Our local development strategy forms the basis for development in our area. The strategy constitutes the framework for operations during the years 2023-2027 and thus guides our work and how our funds will be distributed during the period. The strategy is based on local needs and has been developed in collaboration between the public, non-profit, and private sectors.
Our strategy
Support from Leader Tornedalen will go to initiatives that contribute to implementing our local development strategy. Leader Tornedalen's development strategy has been developed with broad anchoring in the area, as you who live, work, and operate here know best what is needed to develop your place. In the strategy process, we have worked according to the leader method by including representatives from the public, private, and non-profit sectors, a good local anchoring, and a clear bottom-up perspective. The strategy can be described as a puzzle, where the projects constitute the pieces. In the strategy, you will find our basic conditions, vision, goals, and areas of intervention. Leader is a tool for rural development within the EU and Sweden, thus the strategy also contributes to regional and national rural development.g
Based on the needs and opportunities identified in the strategy work, three objectives have been developed. These are based on the three partnerships and will help us achieve our vision.
Vision
Tornedalen is welcoming and inclusive.
Here we focus on our opportunities and solve challenges together.
With us, it is allowed to both succeed and fail.
Everyone living in the area is an ambassador for a growing area,
full of development power and energy.
Our three goals
More people establishing themselves in the area
Tornedalen is growing, and there is a need to develop attractive housing and living environments with access to commercial and public services. Together with rich leisure activities, more businesses and people can establish themselves in the area.
Increased sustainable processing, use, and accessibility of the area's natural and cultural resources
The goal focuses on Tornedalen's unique assets and opportunities: Natural life, cultural life, tourism, and food production. We believe that the area can develop strengths in the unique environment with increased processing as well as more and stronger small-scale businesses within tourism. The goal contributes to increased attractiveness for both visitors and potential newcomers to the area.
The area becomes more attractive for young people
There is a need for more young people to stay in the area and for more to choose to move here. The goal promotes that young people have the opportunity to test their ideas in various fields. The ideas should be utilized for the development of the area's attractiveness, housing, leisure, and services.
Our six areas of intervention
1
Collaboration between businesses and people within the area as well as across borders internationally
The initiatives should contribute to planning and implementation of joint activities or information initiatives as well as development of common digital or physical infrastructure within tourism, culture, or food production but also to solve challenges regarding public and commercial services.
2
Support young people's ideas
Measures shall contribute to the development of activities, ideas, and projects that do not need to be tied to an association or a company. The initiative shall particularly promote young people's opportunity to test their ideas in various areas, related to culture, food, and tourism or to solve challenges to improve the area's attractiveness.
3
Preserve, develop, and make natural areas accessible
The initiative area shall, through activities, information efforts, storytelling, and collaboration, contribute to making attractions and attractive places within the area visible as tourist destinations that increase the area's attractiveness. In the initiative area, smart, innovative, and sustainable collaborative solutions for utilization, financing, and maintenance of existing infrastructure and facility assets shall be developed.
4. Right now, this initiative area is paused
Promote creative meeting places, cultural experiences, and entrepreneurs within the cultural sector and the creative industries
The initiative area shall strengthen existing structures and make cultural entrepreneurs and cultural expressions visible through activities such as festivals, theater, exhibitions, and workshops, both originating from the area's traditions and with influences from outside. Through the initiatives, minority cultures shall be strengthened and developed together with influences, ideas, and people who are new to the area.
5 Right now, this initiative area is paused
Innovative development of attractive living environments as well as public and commercial services
In the initiative area, activities shall be carried out to solve challenges related to housing availability, deficiencies in commercial or public services, and a rich leisure time through broad collaboration.
6
New innovations, increased production, and increased processing of the area's resources
Measures within the initiative area shall contribute to regional goals of increased self-sufficiency and increased processing from a profitability perspective. This may involve initiatives for the development of innovative products, processes, or collaborative solutions within small-scale food production, nature-based goods, or services from forests, seas, lakes, or mountains.