In northern Finland and Russia, many places face the same challenge: how to attract young people to stay or return to their hometowns?

A Research project coordinated by the Arctic Centre at
the University of Lapland, investigated what makes an Arctic city or municipality
viable to young people. One result of the project is a best practices guide that
provides recommendations for educational organizations, municipal and civil society
sector, business sector and regional government sector.

The
recommendations are based on long-term field research in northern Finland and
Russia, on interviews with young people living there, and on their understandings of
wellbeing and the elements of a satisfying life.

Various
structural conditions in Finland’s and Russia’s North continue to prompt young
people to move to bigger cities. Among the most significant ones are limited
education and employment opportunities as well as a lack of services, entertainment
and adequate transportation. 

– Leaving is also often
considered to be simply cooler and more progressive among both Russian and Finnish
youth than staying in the North, says research professor Florian
Stammler from the Arctic Centre.

On the other
hand, young people see many positive aspects of living in the North. Among the main
attractions are the clean and peaceful nature, the possibilities for various
nature-based activities and the convenience and comfort of living in small places in
comparison to big, metropolitan areas.

The recommendations in the
guide provide concrete practical examples from both countries. Examples also show
that a lot can be learned from each other.

– Many young people
may not be attracted by the idea of just distance learning in front of a screen. But
the Russian combined model of distance and face-to-face studies where most of the
studies can be done online and then travelling to the university towns a couple of
times a year might be an attractive solution for some students in Finland too, says
Stammler.

– On the other hand, what many young people miss in
Russia‘s Arctic is just places where they can hang out and spend time with other
youngsters, without any coordinated activities, competition or so called useful
purpose. That problem did not come up in Finland that much, Stammler
continues.

The best practices compiled in the guide reflect the
specific characteristics of each country and town. The Finnish field sites were
Kolari, Kemijärvi, and Pyhäjoki; the Russian sites Kovdor, Revda, Polyarnye Zori,
Kirovsk, Novy Urengoy, Neryungri, Nizhnyi Kuranakh, and Tiksi. The guide is
available in Finnish, Russian and English.

Online
guide in English: Ensuring Thriving Northern Towns for Young People: a
Best Practices Guide
Online guide and pdf in Russian: Молодёжь в северных городах: лучшие
практики

More
information:
Florian Stammler
Research
professor
Arctic Centre, University of Lapland
forname.surname@ulapland.fi 
+358 400 138 807