The project will consider three themes connected to rural development; lack of economic development and innovations, negative or insufficient exposure of regions and downsizing in level of services and amenities.
Using a co-operative approach the project partners will work together on a number of pilot initiatives to consider these issues in a transnational setting. The end result of the project will be a Rural Power Pack, which will be disseminated and communicated at an EU level. The project will be supported by a scientific support group.
Duration
01/01/2009 - 30/06/2013
Priority
4 - Promoting Sustainable and Competitive Communities
Aim The major aim is to make a valuable contribution to the socio-economical improvement of rural areas and the revitalisation and fortification of communities in decline in the NSR: putting rural development to work for jobs, growth and sustainability.
A key deliverable and added value of Vital is that the pilot results will be converted to one transnational, transferable working method/standard to develop new projects on rural development, about other subjects, in other regions and in other periods. On the basis of a dissemination marketing strategy this project development tool will be promoted by an implementation team to other regions in Europe27.
Background Since the reform of the EU Common Agricultural Policy in 2003/2004, rural development is playing an increasingly important role in helping rural areas to meet the economic, social and environmental challenges of the 21st century. The EU member states are encouraged to work towards a more sustainable rural development - in line with the Goteborg Strategy -, to boost growth and create jobs in rural areas, in line with the Lisbon Strategy.
The Vital partners encounter in their regions more or less mutually comparable socio-economical problems as regards growth, jobs and sustainability, which can be summarized in 3 themes:
lack of economic development & innovation,
negative or insufficient exposure of their region,
downswing in the level of services and amenities.
However, local and regional authorities are too small to solve these challenges. Acting on their own and with too limited resources they can only present partial solutions.
To break through this deadlock, Vital develops and disseminates in transnational co-operation a transferable general working standard to set up (future) sustainable projects on rural development: the Rural Power Pack (RPP). This pack will be developed, implemented and tested on the basis of the experiences and tangible results of three dynamically interconnected trails of intervention:
empowering SMEs for a better economic climate,
branding the qualities of the region to improve the overall perception,
optimizing the level and quality of (social and health) services.
RPP integrates the co-operative agreement approach (CAA) for public private partnership - cross-sectoral, top-down and bottom up - as the common standard for (international) co-operation. In the CAA the different stakeholders draw up agreements with targets/conditions how to work together to reach the joint formulated goals within an agreed-upon time period.
Expected Outcomes
Optimized social services and local facilities in peripheral areas, transferable working method on how to optimized social services;
Empowered SMEs in rural areas and a transferable working method on how to empower SMEs;
Branding of the region (incl. design, testing, communication and implementation of brand);
Transnational method on how to brand a region.
October 2010 - March 2011
In October 2010, politicians, policymakers, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders from the North Sea Region discussed the future of the involved regions concerning innovation and involvement at a transnational Policy Forum.
Preparations for the compilation of the Rural Power Pack (RPP) based on project results have started. The RPP will be developed on the basis of a multi-layer analysis, including the experiences of pilot activities.
Further pilot activities were carried out in the partner regions. For example, the Dutch partners developed a socio-economic "master plan", which defines the regional agenda for the coming years and is an instrument to realise the goals of the Vital project. In Vejen, DK, knowledge about equipment for video conferencing and tele-presence is being developed and tested as a way forward to innovate processes in rural areas.
April - September 2010
Project partners continued to develop and implement pilot projects regarding empowering SMEs, regional branding and optimizing services. Two partners jointly developed innovative courses and trainings modules on renewable energy (solar heating, earth warmth and wind energy) for the employees of SMEs: The produced course is now being tested and improved in close cooperation with SMEs educational institutes and sector organisations.
All project partners are working with a 9-steps plan in regional branding. As a result of this, partners developed various activities to further create a positive image of their region towards inhabitants, tourists and entrepreneurs. Carrying out an impact measurement of recent branding activities showed a 36% increase of the brand familiarity in one partner region.
The scientific group that was installed previously continues to ensure that the project activities are in line with current scientific views and opinions.
October 2009 - March 2010
In the period September 2009 to March 2010, project partners started to develop and implement pilot projects in relation to empowering SMEs, branding of the region and optimizing services.
This includes for example the development of a course on renewable energy and setting up the pilot activities learn and work and learn and innovate using the triple helix (authorities, private companies, knowledge institutes) as the central model.
The participating regions are developing and promoting regional brands. In connection to optimizing services, activities such as the virtual service desk and the pilot Smart Rural Network Society have been initiated.
A scientific group has been installed that meets on a regular basis to monitor project activities and to develop common frameworks.
April - September 2009
The Vital Rural Area starting phase has successfully been completed: The project organised its first International Political Forum on Regional Development in September 2009 and the Scientific Support and Monitoring Group with scientists from UK, NL and DK has been installed.
In the work packages, the first activities have been completed, which included the fine tuning of the needs and potentials of SMEs and the key qualities and potentials of a region for branding as well as the fine tuning of the needs and preferences of the local population with regards to social services and facilities.
The project partners are now working to set-up their pilot activities in each of the three content-related work packages. As one example, to enable SMEs to fortify their skills, partners are in close co-operation developing new courses for employees and students on solar energy, earth warmth and wind energy. They also plan an international exchange of students and teachers.
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