Starting up a project

I have worked since September in the project Promotion of low-cost and youth tourism in the cross-border areas. It is a combination of five partners in Russia and two in Finland.

For me the project had a flying start. After only one or two weeks in the project I found myself heading towards the border, picking the passport with a brand new visa from a travel agency in Tohmajärvi and then forward towards Petrozavodsk to meet the project partners. Then one or two weeks more and a new trip to Petrozavodsk, Olonets (Aunus in Finnish) and Sortavala to see in practice what our partners are doing. In Karelia I went to see hostels and student dormitories that are offering or are going to offer low cost accommodation especially for young people.

What is this all about? In this project one aim is to increase accommodation possibilities (low cost, good quality) in Petrozavodsk, Sortavala, Olonets, Kostamuksha and Segezha hoping that once the service is there the young people can find their way to these places. Social media is in focus when we are doing marketing. 

In September and October our Russian partners coming from education institutes have made renovation plans for their hostels and student apartments. Later on an internet based booking portal will be developed. It is planned to be open by May 2013. This portal can be used by the Finnish and Russian partners and other interested education institutes and companies. 

In Finland our partner Centria (university of applied sciences) has prepared a training program to be implemented in their unit in Ylivieska and in Kalajoki resort. This two days program is in December and it is targeted for teachers and specialists working in tourism and service branches. They will learn to know about Centria tourism education program and learning methods, as well as about ways to cooperate with tourism companies. In return the Russian partners and participants will tell about tourism education in their region.

The project is now taking its first steps. It will last until November 2014 and for me it is very motivating to take part in this important and exiting effort. For me this project is success if we really can open doors and make travel across the border easier for young people who this way learn to know each other better.

Merja Heikkilä

Project Manager

Update on large scale projects

Large scale projects (also called LSPs) are projects that are not based on open calls like the projects funded under our thematic calls. The projects and Lead Partners are pre-determined by the Joint Monitoring Committee. The projects are centered on major investments that have direct cross-border benefits and are closely related to the objectives and aims of the Programme. 

Our JMC has decided that there will be a total of five LSPs in our Programme and approximately one third of Programme funds have been allocated for them. I am happy to say that the acceptance and contracting processes for these projects are proceeding rapidly. The Joint Monitoring Committee has accepted all five applications, while the European Commission has accepted three of them and the process is still pending for the remaining two projects in the EC. If the contracting process goes well, all five projects should be running by the end of November 2012.

So far only one of them has been contracted and commenced: Fennoscandian Green Belt, with Metsähallitus, Natural Heritage Services, Ostrobothnia as the Lead Partner. The aim of the project is to improve the quality and service level in natural parks on both sides of the border. The parks include Oulanka (FI), Paanajärvi (RU), Kalevala Parks (FI & RU), Friendship Park (FI), Kostamuksha (RU), Koli (FI) and Petkeljärvi (FI). The activities focus on investments and enhancement of cooperation between the parks.

More information about the LSPs can be found at our website after the projects have started.

Toni Saranpää

Programme Coordinator

Projects in media

Even the administration takes a lot of time and effort - especially when we are talking about the Joint Managing Authority - it's good to remember we are not doing this in order to receive interim reports and payment requests but in order to see the results of the work done by the projects.

The most important thing in the programme are the projects and the work done by them. It is also important that the work done is visible and that the target groups and beneficiaries acknowledge the things done by the projects. That's why we encourage - and insist - the projects to pay attention to the visibility and communication issues when implementing the projects.

The Municipality of Suomussalmi is implementing two projects. One is concentrating on sheeps and the other on improving a gravel road in Karelia. Both have been made visible and have raised interest in the media. You can read more about speephusbandry from Uusi Suomi blog (in Finnish) and about the gravel road from here (in Russian) or from the projec websites - and see how different channels can be used in making a project visible.

Henna-Mari Helenius
Programme Coordinator