The ramp

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The twin cities of Haparanda and Tornio are located on either side of the Swedish-Finnish border. A border that has been open for more than a hundred years to physical passages. Mentally, however, there are marked obstacles to thinking in order to cross the border and make full use of the opportunities available on each side. Lack of a personal network of contacts on the other side of the country’s border, unfamiliar and ignorance of the culture and language of the other country are some of the invisible barriers that young people in the region refer to and that the project has taken note of in the project preparation. Young people in cities see similar obstacles in their visions of their future in the locality. To take the first step, there is a lack of courage, contacts, knowledge and skills that young people in HaparandaTornio refer to. Haparanda and Tornio are the municipalities in their respective countries that both have among the highest youth unemployment rates. Many young people are insulated in the labour market and are sitting at home without support or the network of contacts they need to move forward. Haparanda and Tornio are small municipalities with approximately 10,000 and 20,000 inhabitants, which means that employment opportunities in each city are limited. By making use of the offer of both countries, unemployed young people’s contacts and opportunities to match their knowledge and skills with each country’s labour market are doubled. In the study carried out by the project team in both countries, it clearly shows how the young people are asking for cross-border meeting forums and start-up assistance in order to begin to break familiar thought barriers, understand what opportunities exist and be able to take steps towards work/practice/studies. With the Rampen/Ramppi initiative, the project aims to connect cities’ unemployed young people and potential employers and/or study actors. During joint workshops, provide young unemployed people with the tools and network of contacts they need, knowledge, inspiration and coaching, in order to advance into the labour and/or study market on both sides of the border. There is a great need in the area and the municipality is unable to solve youth unemployment on its own. The aim of the project is to create new solutions and a new approach in order to better manage the situation.

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