Towards sustainable and resilient societies through empowered civil society and collaborative innovation
We make transition!
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We make transition!

PROGRAMME 2021-2027
priority
1 Innovative societies
objective
1.1 Resilient economies and communities
Project type
Core Project
Implementation
January 2023 - December 2025
Technical details

We make transition!

In the project We make transition! public authorities work on social and ecological initiatives with civil society, and co-create changes in the areas of consumption, mobility, energy and social life.
In the spotlight
We need cooperation between various actors in society to achieve a sustainable future! We make transition! -project aims to find new ways of cooperation between local authorities and various sustainability stakeholders, including civil society actors to enhance interaction and co-creation of sustainable solutions.
Project has organised thematic group discussions on sustainability topics, such as sustainable lifestyle, circular economy, sustainable food production and biodiversity. The results of discussions are used in the planning of local transition arenas in altogether 12 cities and municipalities in six countries. Each arena will have a different focus depending on the local needs. Local arenas are series of co-creative workshops starting with co-creating a joint sustainability vision and then developing concrete steps towards the desired future. The arenas will engage sustainability actors from all levels also in the implementation of arena outcomes.

 

During autumn 2023, the project selected and invited altogether 30 change agents from Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Germany and Norway. These are individuals representing local authorities, research, small business and various civil society actors. They are persons committed to making an impact on sustainability in their communities and organisations.

All 30 change agents participated in three online workshops in November with the aim to co-create:

“Sustainable future vision 2035 that has active civil society actors working for eco-social sustainability in cooperation with local authorities and other stakeholders”

According to change agents, sustainable future is made of strong local communities with exchange of materials, goods, ideas, skills and support. The whole educational system and lifelong learning path would highlight manual skills and community building much more. In the desired future, civil society actors are given practical means to foster and enable sustainable lifestyle easy for people. 

The work of change agents continues in a joint meeting with project partners and change agents, February 2024 in Gdynia, Poland. The vision and recommendations will be used in local transition arenas and to inspire others!

Project summary

Local and regional authorities have a crucial role in driving resilience – societal ability to adapt and react – but due to complexity of the ecological and social sustainability challenges, they need to mobilise all levels of society to develop and implement solutions that enable a needed change in our traditional ways of doing things. 

Various civil society actors – such as NGOs, associations, social entrepreneurs, cooperatives, communities, individuals – have an important role in helping public services to cope with external disturbances. Local authorities, however, lack efficient methods for systematic interaction with civil society actors. A key challenge is to integrate civil society actors in innovation efforts and adapt the support structures to encompass also the eco-social dimension on the side of economic dimension. 

We make transition! -project will engage a great number of regional and local authorities, civil society and other innovation actors from the Baltic Sea region to learn, pilot and adapt a so-called Transition Arena method – a strategic tool of transition management. In this project the method is adapted to co-create a transnational inclusive sustainability vision, and at local levels pathways, concrete steps and initiatives to foster sustainability transitions focusing on the role of various civil society organisations. 

Each partner region will pilot (in cooperation with local authorities) local transition arenas that will focus on various eco-social sustainability topics, such as sustainable consumption, circular and sharing economy, biodiversity, food, mobility and sustainable work. The project will raise awareness among regional and local authorities on transition management and how to utilise the elements of Transition Arena co-creation process as a tool of engaging actors from different levels of society. The project aims also to empower civil society actors and improve the understanding of their role and potential in making transitions.

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Budgets

We make transition!
in numbers.
  • 3.30
    Million
    Total
  • 2.41
    Million
    Erdf
  • 0.14
    Million
    Norway

Top news

News

We make transition! recruited 30 change agents from the Baltic Sea region to make a joint sustainability vision and recommendations for cities and municipalities
Who are the We make transition! change agents? Partners of We make transition! selected and ...

News

Over 200 participants in Bioregion Forum, Latvia signed a Memorandum of goodwill to build together a sustainable bioregion in Gauja National Park
An international forum, "Mission - Creation of a Bioregion in the territory of the Gauja National ...

News

Answer the poll ! - Civil society involvement in activities supporting sustainability
Are you involved in civil society activities happening in your region to support sustainability?
Rawpixel.com – stock.adobe.com
680 Benefitting organisations 1 Solution(s) in preparation 1 Solution(s) plannedfor use / upscale 1 Pilotactivities 27 Organisationsin the project

We make transition!
in numbers.

  • 61.502046223.7628741
  • 61.502657523.763192753433394
  • 60.197289424.9282491
  • 60.451753122.2670522
  • 58.380120726.72245
  • 56.819110124.443474552107027
  • 57.313171225.2748551
  • 54.516498218.5402738
  • 54.508820418.5423992
  • 64.05073711.481908998592733
  • 53.1079645500000058.855664592828369
Lead partnerThe Baltic Institute of Finland
  • Town
    Tampere
  • Region
  • Country
    Finland
  • Region
    Pirkanmaa
Total partner budget
409,383.20
Council of Tampere Region
  • Town
    Tampere
  • Region
  • Country
    Finland
  • Region
    Pirkanmaa
Total partner budget
337,860.00
The Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council
  • Town
    Helsinki
  • Region
  • Country
    Finland
  • Region
    Helsinki-Uusimaa
Total partner budget
320,611.20
Regional Council of Southwest Finland
  • Town
    Turku
  • Region
  • Country
    Finland
  • Region
    Varsinais-Suomi
Total partner budget
331,185.60
Foundation for Science and Liberal Arts Domus Dorpatensis
  • Town
    Tartu
  • Region
  • Country
    Estonia
  • Region
    Lõuna-Eesti
Total partner budget
470,270.40
Social Innovation Centre
  • Town
    Daugmale, Daugmales parish, Ķekavas municipality
  • Region
  • Country
    Latvia
  • Region
    Pierīga
Total partner budget
245,988.80
Vidzeme Planning Region
  • Town
    Cēsis
  • Region
  • Country
    Latvia
  • Region
    Vidzeme
Total partner budget
186,692.00
Baltic Institute for Regional Affairs BISER
  • Town
    Gdynia
  • Region
  • Country
    Poland
  • Region
    Trójmiejski
Total partner budget
197,828.70
City of Gdynia
  • Town
    Gdynia
  • Region
  • Country
    Poland
  • Region
    Trójmiejski
Total partner budget
177,993.70
Trøndelag County Authority
  • Town
    Steinkjer
  • Region
  • Country
    Norway
  • Region
    Trøndelag
Total partner budget
278,543.50
University of Bremen
  • Town
    Bremen
  • Region
  • Country
    Germany
  • Region
    Bremen, Kreisfreie Stadt
Total partner budget
338,184.80

Contacts

News

News

We make transition! recruited 30 change agents from the Baltic Sea region to make a joint sustainability vision and recommendations for cities and municipalities
Who are the We make transition! change agents? Partners of We make transition! selected and ...

News

Over 200 participants in Bioregion Forum, Latvia signed a Memorandum of goodwill to build together a sustainable bioregion in Gauja National Park
An international forum, "Mission - Creation of a Bioregion in the territory of the Gauja National ...

News

Gdynia discussion on sustainable consumption encouraged to take action: "Be brave, become a leader"
A thematic discussion on sustainable consumption was organized in Gdynia, Poland in September ...

News

We make transition! partners met and trained transition arena process in Tallinn
We make transition! -project partners met in Tallinn on 10-11 October - in inspiring Telliskivi ...

News

Discussion on sustainable agriculture attracted 20 participants in the rural municipality of Hämeenkyrö, Finland
We make transition! group discussion on sustainable agriculture and lifestyle was organised in ...

News

Answer the poll ! - Civil society involvement in activities supporting sustainability
Are you involved in civil society activities happening in your region to support sustainability?

News

Civil society actors in Namdalen, Norway prioritized social inclusion, circular economy, and social entrepreneurship
Two focus group discussions were organised in Namdalen, Trøndelag region, Norway as a part of the ...

News

„Let’s focus on the greenery!” – Gdynia’s brainstorming session highlighted citizens’ needs.
In August 2023, the City Hall of Gdynia organised a focus group discussion as part of We make ...

News

Biodegradable waste management and Bioregion development opportunities were discussed in Vidzeme region, Latvia
As part of the We Make Transition! project, the Vidzeme Planning Region, in cooperation with the ...

News

Helsinki-Uusimaa focus groups discussed sharing economy, sustainable food and use of buildings
“Is a selection of ten different ketchup brands really freedom of choice? Making truly sustainable ...

News

Focus group discussions on “sustainable food“ and “involvement of young generation” in Bremen
In May 2023 the university of Bremen organised as part of We make transition! -project two focus ...

News

Insights from focus groups in Uusikaupunki and Kemiönsaari, Southwest Finland
“More local talk about sustainability, please!” In Southwest Finland We make transition! ...

News

Sustainable lifestyle, biodiversity and sustainable employment were discussed in Tampere focus groups
We need cooperation between various actors in society to achieve a sustainable future! During spring ...

News

Value of civil society actors - Answer the poll!
What do you think, what are the most important roles and added value that the civil society actors ...

News

WMT! webinars - recordings available
We make transition! project have organised a series of webinars on sustainability transitions, role ...

News

Project kickoff event was organised in Helsinki, 9-10 March 2023
The first live partner meeting and a kickoff seminar with a key note speaker Derk Loorbach, Director ...

Events

No upcoming events
    25
    May
    How to adopt alternative economy models in cities to develop a wellbeing society?
    Project: We make transition!
    Virtual Meeting
    25. May 2023
    12:00 - 14:00 (EEST)
    09
    May
    Transition Arena as a tool of participatory governance for sustainability transition
    Project: We make transition!
    Virtual Meeting
    09. May 2023
    13:00 - 15:30 (EEST)
    25
    April
    What is the role of civil society in making sustainability transition? - Cases from Trondheim and Tampere
    Project: We make transition!
    Virtual Meeting
    25. April 2023
    10:00 - 12:30 (EEST)

      Images

      Project pictures
      03/2023
      Project partner meeting in Helsinki, 9 March 2023
      03/2023
      Kickoff seminar in Helsinki, 10 March 2023
      03/2023

      Project pictures 03/2023 (2 images)

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      Project partner meeting in Helsinki, 9 March 2023 03/2023 (5 images)

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      WMT! Partners

      Kickoff seminar in Helsinki, 10 March 2023 03/2023 (5 images)

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      Derk Loorbach
      Johanna Leino
      Speakers of seminar
      Venla Virkamäki & Derk Loorbach
      Study visit to eco-social community "Kerava Upcycling"

      Videos

      Interview with Derk Loorback, Direcor of Dutch Institute for Transitions - DRIFT
      Video 1 of 1