The village of Simskäla is located on a small island in a beautiful but remote part of the Åland archipelago. Simskäla’s 35 year-round residents include entrepreneur Mikael Lindholm, who also chairs Åland’s first Leader Local Action Group (LAG).

Simskäla lies almost 60 km way from Åland’s only town, Mariehamn, and the journey involves taking two cable ferries and crossing several bridges and causeways. But Mikael Lindholm and his wife Lena still believe in a future for this part of the archipelago. They have converted an old homestead into an inn, with guest rooms and a restaurant, but like many of the islanders they are truly jacks-of-all-trades. Mikael also has a cruise boat and runs tailored fishing and sightseeing excursions, while Lena also looks after farm work.

Mikael is very interested in rural development issues, as someone who is active in various non-profit organisations and in municipal politics. Thanks to the Leader approach, he sees great prospects for his own village and the Åland archipelago as a whole.

With support from the EU, Åland Leader has funding totaling 3 million euros to distribute among various initiatives and projects by 2013.

Ideas on the table

Even though it is too early to tell what will be achieved in Åland, Mikael has a lot of ideas for his own village. “We could organise a course in traditional construction techniques, for instance, and then build some new wooden houses out on Väderskär, which would then become an even more attractive tourist destination,” he explains.

The tiny outlying island of Väderskär was home to a fishing family with several children in the 1800s. Local author Anni Blomqvist described the lives of a fishing family living on Väderskär (under the name Stormy Island) in a series of popular novels featuring fisherman Janne and his wife Maja.

Lindholm has plenty more ideas in store – the renovation of an old steamboat pier, the construction of a dance pavilion, beach clean-ups, and new signs to inform visitors. “There is already a great deal of interest, and I think it will grow even more once things are up and running and people see what they can do through Leader,” he says.

Active rural communities

Roger Silfver, a Leader co-ordinator in the Government of Åland, would prefer funding to come in a trickle rather than a flood, enabling many smaller initiatives rather than a handful of big projects.

The Leader approach provides support and funding for initiatives at grassroots level and specific projects designed to activate local residents. Local people are not always required to pay up front with their own money, and the value of various kinds of voluntary and non-profit work is considered equivalent to cash contributions.

“Åland has active rural communities and depopulation is not tangible – at least not in areas with permanent road connections,” says Silfver. “New houses are being built in many villages, and rural municipalities are investing heavily in schools and daycare.”

In Åland distances are short, making it easy to live out in the country and commute to work in Mariehamn. But it is not only housing, work and functional social services that enrich rural life. A sense of community is also vital.

“People are the real driving forces in villages. If they are active and work on projects together, great things can be achieved, thus attracting more people to rural areas, whether to live or visit,” explains Silfver.

Åland in numbers

- The Åland Islands are an autonomous province of Finland with a population of nearly 27,000.

- Åland’s Parliament passes its own legislation in areas including commerce, education and health care.

- All administration and education is conducted in Swedish.

- Shipping dominates the commercial sector, accounting for some 40% of Åland’s income. Major shipping companies include Viking Line are based in Åland. Many companies specialise in providing services for shipping.

- Åland has many small and medium sized enterprises, but few large industrial companies. About 30% of the workforce is employed in health care, education and public administration.

- Just over 4% of the workforce works in agriculture and forestry. Åland’s farmers mainly produce crops such as apples, onions and potatoes.

- The beautiful Åland archipelago attracts many visitors keen on nature and outdoor activities. Tourism is a major industry, with almost 500,000 overnight stays registered every year.