Place:The Old Fire Station in city of Jakobstad/Pietarsaari, Finland
Timeframe: 26.10 2024
Organiser: The municipality – City of Jakobstad-Pietarsaari -together with several local associations
Participants: 23 different local associations (both Swedish ans Finnish speaking) as well as inhabitans of the city- both Finnish and Swedish speaking.
Goal: The goal was to arrange a Fair, where local associations could present their aims and actions to inhabitants of the city in a place (the Old Fire Station) which is going to be a low threshold meeting place for all inhabitants regardless of the language they speak.
WHAT IS IT?
The Fair was hold at the Old Fire Station, which will be a place where the inhabitants of the city can meet and discuss about different common issues. This time the theme was to present different local associations and their actions to the inhabitants.
The initiative to arrange this kind of event came from the local associations. In the city there are many active associations: both Swedish-and Finnish speaking. To co-create an event is also a way to start the co-operation between different associations, between languages and maybe in the future a start to new, bilingual associations.
Inside the Old Fire Station there were tables, where the associations presented their actions in different ways: with games, brochures, and raffles. In the main hall the representatives of different associations hold speeches where thy presented their own association. Outside the Fire Station associations with vehicles (like Vintage Cars and Fire Trucks) attracted especially children.
The participatory methods used was co-creation. The co-creation of the event was made with the municipalities of the city of Jakobstad-Pietarsaari and local associations.
The event was bilingual and moderated fluently in two languages by a moderator.
WHY WAS IT A SUCCESS?
Participants (around 50 persons)
Feedback and idea how to continue will be collected from the participants.
The participants were reach by an active campaign in social media and in several newspaper articles.