1. Rural Development

2. Background: Studiefrämjandet i Österbotten was constituted 23.8.1996 Sister organization to Svenska Studiecentralen, long ancestry as a collector of the third sector before 1996. Educational activity through study circles and so on. Fusion between Studiefrämjandet i Österbotten (Leader) and Svenska Österbottens Byar 2009 (villages support unit), early discussions 2007-2008, Aktion Österbotten r.f. was constituted 1.1.2009. FLAG programme approved 2008 (KAG), the first group in Finland to start up the FLAG activity. Aktion Österbotten r.f. is unique in Finland, no other group has collected all these activities under one same roof, 3 legs (Leader, FLAG and Villages), running the 3 EU programperiod, designing the 4.

3. Aktion Ostrobothnia The society Aktion is a union of organisations, municipalities and private persons in the Swedishspeaking areas of Ostrobotnia. The last years we have specialized in rural development. The aims The aim is to develop ourselves to a dynamo for local development in societies and organisations in the Swedishspeaking Ostrobotnia. A part of this is to realize the LEADER programme of the Swedishspeking Ostrobotnia. The aim is also to activate new active members of the developing work of the Aktion and also to develop collaboration with the municipalities and the region authorities in our area. Furthermore we develop the collaboration with the other LAG-groups in Finland especially in the Swedishspeaking areas.

4. Our activity area (Leader, FLAG, Villages) • - Situated on the west coast • - 250 kilometres of coast line • - 14 municipalities (16 in the beginning), today Vöyri (earlier Vöyri, Maksamaa and Oravainen) • - 3 offices, main office in Vasa, sideoffices in Närpiö and Pedersöre • Inhabitants ~ 100.000 • - The core of Vaasa and Karleby are excluded

5. Aktion Österbotten r.f. in numbers • Staff 8 persons (Executive director, coordinator, clerk, 3 Leader supervisors, informant, coordinator of international affairs, projectmanager for FLAG) • Board consists of 11 members and 11 substitutes • - FLAG own task force, 6 members and 6 substitutes • Villages own task force, 6 members • All matters goes through the board • Support legs: Leader, FLAG, Villages, International project, Informant project, 4 umbrella projects (projects that couldn´t be founded otherwise with Leader) and other activity (activity that can´t be founded through other programmes)

6. Strenghts in Ostrobothnia: • Very good cooperation between all the actors in Ostrobothnia, The regional council of Ostrobothnia, ELY-centre, municipalities, industrycompanies (4), associations, federations and grassrooth actors • Lots of people who wants to affect and develop their own situation, very active people • Everybody works together to make a better tomorrow • Participation, MYR (The Regional Council of Ostrobothnia) • Supprting each other • Municipalities bounded through agreements to finance the Leader and FLAG programmes

7. The vision until 2013 Vital villages with wide supply of service and creative young entrepreneurs Vital villages Scenery, nature and culture will create good opportunities for living, activities and livelihood Enterprising in Ostrobothnia A widen base of business that produces services and adventures suited to the local needs Competent villages Learning where the participants themselves ennoble knowledge and get inspiring guidance

8. Leader in figures (56 LAGs in Finland): • 2007-2013 Aktion applyed for almost 9 million euros • Received 6,8 million euros • Applyed for 2 million euros more 2010, received ~ 1 million • Applyed for 2,5 million euros more 2012, waiting for the decision (very high activity for the moment, innovative and good projects coming in all the time) • Aktion has received ~ 250 Leader project so far during this period • ~160 financed, 44 retaken, 29 rejected, the rest not considered • 2 international projects and several international pre studies

9. FLAG programme in figures (8 FLAG groups in Finland): • On yearly basis ~ 230.00 euros in project money • ~40 financed projects • Principle decision that maximum money for development projects are 30.000 euros, investments maximum 3.000 euros • Projects that are very innovative! For example fishtanning, new exclusive products • In focus young people and women, focus on cultural heritage and knowledge development • Diversification, ”not commonly used fish”, new methods, a new way of thinking, to get a sustainable development

10. Villages • Financed with state money • Support unit for all the villages in Ostrobothnia, working with the grassrooths, helping them, supporting them, influencing with bottom up, guarding the villages needs, giving information from the ministry • Helping the villages with the infrastructure, activating villages, supporting the inhabitants in the villages, to find new ways of thinking • Support villages (associations) with homepages • Different activities during the year • Nominating and appointing to different titles during the year • Making a calender on yearly basis for the villages

11. More information at www.aktion.fi