Representatives of the municipality of Rezekne and representatives of the “Europe Direct Information Centre in Eastern Latgale” visit Finland
From 25 to 28 November, Rita Žurzdina and Kaspars Melnis, project planners and managers Anna Jaudzema, Eduards Medvedev, Brigita Arbidane, Anita Bringule, and the head of the project “Europe Direct Information Centre in Eastern Latgale”, Madara Laksa and Inta Rimšāne from the municipality of Rezekne, Ilona Skorodihina from the main library of Preiles and Irene Anjan from the city of Ludza, took part in an exchange of experience on the sites financed by the European Union in rural areas of Finland.
The visit began with the visit of the Rural Development Association “Sepra” in Hamina – around 150 kilometres from Helsinki. The association by activity and objectives has a similar role as district partnerships in Latvia – Sepra is working with the Leader programme financed by the European Union, encouraging people to actively write and implement projects. Mr Marjo Lehtimeki, executive director of the “sepra”, said that they also experienced a severe crisis in 2008, as thousands of people lost their jobs, so the possibilities of Leader projects have played a very important role: “it was initially not easy to persuade people to write projects and establish their own micro-enterprises, because our region has historically been a production centre with many factories, so people were accustomed to being employees rather than employers. Changing people's attitudes and learning to take responsibility in creating their own business was a great challenge. 'The patience brought fruit because, as Mr Lehtimeki said, 30 companies have been established in Hamina and its surroundings with the support of Leader, and many thousands of new jobs have been created, as well as several thousand people have participated in various training and seminars.
The Executive Director of the “sepra” acknowledges that they often have to face bureaucratic obstacles and the limitations of the Leader programme: “a small village company wrote a project and purchased a cane cutting machine for the cleaning of a local lake. It is only a couple of times a year to cut the cane in the lake, so that if the equipment worth 20 thousand euros has not been used for months, the association also wished to lend it to the management of the lakes of the neighbouring municipalities. Unfortunately, the provisions of the Leader programme did not allow the association to do so for five years. As stated in the letter of refusal:" It is possible that there is a potential entrepreneur in neighbouring municipalities who might want to start a direct cane-cutting business. It is likely that he would not be able to do this if he had already done the work of the cane cutter. '”despite the obstacles, Mr Lehtimeki emphasizes that overall the contribution of the Leader programme is indispensable:“ we have calculated that approximately half of the population of the area from Leader has benefited directly or indirectly. ”
Following the visit of Sepra, the delegation went to Lapenrants, where there is a home for the consultancy centre “ProAgria”. The staff of the Centre presented the services offered by the organisation in rural areas, the use of subsidies, the contribution of local societies, as well as projects implemented through the European Union-funded South East Finland - Russia cross-border cooperation programme.
On the second day, the participants of the experience exchange visit were able to meet the work of the social and educational sector in the small municipality of Savitaipales. Although approximately three thousand people live in Savitaipali, there are both swimming pool and ice Halle and a village for people with disabilities and elderly people. Local residents are particularly proud of the high school building built a couple of years ago, as construction has cost approximately nine million euros (50 percent of the state and 50 percent of local government funding). There is a large area of sports and activity with florball, basketball, mini football fields, outdoor trainers and children's attractions, all built due to the school's participation in the Movement or Movement program, as part of which students can spend their vacation time, including inter-moments. As the teachers have verified, and which could be seen in school premises, children who have used their immeasurable energy for sporting activities are more quieter and more calm in the school, as well as being able to focus more on learning.
Similarly, in Finland, as in Latvia, there is a free education – parents do not have to pay for school or educational resources. “Education does not have a term” money follows a pupil, “told the school director Mark Tani.” What difference is the teacher teaching 15 or 30 pupils. The salary is equal because the teacher is preparing for hours in the same way. There is no difference in whether a student is studying at a rural school or at a city school, the quality of education is the same. In addition, there must be as many pre-school and primary schools as possible in the fields, but there must be only a few secondary schools. 'In that country, “free education” also includes holidays for all children. In addition, at lunch, pupils have the chance to put as much portions as they want. The school could see that students and teachers were not wearing shoes but stockings or biscuits. The director of the school admitted that it had two benefits: “firstly, the pupils have a bigger sense of homes and they feel much more comfortable and comfortable in their chiefs, and secondly, there is less work for the cleaner, because the pupils, taking off their shoes, don't get a school with sand and mud.”
Approximately 370 students attend secondary school, while the number of people of retirement age is several times higher. As the head of the social service of the municipality of Savitaipales Kristina Pihlajameki acknowledged, the rapid decline in the number of working population is one of the biggest problems in both Savitaipali and elsewhere in Finland. These questions are dealt with in a number of ways. First of all, working with motto: “the bed is the worst place for an old man” – it implies that, even after the end of the work, the person remains active, for example, engaging in a non-governmental organisation and participating in public life, second, while looking forward to work in the years, workers are provided with good working conditions and high-value health care so that people can find themselves as much disease as possible at the end of their lives and, consequently, public funding for treatment should be reduced.
If, however, it is hard for a man to take care of himself in old age, he is assisted by a social worker who, depending on his health, comes to them once a day, every couple of days or once a week. In order to facilitate carers' work, a special app has been downloaded to them in the phone, which counts every morning to which customers have to go, how much time they need to spend and what medicines they need to take. In addition, many customers have keys with electronic code in their home, so if the client lacks the power to open the door, the carer can unlock them himself.
Hearts with major health problems or severe disability are not in the home but renting a small apartment in the village of their kind, where their health is constantly monitored by nurses and assisting carers. It should be noted that in these rented dwellings, customers are invited to take their furniture with them so as to create a sense of homes as much as possible. They can also take their small friends, dogs or cats, as they help the hearts to maintain their homes and brightness.
Social assistance in Finland is a pay service: the person himself or his relatives must pay both the home care and the rented dwelling in the village of the old people. Although these services are relatively expensive, the legislation requires that every pensioner should remain EUR 180 for his own needs after payment of all social services. If a smaller amount remains, the balance of expenditure shall be borne by the State.
At the end of the second day of the visit, participants had the opportunity to visit the Couvola Transport, Environment and Economic Development Centre, as representatives presented the most topical issues to promote economic upward, as well as examples of environmental problems through European Union funding.
On the third day of the experience exchange trip, the delegation visited the Estonian city Viljandi Europe Direct Information Centre. Its manager, Katrina Reimo, told the activities of the Centre, as well as informing the residents of the Viljandi surrounding the European Union. In response to a question that Latvians could learn from their neighbours on the introduction of the euro, K.Reimo calls for peace and money change to be seen positively: “our people at the new currency make up about a month. In addition, unlike Estonia, where a change of 1564 kroons received only 100 euros, Latvians are psychologically easier, because the numerical money will remain more, for example, if the salary was 200 lats, then, after 1 January, there will be almost 300 euros.” K.rheumo's guests also showed the information and presentation material prepared by the Viljandi Europe Direct Office, from which the most interesting examples of Europe Direct in East Latgale are intended to be taken over by colleagues.
Representatives of the delegation acknowledged that the visit made it possible not only to draw ideas from projects implemented in Finland but also to find contacts for other projects. The trip was organised and financed by the municipality of Rezekne and the “Europe Direct Information Centre in Eastern Latgale”.
Madara Laksa,
Assistant Head of the Europe Direct Information Centre in Eastern Latgale