We build bridges between young people's ideas and enabling associations in Gotland's countryside!

The inheritance fund project Young vitality in collaboration is run by Leader Gute and led by a young action group.

By joining the project's youth network, young people between 12 and 25 years can make their voices heard and gain the tools to realize their ideas in the island's countryside – together with other young people or associations.

The project also supports associations in including young people and creating stronger collaboration between young people and adults.

Our vision is for the project to contribute to vibrant Gotlandic countryside where young people and associations together build the future. A place where young people become an obvious part of the association life.

Therefore, it is needed Young vitality in collaboration!

The association life is a cornerstone of Sweden's democracy and the social cohesion of the countryside. But right now, many associations face significant challenges:

• The average age is rising.
• The premises are empty.
• Engagement is thinning out.
• The next generation is not finding their way here.

At the same time, young people largely feel that they do not have the opportunity to express their needs and ideas. They experience a number of obstacles:

• Social exclusion and difficulties in finding new networks in the countryside.
• Hierarchies and traditional structures within associations that make it difficult for young people to be heard and have influence.
• Lack of access to premises and resources for young people in the countryside. 

Young vitality in collaboration works to solve these problems – we build bridges between young people's ideas and enabling associations in the island's countryside!

What we do concretely

Within the project, we primarily work on:

• Creating meetings between young people and associations where both can listen and learn.
• Developing methods and tools to genuinely include young people.
• Strengthening young people's ability to organize themselves – either alone or together with adults.
• Developing a collaboration model that continues after the project.