The population is ageing, young people are moving away, and shops are closing – how can this trend be halted in villages and local communities?
Kleve/Kamp-Lintfort, 23 March 2016: Many small villages, hamlets and communities are the first to feel the effects of demographic change: as the population ages, communities are shrinking, shops are closing and cultural activities are dwindling – villages are losing their vibrancy and quality of life. Many young people are seeking their future in the cities. It is difficult to find skilled workers to ensure that local services are maintained. How can this trend be halted? And what role can the residents themselves play in this? The German-Dutch cooperation project ‘Krachtige Kernen/Starke Dörfer’ (KRAKE) is addressing this issue.
Staff from Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences (HSRW), Arnhem and Nijmegen University of Applied Sciences (HAN), Münster University of Applied Sciences, various service providers and local authorities, the Münster Chamber of Skilled Trades and the Borken District Skilled Trades Association will, as part of this project, be implementing a wide range of tried-and-tested solutions from both academic and practical spheres directly on the ground over the next three years. Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences is delighted to be able to build on its award-winning ‘Smart Villages’ project. Over 3.7 million euros has been allocated to the KRAKE project as a whole.
Around 40 German and Dutch villages have already confirmed their participation. Together with them, staff from academia and the professional sector will develop initiatives designed to remain sustainable in the future. By involving residents, associations and local initiatives, the aim is, above all, to foster the capacity for self-management. All activities are grouped into a total of six thematic areas, the ‘Communities’: in the four Communities supported by HSRW and HAN, the ‘Care Community’, for example, focuses on community-led care concepts; the ‘Housing Community’ deals with the use of vacant buildings; the ‘Family Community’ focuses on child-friendly services for young families; and the ‘DNA Community’ addresses the issues that define a village community and explores additional activities that could be developed to suit local residents.
“Based on our work over the last three years, we know that very similar problems exist on both sides of the border,” says the project leader for the Care and DNA Communities, Prof. Dr Klaus Hegemann from Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences, “but what is truly interesting about this project is that German and Dutch village communities often tackle these challenges in very different ways, not least because of differing contextual conditions. This is precisely where the great opportunity lies to learn from one another – to jointly develop new, individual avenues for development.” In the ‘Family Community’ sub-project, village social spaces are being strengthened as child-friendly communities and attractive living environments for children and their families. The participation of children and young people is just as important as the further development of family-friendly infrastructure. The focus is therefore on the local residents, as they are the true experts when it comes to finding solutions tailored to their own needs.
Two of these communities are also active in the Münsterland region: in the ‘Healthy Lifestyle Community’, German and Dutch nutrition experts aim to inspire residents to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
In the ‘Service Community’, Münster University of Applied Sciences, the Münster Chamber of Skilled Trades, the Borken District Skilled Trades Association and HAN are establishing partnerships between local businesses and volunteers to safeguard the local supply chain.
