Young in Sjuhärad

We met young people where they were – at schools, after-school centers and local events – and created partnerships with municipalities, associations and organizations. Through the Summer Influencer concept, young people were given the opportunity to share their view of rural life on social media. The interest was enormous – 61 young people applied for eight places – and the initiative also received attention in the national media.

We also produced two film series with a total of 14 films that have been viewed over 120,000 times. The films serve as both inspiration and a time capsule of young people's engagement. We started the podcast You don't have to drag, where young people themselves led the conversations, and we arranged our own events with everything from lectures on fake news to workshops in creative content creation.

An important part of the project was the umbrella Generation D – Checken, where young people could seek support for their own ideas. Here they received support from us but also the opportunity to make decisions themselves through the Committee, a group of ten committed young people between the ages of 16 and 21. Together, we have coached 26 youth groups to realize their project ideas.

Results and effects

Through the project, we have shown that young people not only have drive and dreams, but can also take responsibility and have a real impact. We have seen how self-esteem grows when young people are given tools and confidence. Associations and actors in Sjuhärad have received new ideas and more young people are now involved in local development work.

The project also received wide coverage in the media and social channels, which strengthened the image of young people as a force for the countryside. Our work lives on through the follow-up project Generation D, which builds on the networks, experiences and results we created together.

Excerpt from the final report:

”We didn’t just want to talk about youth participation – we wanted to give them real tools and space to have an impact. The result was a movement of young people who dare to both dream and act.”

The board's decision justification

The project is important to support, encourage and take advantage of young people's ideas and creativity. Leader Sjuhärad's purpose is to work for a sustainable, vibrant and democratic countryside with young people's commitment and the feeling of being able to influence their local community. This can strengthen young people's participation, collaboration and entrepreneurship in the area.