New roadmap for Norrbotten's future
What will it be like to live, reside and work in Norrbotten in the future? Where are we going, and how do we best get where we want to be? These are big and important questions that we will be asking the people of Norrbotten in 2024. The regional development strategy will be updated – and you are invited to be part of it.
The wheels of development are turning fast in Norrbotten. Our society is changing at a rapid pace, here and now. But in 2024 it is time to look up and shift focus from the present to the future – more specifically to 2040. Together we will adjust the course for our county.
– Where should Norrbotten be in the long term? How should we tackle our common societal challenges? And how should we work together to get where we want to be? These are questions that the regional development strategy (RUS) will answer, says Tove Cullhed, Region Norrbotten, who will lead the process.
Provides guidance
The regional development strategy forms the basis for decisions on what the Norrbotten Region should invest its regional development funds in. It provides guidance on what kinds of projects we should implement and where we should focus our efforts.
Developing a regional development strategy is part of the mandate that the regions have received from the state. It is linked to the Agenda 2030 sustainability goals, to the work of developing the EU's regions and to national goals.
– The strategy is a document for all actors who want to develop Norrbotten together. Only together can we manage to achieve the goals, says Tove Cullhed.
Tove Cullhed is now working on her third RUS process.
The RUS should be updated at least once between each election. The most recent one came into effect in 2019 and aimed at the year 2030. Since then, a lot has happened in Norrbotten and in our surrounding world. It is time to update the strategy according to the new conditions. When it is ready, it should contain a vision, goals and priorities.
Process leader Tove Cullhed has been involved before. She has been involved in developing the two most recent regional development strategies, first at the County Administrative Board and then at the Norrbotten Region. Now a work is beginning that will last until the end of 2025.
Hold a workshop with the neighbors
Starting in February, the wishes and views of the people of Norrbotten will be collected in several different ways. Dialogue meetings and workshops will be arranged throughout the county. Municipalities, associations, businesses, authorities, universities, the public sector and private individuals can participate. A filmed tutorial on Youtube will also make it possible for anyone to hold a workshop with colleagues, neighbors, friends or their association - anywhere. There will also be the opportunity to submit input in free text, where an AI will analyze the contributions and find the larger patterns.
– This is the entire county's strategy. We really want to emphasize the importance of co-creation. It is a conscious effort to achieve greater participation. This time we are particularly focusing on involving young people and national minorities and indigenous peoples. We hope that many people want to be involved in creating Norrbotten's direction forward, but also be involved in making the visions a reality, says Tove Cullhed.
The collection will last most of 2024. Then the major work of compiling the material into a proposed strategy will begin. It will be sent out for consultation in 2025. Finally, it will be voted on by the Regional Council, according to the schedule at the end of 2025.
Something new this year is that the RUS will also contain action plans that will facilitate development work. They will provide support for the Norrbotten Region, but also for municipalities and other actors involved in developing the county.
Some of the employees in the region working on the development of a new regional development strategy: from left Greta Isaksson, corporate strategist, Roger Ylinenpää, rural area strategist, broadband and project support, Per Erik Andersson, process manager EU programs, Tove Cullhed, process manager regional development strategy, Carl Rova, strategist international affairs, Carolina Lundmark Weinz, project manager Arctic Design Center, Ludvig Sjödin, acting operations manager Resource Center for Art, and Ulrika Nilsson, infrastructure strategist.
Facts
The new regional development strategy focuses on four main areas
- Good opportunities for culture, housing, work and welfare
- Well-functioning skills supply and skills development
- Innovation, renewal, entrepreneurship and business
- Good accessibility through digital communication and transport systems
The dialogues begin in Arjeplog on February 28th and continue in Arvidsjaur on February 29th.
Text: Jakob Lind / Yours
Photo: Fredrik Berg / Yours