Vital Rural AreaisaEuropeanco-operationproject(2009-2014),comprising13projectpartnersfromsixNorthSeacountries,focusedonthestrengtheningofruralareas.ThecentralpartoftheprojectisformedbytheRural Power Pack,ageneralworkingmethodforsustainableregionaldevelopmentcreatedwithalargenumberofbestpracticepilotcasestudies.ThisRural Power PackprovidesaninteractivetoolboxtobeappliedinotherregionsthroughouttheEU27.

The main goal of the Vital Rural Area project is to developtransnational strategies to strengthen regional rural areasby finding new and innovative solutions to three main socio-economicalproblems,encounteredinmostruralareas:lackofeconomicdevelopmentandinnovation,negativeorinsufficientregionalpromotionanddownsizingoftheleveloraccessibilityofservicesandamenities.Theseproblemswereconvertedintothreemainchallenges:1. TheempowermentofSMEstowardsneweconomic

prospectsandinnovations2. brandingofregionsforprofessionalmarketing3. optimisingservices,formoreandbetteraccessibleservices

andamenities

Vital Rural Area’s 43 projects focused on one of these threemainissues,andcoveredoneormoreoftheseseventhemes:

Dr. Peter Laan, Project manager Vital Rural Area is anexperiencedprojectmanagerandruralexpert,whohasbeenworking with EU-programming including LEADER for more than20years.InVitalRuralArea,Peter-togetherwiththepartnership-developedtheRuralPowerPackanditsmethodologyandisresponsibleforthedisseminationoftheproject.Peter.laan@faro-advies.nl;+31642288961

Theprojectsevolved intobestpracticepilotcasestudies thathavebeendiscussedandimprovedandsometimestestedandimplementedinotherVitalregions.

The Co-operative Agreement Approach was used as anorganisation and process instrument that ensured thesustainableimplementationofprojectresults.

Developed alongside the delivery of ‘best practice’ projectresults, the Rural Power Pack is an integral and generalworkingmethod,thatcanbeappliedinmanysituationswherecommonly encountered problems or challenges are faced. Itconsistsofaproblemsolvingmethodologyincludingpracticaltoolsandinstruments.

THE RURAL POWER PACK

In Belgium our partners are Streekplatform+ Meetjesland,ProvinceofWest-FlandersandIntercommunaleLeiedal.Theyspecialized inrural issuesrelatedtobrandingandprofilingof the region (Meetjesland and Province West-Flanders),broadband applications in health and services and in Goodgovernanceandcommunitybuilding(Leiedal).

DISSEMINATION OF PROJECT RESULTS AND PARTNER SEARCH Our project results and experiences are now beingdisseminatedthroughoutotherregionsandEU-countries.Wearesearchingfornewregionalpartnerswhocancontributetheir experiences and ideas to improve our knowledge onspecificsubjectsandtheRural Power Pack.Tofacilitatethisprocesswehaveintroduced‘country pages’onourwebsite,maintained by the partners. A Virtual Meeting Room,containing a Skype conference facility, a live stream forconnecting partners and a social media corner, facilitatingwebinarsandmasterclassesisnowunderconstruction.

UPCOMING WEBINARSUpcomingwebinarsusingtheVirtualMeetingRoomwillbelaunchedinearly2014andfocusonthefollowing:

1. The Innovation House concept introducing newpartners working on stimulating and connecting youngentrepreneurs

(SimonSimonsen,scs@vejenkom.dk)2. Good governance practices. Derived from the projects

already delivered in Vital (“Ugly spots”, “Leaner citizenservice”and“Stronggovernanceinastrongregion”,wearesearching fornewpartners toshare ideasongoodgovernancepractices,communitybuildingandprofilingtheregion

(FilipMeuris,filip.meuris@leiedal.be/PeterVerheecke,peter.verheecke@west-vlaanderen.be)

3. Broadband implementation and applications. InseveralVital regions there is a vast experience on broadbandimplementation. We are now investigating futureperspectives on optimal use of the broadband facility(services,care,education,entrepreneurship)

(FilipMeuris,filip.meuris@leiedal.be)).

Weinviteyoutojoinusintheseactivities.Donothesitatetocontactoneofustoshareyourknowledge

PROJECT MANAGER VITAL RURAL AREA

EDUCATION BROADBAND & DIGITAL SERVICES

SME EMPOWERMENT

GOOD GOVERNANCE

COMMUNITYBUILDING

WELLBEING & LIFESTYLE

PROFILING & BRANDING

LOCAL/REGIONAL APPROACH

BEST PRACTICE PROJECTS

- Lessons learned / experiences- Applicabillity check- Sustainability check- Extension Of Knowledge By Exchange

THEMES AND CONTENTS

WORK PACKAGES1. SME EMPOWERMENT2. BRANDING3. SERVICES

THEMESEducationBroadband & Digital ServicesSme EmpowermentGood GovernanceCommunity BuildingWellbeing & lifestyleProfi le & Branding

METHODOLOGY

COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT APPROACH

KEY PROJECTS

1. PROBLEM ANALYSIS2. PROPOSED SOLUTIONS3. EXECUTION OF PROJECT4. EXPERIENCES / RESULTS

1. PROBLEMS/CHALLENGES2. SOLUTIONS3. BARRIERS4. TOOLS

PRESENTATION

www.vitalruralarea.eu

INTERREG IV-B PROJECT VITAL RURAL AREA

INTERREG IV-B PROJECT VITAL RURAL AREA

www.vitalruralarea.eu

INSPIRING EXAMPLES LOOKING FOR NEW PARTNERS AND CONNECTION TO OTHER RURAL WORKERS

1. THE INNOVATION HOUSE http://vitalruralarea.eu/sme-empowerment/24-sme-empowerment-and-enterpreneurship/55-37innovation-house

2. GOOD GOVERNANCE PRACTICES http://vitalruralarea.eu/good-governance/25-good-governance/90-strong-governance-in-a-strong-region

3. BROADBAND-APPLICATIONS http://vitalruralarea.eu/broadband-digital-services/23-broadband-and-digital-services/138-20broadband-and-digital-services

Rural Power Pack methodology

PROBLEMS/CHALLENGES Lackofjobs,education,ambitionandpower

SOLUTIONS Aconcept/placetosupportSMEsandentrepreneurs

BARRIERS Cultureandhabits,politicsandtiming Moneyforinvestment

TOOLS SWOTanalysisforpreparation CasestudiesfromotherInnovationHouses

Rural Power Pack methodology

PROBLEMS/CHALLENGES Lackofpower

SOLUTIONS Reorganisingcooperativenetworkwithinaregion

BARRIERS Regulations,politics,ownership,history

TOOLS http://vitalruralarea.eu/files/documents/Handbook%20of%20Multilevel%20Urban%20Governance%20in%20Europe.pdf

http://vitalruralarea.eu/files/documents/Strong%20Government%20Strong%20Region%20-%20Approaches%20and%20Results.pdf

Rural Power Pack methodology

PROBLEMS/CHALLENGES Lackofinfrastructure,services,education

SOLUTIONS Fibrenetwork(FTTH)toeverybody Digitalservices,trainingprogrammes

BARRIERS Politics,regulations,(changeof)cultureandhabits Money(missingbroadbandinvestment)

TOOLS EU’s‘GuidetoBroadbandinvestment’ Business-casetool

The main objective of the Innovation House concept is for it to bean incubator to stimulate and support SME empowerment and entrepreneurship. The general idea is to gather different SMEs andentrepreneursininspiringsurroundings,collaboratingwithasupportingandinspiringstaff.Enterprisesinthehousewillhaveadistinctsenseofcommunityandmustbewilling toestablish linkswitheachother,butenterprisesoutsidearewelcometousetheservicesaswell.

The InnovationHousecannotexactlybecopied fromoneplaceoronecountrytoanother,butanumberofkeyelementscanbeidentifiedand

Good governance is the act of building relationships and interactionsbetween government, citizens, business and voluntary sector. In aglobalisedandfragmentedworld,goodgovernancebuildsaframeworktoensurequalityof lifeandsustainablegrowth in the region. It is theresponsibilityoflocalgovernmenttouniteallsectorsandallplayerstowork together. In doing so, the government should reach out to otherorganisations.

Goodgovernanceaddstothequalityofaregioninmanyways.Itresultsin:

Sincedistanceisalwaysakeyissueinruralareas,lackoffastbroadbandconnection is considered to be a major challenge for future growth,development and settlement in rural areas. Networks based on fibretechnology are therefore supposed to be a necessity to keep up lifequalityandcompanyperspectivesinthenearfuture.

TheVitalprojectperformed inVejenhasbecomea leadingexampleofbroadband application in Denmark and is mentioned as an exampleofbestpracticeby theEU-Commission.Next to that,otherbroadband

combinedinalocalsetting.Oneelementisahousewithdifferentsizedoffices,meetingfacilitiesandonemeetingroomequippedwithsupportforidea-generationandcreativity.

The original concept, developed in Vejen Kommun, was introducedand implemented in the Vital region of Lauwersland (Friesland, theNetherlands) and in Rogaland (Norway) in 2012 and 2013 and we arenowsearchingfornewpartnerswhohaveexperienceinthisfieldandarewillingtosharethiswithus.

- greatereffectiveness- unifyingeffortsinovercomingsectoraldivisions- equalaccesstogoodservice-delivery- allowing citizens to take part in community life - on equal terms

(democracy)- solvinglackoftransparency,coordinationandresponsibilitydivision.

We are now searching for new partners that have developed goodpractices in this field and are willing to share their experiences andknowledgewithus.

projectsbyVitalRuralAreapartnershavebeeninspiredbyexperiencefromtheDanishproject,andintheVitalRuralAreaproject,broadbandand ICT-applications have been the basis for many different pilotactivities.Theactualchallengeistodevelopandimplementnewapplicationsforfastbroadbandinservices,careissues,andeducation.Thetimeisripetocapitaliseonthefacilitiesthatcanbenefitfromfastbroadband,resultinginsavingmoneyforlongerperiodsandthereforeopeningopportunitiestomaintainanddevelopqualityandaccessibilityofbasicservices.