In many places, associations of various kinds are struggling to continue their activities. This can apply to both local, sports, disability rights, outdoor or other types of associations. Furthermore, there are many who live in solitude without a social context, exclusion and who may not feel included in their local area. The project ”Vi Gemenskapare” aims to ensure that more people are included in community and meaningful activities and thereby promote social sustainability, public health and resilience in Upplandsbygd.

It is important for both individuals and the local community that more people are included. If we get more social cohesion in our local communities, we are better equipped for the future. The importance of people in local communities knowing each other is also very important from a resilience perspective, and the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) also believes that the greatest asset when something threatens us humans is our willingness to help each other. A promoted community in Upplandsbygd's local communities thus creates preparedness for the unexpected and an opportunity to find smart ways to organize themselves based on the challenges that currently prevail. The project brings together associations and people who take responsibility for the development of their local area, who can promote inclusion and who can increase the range of cultural and leisure activities and develop new service solutions. The project wants to build capacity among the actors by offering meetings with interesting themes, inspirational trips, study visits and study circles.

Join our network to receive invitations to meetings and please get in touch. emma.mattila@upplandsbygd.se if you have ideas! We are happy to co-arrange activities.

Previous activities:

Association dialogue Gimo

In September, Upplandsbygd Lokalt Ledd Utveckling, in collaboration with RF-SISU Uppland and Östhammar Municipality, brought together the associations in Gimo for an association dialogue. The purpose of the meeting was to lay the foundation for a local network of associations, with the goal of promoting public health, community and meaningful leisure activities for more people. During the meeting, we discussed the challenges that Gimo's associations encounter in everyday life, such as a lack of volunteers and difficulties in reaching younger target groups. 

”"Meeting at the square" in Gimo

Representatives from RF-SISU Uppland, Upplandsbygd Locally Led Development and Östhammar Municipality were on site at the square in Gimo for two days in May 2025. There we talked with the citizens and explored what activities they were engaged in, what they were missing, obstacles and opportunities.

Many people asked for more social meeting places, such as youth centers and family activities. Popular suggestions were music events, dancing, gardening, EPA meetings and cooking. We learned that there is a rich community life and good opportunities to be physically active in Gimo, but there is also a need for other types of activities, better information, and increased accessibility.

Inspiration meeting

Inclusive and community-promoting activities with outdoor education.

On Friday, May 9, 2025, during Rural Week, exciting discussions were held about the conditions for good rural development. The day was spent at The FUB association Tallkrogens gård just outside Björklinge in Uppsala municipality, with activities such as hiking, music and project presentations. Thomas Söderstedt spoke about FUB's activities in Björklinge and Elin Boström from Bobrunna farm presented selected parts of the farm's various projects.

Transition Forum 2024

A strong start to this year's transition forum! Pella Thiel's opening speech and Carmen Blanco Valer's lecture inspired, challenged and touched. Pella was named Environmental Hero of the Year by WWF in 2019 and received the Martin Luther King Award in 2023. Carmen works as a teacher with courses on, among other things, indigenous rights, The Good Life, climate justice and ecofeminist creativity. The Good Life, Carmen said, is a collective term for visions of equal societies, free from oppression and in harmony with the rest of nature.