The Leader Method
Everything we do in our own operations and in the projects we support must be based on the Leader method. Leader is a method that consists of local roots, initiative and commitment in the center. The idea is that the development of your particular place is carried out most effectively by those of you who live and work there. It is you who know what needs and challenges need to be met.
The seven principles of the Leader method
Local needs
The needs and conditions of our rural areas are very different and this also requires different solutions.
Network
Projects can often come about through the use of various networks. Networks can also help projects develop and transition into long-term operations.
Integrated efforts
The Leader Södermanland development strategy provides a framework for which interventions can be granted. Each individual project becomes a piece of the puzzle that contributes to achieving the strategy's goals.
Bottom view
You who live and work in the area are the ones who see the challenges and have the solutions. Leader Södermanland provides funds for projects that involve the target group in the planning and implementation of the project.
Innovation
Projects that are granted funding from Leader Södermanland must be innovative. This means that the project solves problems and challenges in a new way, has a new method, process or product (i.e. a new good or service).
Innovation also means that the project must not be about something that can be accommodated within regular operations. Nor must it be something that you are already implementing or that you will implement regardless of whether you receive support or not.
Cooperation
Projects become more sustainable over time and can be scaled up through collaboration. Leader projects are built on collaborations between actors and sectors.
Local action group
Local Action Groups (LAGs) are the members of the Leader Association. The board of Leader Södermanland is composed of people with broad expertise and local roots, and together they represent the non-profit, public and private sectors. It is the board that prioritizes projects, which the Swedish Board of Agriculture then decides on.