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Late June found us in Jyväskylä, Finland, a city surrounded by beautiful lakes and forests, but also actively exploring sustainable urban solutions. We joined partners from cities across Europe—including Tartu, Malmö, Tilburg, Budapest, The region of Western Macedonia, and Jyväskylä itself—to share experiences, exchange ideas, and collaborate on advancing sharing economy projects that support sustainable and connected communities.
During the meeting, Eutropian facilitated workshops led by Daniela Patti that focused on planning local community events, supporting policy development, engaging citizens, and developing ways to measure the impact of sharing initiatives.
We shared experiences around Good Cities Days—local events aimed at involving communities in sharing projects. Daniela guided the group through how these events influence local policies, foster citizen participation, and deliver tangible results. Partners explored the various roles cities can play—whether as owners, hosts, investors, or data providers—and what’s needed for projects to be sustainable.
Engaging citizens effectively was a key focus. Daniela helped partners identify who they are involving, assess how people have participated so far, and develop strategies to strengthen collaboration moving forward. Keeping engagement ongoing and inclusive remains both a challenge and an opportunity.
To better understand the outcomes of sharing economy initiatives, Daniela led partners in defining clear goals, selecting relevant indicators, establishing monitoring systems, and planning for challenges. Transparent reporting was also emphasized as essential for building trust and learning.
Beyond the workshops, we experienced Jyväskylä’s Resource Wisdom approach—a practical philosophy combining careful resource use, flexible shared spaces, smart mobility, and strong ties to nature.
Our visits included Villa Rana, a shared space blending coworking and culture; a guided walk to the Main Library, the historic University Campus area, and the Toivola Old Courtyard, a vibrant place showcasing local heritage.
The tour of the Kangas district, named Finland’s City District of the Year 2024, revealed how an old industrial area is being transformed into a smart, sustainable neighborhood. At Crazy Town, a coworking and innovation hub, we engaged in sessions on impact measurement and learning needs.