A fantastic start to 2024 with several new projects
On Thursday, February 22, the board of Leader Idériket Umeåregionen approved a total of 6 new projects and 1 pre-study. These will enrich the rural areas of the Umeå region in various ways and create more attractive, sustainable, and inspiring places locally, regionally, nationally, and transnationally!
With a budget of approximately SEK 28 million between 2023 - 2027, the rural areas of the Umeå region will be developed innovatively with projects that are permeated with sustainability, inclusion, new thinking and smart solutions.
The projects that were approved on February 22 by the board must, before the final start notice, also go through processing by the Swedish Board of Agriculture before it is completely green light to begin.
The 6 projects and the pre-study that were approved are as follows:
Old farms and cultural heritage – Vindelns Hembygdsförening
The project means that Vindelns Hembygdsförening, in collaboration with Vindelns Folkhögskola, Västerbottens museum, and Skellefteå museum, will collect and convey knowledge about materials and techniques for restoration, care, and maintenance of culturally valuable buildings in the countryside. The main part of the project's activities consists of short courses, seminars, and workshops around various themes with a focus on building preservation. The target group for the educational activities is primarily owners of old houses; both private individuals and local heritage associations, foundations, and other organizations that own old cultural buildings.
HörneFORCE – KFUM Umeå
In collaboration with the non-profit and public sectors, KFUM Umeå is seeking support to establish an openly accessible activity park with social areas that develop Hörnefors' recreational area into a meeting place that engages young people in physical movement and builds social interaction. This project is the second step in the vision to create Norrland's first certified Pep-park in the long term, which will inspire children, youth, and adults to play, move, and engage in everyday exercise and a sustainable life regardless of ability and previous experience. The project is Stage 2, which includes the construction of a skate area and social gathering places.
The Senses' Industrial Museum – Olofsfors Bruksmuseum
This project aims to develop the museum itself towards the target group of children and youth, primarily elementary school students. The project will, together with the schools in Nordmaling and Olofsfors AB, develop the industrial museum with a sensory room where elementary school students can experience the cultural-historical industrial environment and the community surrounding the mill by reading and listening, seeing and touching, feeling and squeezing – experiencing the history of the mill through all senses and making the history of the mill accessible with the municipality's elementary school students in focus.
Jamma Generation – Robertsfors municipality
Jamma Generation wants to give young people and seniors the opportunity to meet on equal terms in a project where the commonality, music, is more important than the difference in ages. Enabling lifelong learning. Through band formations, build collaborations and relationships among young and senior music lovers in Robertsfors municipality. The project will promote meetings between different cultures, show that we are all equal in front of music, and that each person's unique experience is an asset in the creative process. Through the project, enable a gathering place where music is in focus.
Smart transition of rural areas (SOL) – Interest Association Sustainable Development Stöckebygden
The project aims to help the community become more climate-smart and create motivated, resilient, and action-oriented individuals who are involved in a sustainable transition. And to succeed in this, the project will contribute with inspiration and new knowledge, innovative solutions for sharing, repairing, and reusing, collaboration between new actors, and the use of new technology. The project has a principle that at least 80% of all used/purchased items should be reused and a maximum of 20% should be newly purchased.
Restoring hemp in agriculture – Emma Vintemon
Through the project, the project owner hopes that demand in the consumer sector will increase for climate-smart, hemp-based products in areas such as the construction industry, clothing, and food. Additionally, there is an ambition to spread knowledge and create interest in hemp cultivation among farmers in the Umeå region, so that joint investments between farmers can be made in processing industry, and arable land can be brought back into use. With sufficient demand, this could create potential income for several farmers.
Preliminary study Vitvattnet under the same roof – Vitvattnet's development group
The preliminary study will provide answers on whether there are real opportunities after the preliminary study to realize the ideas that exist locally, and to manage the project's results. The project idea to be tested is as follows: Create a village community space/meeting place that includes various facilities, such as a community room, kitchen, sewing studio, café, etc. The preliminary study will investigate whether there is a real need and manageability for the ideas the group has about spaces, or if the idea needs to be adjusted.
For contact information for specific project applicants, please contact the operational manager for Leader Idériket Umeåregionen 2030: