eParticipation and the one million euro questionHow can the region Zuid-West-Vlaanderen (the Kortrijk Region, B) be made more attractive for young people to live and work in? In 2006 and 2007 a new strategic plan for the Kortrijk Region was elaborated. As part of the vision building process, a consultation initiative of young professionals was set up, called Phare West.  |
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Why young people? Figures about the region show a braindrain of young people. However, the future of the Kortrijk Region is dependent on the motivation on young, skilled people wanting to live and work there. One million Euro! And then? A first step in the project was the one-million euro question: how would you spend one million euro to make the region more attractive, what kind of action would you support? More than 3000 young people filled in the online form on the website.  In a second step of the project thirty young professionals were invited to participate in a brainstorm weekend and to write their own 'manifesto'. Local television and newspaper followed the sessions and reported about the proceedings to the broader public. The writing of the joint manifesto's was supported by a WIKI, i.e. a website for collaborative document creation. In a third step the main ideas that came out of the project were presented to the decesion makers (politicians, senior business managers,...) and the broader public. Ideas like: branding the region with a new name, crosspollination: maximum use of diversity and creativity in the region , use land-art to "mark" the region,... evoice: contact information If you would like to get more information about the evoice project and its activities, please contact: |