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Travel Report of the Finnish Innovative Village Study Tour North-East Region, Northern Ireland 3.-7. October 2012
The study tour was the first transnational action of Innovative Village Leader Cooperation Project www.jamk.fi/innovative-village run by JAMK’s School of Business and Services Management. The Finnish study group consisted of partners and village representatives of Central Finland: - Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences JAMK - LAG Viisari, Leader group of Northern Central Finland - LAG JyväsRiihi, Leader group of the rural areas of the capital of Central Finland, City of Jyväskylä. Our host and project partner in Northern Ireland was North East Region Development Partnership NER www.northeastrdp.com. In Dublin our Finnish group was joined by the Estonian partners of Tartumaa Arendusselts, TAS, www.tas.ee.
The trip had several aims. It was our first study tour and as such a start-up of a transnational project. During the trip we had start-up seminars, presentations, discussions and a transnational steering group meeting. Aims of the study trip were - getting to know the Innovative Village project partners - finding good practices in projects and rural development, and - learning about the local services in each partner country.
www.jamk.fi/innovative-village
2 The project started later than planned in September, 2012. However, all partners wanted to realise the first study trip and the start-up seminar in the autumn 2012 as planned. This meant that the study tour was executed in a hurry both in the receiving and in the sending end. In Finland nobody knew everybody in the group as there wasn’t time to organise a common meeting before the trip. In this way it was important for us to learn to know our own group as well as the partners during the trip.
Our Target - Northern Ireland and North-East Region Northern Ireland is part of Great Britain. There are about 1.7 Million inhabitants. Belfast, the capital, has about 600.000 inhabitants in the whole and 280.000 in the city area (compared with Jyväskylä, 132 000 inhabitants). Northern Ireland is divided into 26 districts (equivalent of kunta in Finnish) including cities (kaupunki) and boroughs (kauppala). Every district is governed by a council (valtuusto). North East Region, our host area, consists of five districts: Ballymena, Ballymoney, Colerain, Moyle and Larne. They have about 350,000 inhabitants, of which 95,000 in the rural areas. North East is about 2300km2 (compared with the whole Northern Ireland 13.576km2, Central Finland 19.948km², and Jyväskylä 1.171 km²). The biggest towns are Ballymena, 30.000 inhabitants, and Coleraine, 27.000 inhabitants. The principal businesses in the rural areas are sheep farming in the uplands area, beef and dairy cattle in the lowland areas, and tourism - the Giants Causeway being a World Heritage Centre attracted over 800,000 visitors last year.
North East Rural Development Partnership, NER Leader Action Group NER has been established in 2009 but the area has been part of Leader actions since 1993. The LAG is administered by the five local councils. Main areas of activity are - farm diversification, - supporting small business, - tourism development, - supporting villages and - basic community services
www.jamk.fi/innovative-village
3 Overall budget is £13million (about 15 million Euros). There is a staff of 8 working in one central office. Our host was the Strategy Manager Andrew McAlister Andrew.rdp@ballymena.gov.uk. (in the picture with Pirjo Ikäheimonen, LAG JyväsRiihi).
STYDY TOUR Wed 3.10.2012 Our group met at at Tikkakoski Airport in Jyväskylä at 13.30 and started the journey towards Dublin where we had comfortable accommodation in an airport hotel. In our suitcases we had some introduction material to Central Finland and a load of dark rye breads. After each visit our host got a traditional rye bread baked in Konginkangas village to remind him of us after we left. Thu 4.10.2012 At 9 am we started a joint trip to the north together with the Estonian group. There were 22 of us and 16 of the Estonians so the bus was nearly full. The trip was used to become acquainted with each other and to admire the scenery of the lowlands of the south changing into the highlands of the north.
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On the way we had a Belfast Tour with Tommy Collins, board member of North East Rural Development Partnership (picture). During the bus ride free translations were made both in Estonian and in Finnish. The tour showed us how ‘The Troubles’, the civil war between the Catholics and Protestants, can still be seen in Belfast. We also saw the modern Belfast including the brand new Titanic Belfast museum. 12.30 LEDCOM - Larne Enterprise Development Company Ltd. The manager Ken Nelson explained us how a development agency works in Northern Ireland. 15.30 Accommodation in two B&B’s in a picturesque village called Cushendall. Cushendall is a partnering village of Innovative Village project in Northern Ireland. 16.00 Seminar in Cushendall: Introduction by Andrew McAlister, strategy manager of NER. Introduction of the Finnish IV project by Outi Raatikainen, JAMK. Introduction of the Estonian project partner, Kristiina Liimand, TAS. North Antrim Community Network by Briege Conway, Community development and services in North East region. Rural Cases: Case Cushendall Community tourist hub; Case Kangashäkki in Uurainen by Mia-Riitta Allik; Case Sustainable Village Kaagvere by Madis Masing. Tourism in Northern Ireland by Brian Connolly, Northern Ireland Tourist Board, and Sustainable Rural Tourism in Finland by Petra Blinnikka, JAMK. Young Farmers in Northern Ireland by Melissa Knox and Lauren Mitchell, Broughshane village.
www.jamk.fi/innovative-village
5 Fri 5.10.2012 09.00 Study Tour by bus: - Ardclinis Activity Centre is run by the local tourism entrepreneur Anne Bowen. Ardclinis Activity Centre is an established company but it has new premises and a new area for outdoor activities which we tested (picture).
- Cloughmills Community Association. Patrick Frew & Declan Donnelly, Ballymoney Borough Council, introduced their activities. The association is involved in re-cycling initiatives, food projects and village regeneration. We were excited about their Incredible Edible project “Reconnecting People and Food” where the villagers were given a piece of land and taught sustainable vegetable gardening with the philosophy “We are creating happiness in our village”. The plans reach into preparing food from the own produce, organising courses etc.. - Loughgiel Community Association. Gerard McCloskey introduced us the Loughgiel Millennium Centre with a café, meeting room, sports hall, kindergarden, rental space for local businesses, a wind mill to lower the costs of heating – all run by the community association with the help of grants. Our group was impressed about the whole thing and especially about the way how the private money had been collected in the project: selling building tiles of the centre from door to door, one by one. - In Portglenone we had an interesting introduction and a walking tour around the village lead by Kieran Adams and Norman Worthington. The action group of Portglenone has run and is taking part in big projects including social projects, rental space for entrepreneurs, a new village harbour, playground for children, information panels… Our walking tour led us to visit the harbour, check the new playground and visit the local credit union among others.
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The whole afternoon was spent in a seminar in Wild Duck in Portglenone where P.J. McAvoy, Mayor of Ballymena Borough Council and NER JCC Chair said the welcoming words to us. Seminar: - Role of Councils in Community Development by Rosemary McCormick, Ballymena Council. Rural Development in NI by Theresa Canavan, Rural Development Council. Presentation of Portglenone Community Group: tourism, enterprises, festivals etc. - Credit Unions & Rural Finance by Patsy Mc Shane, Local Credit Union operations by Robin Andrews, Trends in Finnish Finances by Anne Eskola, JAMK. - Tartu Future Village Project by Airi Park, Tartu County Youth Council. Rural Life in Estonia by Maret Prits, Tartu University. Leader work in Central Finland by Hanna Luoma, Viestinn채st채 voimaa project. The dinner was enjoyed in Portglenone. The bus took us home to Cushendall. Sat 6.10.2012 09.00 Study Tour along the Causeway Coastal Route. Bushmills walkabout and meeting with the local group by Arthur Ward and Roy Bolton. Bushmills village is known for the oldest licensed whisky distillery. The village was going down but has now created strong tourism products and several village renewal projects. Bushmills Fund is funding local initiatives, e.g. the look of the village has been renewed (we were impressed by the use of the empty shop windows - picture) and the youth hostel has been a success.
After the introduction to the village we took the Bushmills Distillery Tour and learned about the making of whisky and about the factory. The factory has a strong position in Bushmills village and and Bushmills Fund and cooperation with the local community group.
www.jamk.fi/innovative-village
7 Portballintrae was introduced by Joyce Ferder. The coastal village is a participating partner in IV project. It is a village where most houses are nowadays owned as second homes; as a result the permanent villagers lost their everyday services. Solution: the community group built a village house with an own village shop and markets the community house actively for venues, art courses etc. (picture).
Giant’s Causeway is a Unesco World Heritage site managed by the National Trust. It had just opened a modern visitor’s centre. The whole place was impressive and the local stories behind the strange natural forms were interesting. The cooperation between the site and the rural community has been new to the National Trust: as a result e.g. the visitors can park their cars in the centre of the village, visit shops there, and take an easy bus to and from the Giant’s Causeway right from the parking place. After the visit we drove back to Cushendall where there was some time to rest for everybody except the steering group. The Steering Group Meeting was held in the Old School village house in Cushendall. The day ended with a farewell party in Cushendall..
Sun 7th of October The day started early when we jumped into the local bus and drove to catch our flight. Our landladies had made sandwiches which were consumed gratefully during the bus trip. After uneventful flights we arrived to Helsinki Airport where a bus waited to take us back to Central Finland. After some feedback discussion the group snoozed till Jyväskylä.
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Feedback after the trip In general the trip was considered successful and useful. The trip was given a mark of 8 (in Finnish scale 410 used at schools; 8 means good).
My work during the study trip
Superbly 5 Dark Green
Excellently 4 Green
Well
Sufficiently
Poorly
3 Bluish Green
2 Yellow
1 Orange
No meaning for me or in this project 0 Red
added my skills as a rural developer
100 %
(avg: 2,84) gave new ideas
100 %
(avg: 3,63) supported my own goals
100 %
(avg: 3,26) gave me new contacts
100 %
(avg: 3,11) succeeded
100 %
(avg: 3,11)
Total
Total
2%
41 %
39 %
13 %
2%
3%
Common complaint was the lack of time during the programme. Otherwise the trip was a success: -
-
Even though the programme hadn’t taken into consideration that it takes time to eat, drink, go to the bathroom, thank the hosts and give small presents… we did all that and still kept the time table remarkably well! People made this trip! Plenty of new things for us to see. Seminars were a bit difficult, and too long. Stressful but fun! It opened my eyes – things can be done so differently. A lot of “revelations”. A new perspective to my own village. Same types of problems here and there. The trip confirmed my belief that the village can do something and not only wait to be served. We have to find our own strong points and our own way of action. Good trip, I want to visit Ireland again. I can’t wait to see our partners again!
This travel report is written with the help of all Finnish participants. The diary written during the trip, discussions, and the written feedback after the trip have all contributed to this report. The actual writing has been done by the project manager Outi Raatikainen. The pictures have been taken by Outi Raatikainen and Hanna Luoma.
www.jamk.fi/innovative-village
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Participants The Finnish group in alphabetical order.
Study Trip to Northern Ireland 3.-7.10.2012 22 Finnish Participants Title in English; Role in the Innovative Village Project
Organisation JAMK
Family name Name Blinnikka Petra
Ms Project Expert at JAMK, specilized in sustainable rural
JAMK
Eskola
Ms Principal Lecturer at JAMK, specialist in the IV case
tourism, facilitator in worhshops.
Anne
JAMK
Hakala
Anne
Ms
JAMK
MarteliusLouniala
Tiina
Ms
JAMK
Raatikainen
Outi
Ms
LAG JyväsRiihi
Ikäheimonen Pirjo
"rural financial services". Regional Development Expert at JAMK; member of the Finnish IV steering group Research- and Development Manager at JAMK University of Applied Sciences; responsible for IV project in Central Finland, member of both steering groups IV Project Manager at JAMK and the transnational coordinator; member of both IV steering groups. Tour leader of the study trip.
Ms Operative Manager of LAG JyväsRiihi; member of both IV steering groups Municipal Agricultural Secretary in Uurainen, board member of LAG JyväsRiihi, member of the Finnish IV steering group Financial Manager of LAG JyväsRiihi
Municipality of Uurainen/LAG JyväsRiihi
Laasanen
Päivi
Ms
LAG JyväsRiihi The Development Company KeuLink Ltd/ LAG JyväsRiihi
Mehto Piippa
Lahja Leila
Ms Ms Business Advisor in the development company KeuLink;
LAG Viisari
Peiponen
board member of LAG JyväsRiihi, village activist in Höytiä village
Arja-Leena Ms Operative Manager of LAG Viisari; responsible for the transnational IV project; member of both IV steering groups Financial/Project Assistant of LAG Viisari, advisor and inspector of Leader projects
LAG Viisari
Puro
Mari
Ms
Kangashäkkiset Village Association
Allik
Mia-Riitta
Ms Head of Recruiting in the social and health services of
Kangashäkki Village Konginkangas Village Konginkangas Village Association Konginkangas Village Association Vesanka Village Kangashäkkiset Village Association Konginkangas Village Association
Halttunen Hytönen Hytönen
the City of Jyväskylä; activist in Kangashäkki village; member of the Finnish IV steering group.
Tepa Onni Heli
Mr Village activist in Kangashäkki village, age 10. Mr Student, village activist, accordeon player. Ms Librarian in Konginkangas village library, a village activist in Konginkangas.
Hytönen
Antti
Mr Farmer, a village activist in Konginkangas village.
Louniala Nieminen
Pekka Satu
Mr Logistics Engineer; village activist in Vesanka Ms Customer Services in Banking; village activist in Kangashäkki; IV village mentor
Rämä
Tanja
Ms Group Manager; activist in the village association and in the local Mannerheim League for Child Welfare in Konginkangas village; member of the Finnish IV steering group
www.jamk.fi/innovative-village
10 Saarikas Village Association, Sumiainen
Åkerlund
Project in Central Finland
Luoma
Eero
Mr Pensioneer. Village activist in Saarikas village in Sumiainen.
Hanna
Ms Communications Officer for all Leader associations in Central Finland
Project of LAG JyväsRiihi
Lemmetti
Seija
Ms Village Development Coordinator for the whole area of LAG JyväsRiihi
Above: From left to right in Portglenone: Päivi Laasanen, Mari Puro (LAG Viisari), Lahja Mehto (LAG JyväsRiihi), Pirjo Ikäheimonen (LAG JyväsRiihi) and Arja-Leena “Apo” Peiponen (LAG Viisari). Next: Gymnastics at the seminar in Cushendall – Ass, Toe, Knee…
www.jamk.fi/innovative-village
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Programme Wednesday 3rd of October, 2012 13.30 14.35 18.20-21.20
Meeting of the group at Tikkakoski Airport Flight to Helsinki Flights to Dublin, accommodation in an airport hotel
Thursday 9.00
Bus at Dublin We joined the Estonian partners of TAS (Tartumaa Arendusselts, 16 persons) and introduced ourselves during the trip to Belfast.
11.15
Belfast – Guided tour by Tommy Collins, 1 hour Tommy Collins, board member of our partner NER (North East Rural Development Partnership) acted as our tour guide. We got a good picture of ”The Troubles”, the civil war between the catholics and the protestants, and a of a thriving modern city with a glimpse of e.g. the brand new Titanic Belfast.
12.30
LEDCOM (Larne Enterprise Development Company Ltd) Introduction of LEDCOM by Chief Executive Ken Nelson.
15.30
Accommodation in two B&B’s in Cushendall Cushendall is a target village of Innovative Village project in Northern Ireland. - Glendale B & B, 46 Coast Road, Cushendall, County Antrim BT44 0RX - Riverside B & B, 14 Mill Street, Cushendall, County Antrim BT44 0RR
16.00
Seminar: Introduction & Welcome NER LAG/JCC Chair/Moyle District Council Chairperson Andrew McAlister, strategy manager of NER
16.15
Introduction of the partners Outi Raatikainen, JAMK, and Kristiina Liimand, TAS
16.35
North Antrim Community Network Briege Conway - Community development and services in North East region
16.55
Case Cushendall Community tourist hub Case Uurainen, a Finnish Rural Municipality Mia-Riitta Allik, Kangashäkki village Case Sustainable Village Kaagvere Madis Masing
18.00
Tourism in Northern Ireland Brian Connolly (Northern Ireland Tourist Board)
18.20
Sustainable Rural Tourism in Finland Petra Blinnikka, JAMK
www.jamk.fi/innovative-village
12 18.40
Young Farmers in Northern Ireland Melissa Knox and Lauren Mitchell, Broughshane - youth organisation for rural people of 12-25 years
Friday 09.00
Study Tour Ardclinis Activity Centre, Local tourism entrepreneur Anne Bowen - an established company but new premises and a new area for outdoor activities Cloughmills Community Association Patrick Frew & Declan Donnelly – Ballymoney Borough Council - Involved in re-cycling initiatives, food projects, village regeneration - Incredible Edible project “Reconnecting People and Food” – teaching rural people sustainable vegetable gardening; project idea adopted to at least three other villages Loughgiel Community Association Gerard McCloskey - provides range of services: childcare, environmental, housing, renewables - Loughgiel Millennium Centre – café, meeting room, sports hall, kindergarden, rental space for local businesses, a wind mill to lower the costs of heating – all run by the community association with the help of grants for e.g. hiring unemployed villagers
14.45-15.30
Portglenone, a walking tour lead by Kieran Adams and Norman Worthington - harbour, playground for children, information panels, sculpture, credit union…
15.55 – 19.00 Seminar (Wild Duck, Portglenone) 15.55 16.00 16.20 16.40 17.20 17.40 17.55
Welcome, P.J. McAvoy, Mayor of Ballymena Borough Council and NER JCC Chair Role of Councils/Municipalities in Community Development –Rosemary Mc Cormick, Ballymena Council Rural Development in NI – Theresa Canavan, Rural Development Council Presentation of Portglenone Community Group – Strong group re tourism, enterprise, festival etc. Credit Unions & Rural Finance - Patsy Mc Shane Local Credit Union operations – Robin Andrews Trends in Finnish Finances – Anne Eskola, JAMK Tartu Future Village Project – Airi Park, Tartu County Youth Council Rural Life in Estonia – Maret Prits, Tartu University Leader in Central Finland – Hanna Luoma, Viestinnästä voimaa Dinner in Portglenone, bus to Cushendall.
Saturday 09.00
Study Tour along the Causeway Coastal Route
10.00 – 11.00 Bushmills walkabout, meeting with the local group, Arthur Ward and Roy Bolton Strong tourism product, several village renewal projects. - Bushmills Fund – funding local initiatives, e.g. youth hostel
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13 11.30 – 12.45 Bushmills Distillery Tour - The oldest licenced distillery in the world. - Strong position in Bushmills village, cooperation with the local community group. Participates in the Bushmills Fund. 13.00 - 14.15 Portballintrae - Coastal village, Joyce Ferder - participating partner in IV project - A village where most houses are nowadays owned as second homes; as a result the permanent villagers lost their village shops, common rooms etc. - Solution: the community group built a village house with an own village shop and markets the house actively for venues, art courses etc. 14.30- 16.00 Giant’s Causeway – World Heritage site 18.00
Steering Group Meeting in the Old School village house in Cushendall
19.30
Farewell dinner and entertainment in Cushendall th
Sunday 7 of October, 2012 5.30 17.40 21.40
Bus to the airport in Dublin In Helsinki-Vantaa Airport In Jyväskylä by bus
www.jamk.fi/innovative-village