Sustainable rural builders

We see a need to have good commercial service and a rich supply of goods and services in the Leader Gästrikebygd area for attractive local communities. In recent years, we have seen a development where more and more small-scale commercial businesses are facing significant challenges. 

The project aims to seek common solutions to this problem.

In the project, we visit a selection of the actors who today offer goods and services that are important for the local population. We conduct interviews and engage in dialogue about the current situation and what needs and opportunities they see for the future's sustainable service and trade. The visits are documented in text and images.

The project will produce short thematic films to highlight the local Rural Builders who offer goods and services that we locally depend on for a functioning everyday life. 

The project will arrange workshops where different actors who want to strengthen the conditions for the supply of goods and services in our rural areas are invited to co-create. Within the project, campaigns will also be developed to strengthen local service and trade. 

The project concludes with an event aimed at highlighting and honoring the local Rural Builders who contribute with the services and products that are important for our rural areas. In connection with the event, various rural builders will be awarded for their efforts.

Lessons and insights from the project will be packaged and disseminated to interested target groups and made available to everyone free of charge on the web. 

From the application

In recent years, we have seen a development where more and more small-scale commercial businesses are facing significant challenges.

The challenges come in many different forms – for example, e-commerce, low prices, inflation, regulations, increased costs, recession, and changed consumption patterns. The challenges jeopardize sustainability – it can be both social, economic, and environmental.

We want to seek common solutions to this problem through this project.