Vitality of Leader activities – a shared challenge

To ensure the vitality of the LAGs’ work, it is necessary to take a critical look from time to time at the relationship between the Leader method and implementation practices. A critical examination can help to ensure that the operating method does not get stuck in a rut.

What are the core issues in Leader activities? What types of Leader-based rural development activities would we like to see in the future? The success factors behind the vitality of Leader LAG work can be assessed through critical analyses.

Developing the Leader method

The Leader method is undergoing constant development, with various collaborating on development initiatives:

  • The LAG working group involves representatives from various ministries, regional authorities, local LAGs and selected stakeholders.
  • The Village Action Association of Finland promotes locally oriented development, and acts as the national cooperation coordinator for rural development organisations and villages.
  • The Rural Network Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry plays an active role in coordinating and ensuring commitment to the national Rural Network.

In addition to continuous development, a specific Leader method development process was launched in Finland for the period 2009-2010, with the aim of producing proposals for improvements in LAG work and the Leader method. The resultant information and proposals will be utilised in the planning and implementation of the next programme period (starting in 2014). The proposals will concern both system-level guidance and the management of local programme development and project activities.

This working process involves some 800-1,000 people from action groups and government bodies. The process is being led by the development organisations of Helsinki and Oulu Universities – the Ruralia Institute and the Lönnrot Institute – as well as an institute specialising in social media, Otava Folk High School.

The objectives of the development process are:

  • to increase systematic dialogue on development and interaction between LAGs
  • to identify the problems and development challenges related to LAGs’ work
  • to find and propose solutions to these challenges
  • to support the planning of Leader activities for the next programme period (2014-).

The process will be implemented through national and regional seminars and on-line discussions, with systematic steering conducted with the help of a shared on-line forum and related tools.

Website dedicated to Leader method development: www.leadermetodi.fi (in Finnish)