About project

The INFLUENCE project establishes and pilots year-long regional sustainability influencer academies for young people in Southwest Finland and in the Vidzeme region of Latvia.

The objective of the project is to promote youth civic activity and meaningful participation in sustainability-focused planning processes, and to develop and pilot a replicable model for engaging young people in regional development in Southwest Finland and the Vidzeme region. Young people aged 18–25 who participate in the academies will gain insights into decision-making structures and various forms of civic engagement. They will have the opportunity to contribute to the development of their own region: in Southwest Finland, to the implementation of the climate roadmap, and in Vidzeme, to the updating of the regional development program from a sustainability perspective.

The academy includes lectures, excursions, panel discussions, workshops, and interviews that deepen participants’ understanding of sustainability, as well as several workshops in which young people take part in the implementation plans of the climate roadmap in Southwest Finland and the regional development program in the Vidzeme region. In addition, young participants from different countries will have the opportunity to share their experiences with one another.

The academy’s diverse content and multiple perspectives help young people identify the forms of engagement that suit them best. The goal of the academy is to encourage young people to engage in societal participation in the future, while also helping municipalities and regions better take young people’s voices into account in their processes. A replicable operating model, along with guidelines for implementing the academy, will be developed so that it can be applied in other regions as well.

Activities

1. The academy curriculum and selection process will be developed, mentors recruited, and participants selected (15–25 young people per country). In collaboration with educational institutions and other stakeholders, youth motivation and engagement will be fostered.
2. Participants will take part in lectures, panel discussions, excursions and workshops on regional development and climate issues, and will gain an understanding of decision-making processes. Future visioning skills will also be developed, and cross-border peer learning encouraged.
3. Participants will develop concrete proposals for regional development programmes (such as the Vidzeme Regional Development Programme), and will contribute to planning the implementation of these proposals together with regional developers and decision-makers. The process will conclude with an international experience-exchange event.
4. As a result of the project, a replicable and adaptable operational model for the Regional Sustainability Influencer Academy will be developed for use by other regions. The model will be disseminated through events, communication materials and experience sharing.

Results

1. The Regional Sustainability Influencer Academy model has been established and implemented in two regions.
2. Participants have gained an in-depth understanding of regional challenges and participation opportunities.
3. Youth proposals for regional development have been developed and an implementation plan prepared in collaboration with decision-makers.
4. An adaptable academy operational model has been prepared and disseminated, available in English, Latvian and Finnish.