Youth Up North, led by the Youth 2030 Movement and supported by the Kamprad and Stenbeck Foundations, is a transformative initiative aimed at empowering young people in rural northern Sweden to shape their communities. Rooted in co-creation and youth leadership, the program fosters inclusion, creativity, and innovation across eight municipalities. It encourages young people to see rural areas not just as places to grow up and leave, but as spaces to grow into—where they can live, work, and thrive.
Workshop participants expressed a strong emotional connection to their communities, valuing safety, familiarity, and nature. However, limited access to education, employment, and leisure often forces early migration. Despite this, many youth hope to return if rural life evolves to offer more opportunities and inclusive spaces.
Their vision includes reliable public transport, youth centres, music schools, and cultural hubs that reflect their interests and foster belonging. Young people emphasised the need for meaningful participation—not just consultation, but real influence in decision-making.
They voiced frustration with top-down approaches and tokenism, calling for genuine dialogue and co-created solutions. They fear that modernisation without youth input could erode the very qualities that make rural life special.
To remain or return, youth need tangible resources: accessible education (including distance learning), fair job opportunities, and inclusive infrastructure. They seek systems where merit matters more than personal connections, and where internships lead to real employment. They also want spaces for creativity and community beyond sports.
Ultimately, Youth Up North highlights that social inclusion is not just about staying—it’s about having the power to choose. When young people feel heard, supported, and represented, they are more likely to invest in their communities. The initiative offers a hopeful model for rural revitalisation driven by youth agency, participation, and shared ownership.
Workshop participants expressed a strong emotional connection to their communities, valuing safety, familiarity, and nature. However, limited access to education, employment, and leisure often forces early migration. Despite this, many youth hope to return if rural life evolves to offer more opportunities and inclusive spaces.
Their vision includes reliable public transport, youth centres, music schools, and cultural hubs that reflect their interests and foster belonging. Young people emphasised the need for meaningful participation—not just consultation, but real influence in decision-making.
They voiced frustration with top-down approaches and tokenism, calling for genuine dialogue and co-created solutions. They fear that modernisation without youth input could erode the very qualities that make rural life special.
To remain or return, youth need tangible resources: accessible education (including distance learning), fair job opportunities, and inclusive infrastructure. They seek systems where merit matters more than personal connections, and where internships lead to real employment. They also want spaces for creativity and community beyond sports.
Ultimately, Youth Up North highlights that social inclusion is not just about staying—it’s about having the power to choose. When young people feel heard, supported, and represented, they are more likely to invest in their communities. The initiative offers a hopeful model for rural revitalisation driven by youth agency, participation, and shared ownership.
