Place: Ringkøbing-Skjern, Denmark
Timeframe: long term
Organiser: The municipality
Participants: citizens who have moved away from the municipality to study or work.
Goal: To maintain the connection between the municipality and the citizens who have moved away.
WHAT IS IT?
The Danish municipality Ringkøbing-Skjern has created a club called “Klub Eksilvestjyder.” It’s free to become a member of the club. The only requirement is that you once lived in the municipality and have since moved away. As a member of the club, you get invited to free cultural activities in your old municipality (concerts, theatre, walks, games, etc.). They also send you job offers that match your educational profile.
The name is Danish for “Exile Westjyde” and uses a positive, place-specific identity. Westjyde is the name for people who grew up and live on the west coast of Jutland. There is a strong narrative and identity bound to the term (Westjydes are humble, hardworking, calm, etc.). Many people in Denmark are proud to be a Westjyde.
Why is it a succes?
Cultural activities can serve as an alibi for people to reconnect with their old high school friends. This helps maintain the social network among people from the same area, even though they may have moved to different parts of the country.
The club contributes to social resilience by maintaining a sense of affiliation among citizens who have left the municipality. This affiliation can, for example, be activated if the local community needs a specialized workforce, but it can also contribute to general resettlement. Over a five-year period, 126 young citizens who were members of the club moved back to the Ringkøbing-Skjern municipality.