A village in fairy-tale Lapland will pay families with children who agree to move: what's the catch?
Lapland is a land of amazing landscapes, aurora borealis, endless forests and snow-covered expanses. This region is associated with Christmas fairy tales, reindeer, Santa Claus, and winter adventures.
Unfortunately, this corner of Northern Europe is facing a serious problem: demographic decline. Euronews spoke to the local authorities about what measures they plan to take to improve the situation .
Glommerströsk, a small town in Lapland known for its picturesque scenery, is facing a serious demographic crisis. In the 1950s, its population was about 1,000, but now it has only 200 residents.
A village in fabulous Lapland
Source: facebook.com/glommerstrask
The situation with school-age children has become particularly critical - there are so few of them, 23 in fact, that the local primary school is under threat of closure. In this case, students will be forced to travel about 40 kilometers every day to the nearest school in Arvidsyaur.
The secondary school had already closed in 2009 after the number of students dropped to 18. This situation forced the local authorities and the community to look for innovative solutions to restore life in the village.
A village in fabulous Lapland
Source: facebook.com/glommerstrask
Moving conditions: what is on offer?
The local organization Glommersbygdens Framtid, which means "The Future of Glommersbygdens," has launched a financial incentive program to attract new residents. They offer families with children a financial assistance of SEK 10,000 (about 875 euros) for moving to the community.
A village in fabulous Lapland
Source: facebook.com/glommerstrask
The first five families who decide to settle in Glommerstorsk will receive this reward. However, there are conditions: children must attend a local Parkskolan school for at least one school year.
In addition to financial assistance, Glommersbygdens Framtid will help families find housing and even provide a list of possible vacancies in the region. Interestingly, the program is open not only to citizens of the European Union but also to those who have a residence permit in Sweden. Thus, the opportunity to move to Lapland is open to many people.
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