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Rural Decide Deliberations – shared takeaways and ideas for the future of rural areas

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Infopack • Euro-Engagement

Rural Decide Deliberations – shared takeaways and recommendations

On 27–28 January 2026, we met in Międzybrodzie Bialskie (Ośrodek Społecznik, ul. Żywiecka 67) for Rural Decide Deliberations (WP7), delivered as part of the Euro-Engagement project.

Date: 27–28 Jan 2026
Place: Międzybrodzie Bialskie, Poland
Format: Workshops + country exchange

Why we met

This was the project’s closing event—created as a space where people living in rural areas and partners from several countries could meet to exchange experiences, name the most urgent challenges, and jointly shape recommendations that can inform EU policies.

With partners from Spain, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Poland, and young people and adults from rural areas in Poland, the conversation stayed grounded in everyday reality: access to transport and services, what works, what doesn’t, and what repeats across countries in surprisingly similar ways.

How we worked over two days

Day 1 was workshop-based. We introduced the Euro-Engagement framework and the purpose of Rural Decide Deliberations, then moved into group work—including our original game, “City of the Future”. The game helped teams move quickly from broad ideas to concrete choices: what decisions truly improve life in smaller communities, what is most urgent, what blocks change, and where communication between residents and institutions breaks down.

Day 2 focused on comparing the rural situation in partner countries. We mapped similarities, highlighted shared priorities, and shaped the points that should be reflected in the final outcome: the Rural Decide Declaration—a joint set of priorities for the future of rural Europe.

Recommendations developed during the deliberations

We didn’t want to finish with a “wish list.” The recommendations below were shaped to be understandable, practical, and ready to apply—locally or at a systemic level.

1) Mobility must be reliable—otherwise it cuts people off from opportunities. The issue is often not distance, but predictability. When public transport is infrequent, inconsistent, or disconnected from real school and work hours, access to education, jobs, and healthcare shrinks fast— especially for young people, seniors, and residents without a car.
2) Some solutions can start “tomorrow,” even without large budgets. Practical options include neighbour-based ride-sharing (e.g., a simple phone/WhatsApp group with clear rules) and a predictable weekly “community shuttle day” on essential routes (clinic, offices, station), delivered with local organisations or the Volunteer Fire Brigade (OSP).
3) Within the village, safety and independence matter. Everyday routes—school, shops, neighbours, evening movement—can be improved through locally organised steps such as a “walking bus” for children, reflective-gear campaigns, and community mapping of safe routes.
4) We need places that hold people together, not only one-off events. When communities age and young people leave, villages lose not only residents but also the energy to act. Creating a community anchor—a stable, accessible meeting space (OSP room, library corner, classroom after lessons)—helps keep participation open and regular.
5) Regularity matters more than fireworks. Small, repeatable activities rebuild trust best: weekly tea, repair evenings, intergenerational meet-ups, local history circles, or cooking together.
6) When services disappear, strengthen local self-help and micro-economies. Purchasing cooperatives and recurring “pop-up market days” with local producers can fill gaps in access, while also strengthening local ties and the local economy.
7) To prevent initiatives from fading, volunteering needs roles and responsibilities. Goodwill isn’t enough long term. Clear roles—coordinators for seniors’ support, youth activities, and communication—help keep responsibilities from dissolving over time.
8) Residents’ voices are stronger when they are concise, documented, and consistent. A one-page brief (3–5 points) supported by simple evidence (photos, maps of missing connections, lists of cancelled routes, short testimonies) travels further—especially when shared consistently through channels decision-makers actually use (consultations, council sessions, petitions).
9) A good proposal is feasible and measurable. One problem in one place, one realistic solution, a minimum expected outcome, who benefits and why it matters—plus a pilot idea and timeline. “Doable” proposals move from discussion to budgets faster.
The collected experiences and recommendations will continue to inform Euro-Engagement work. The key shared outcome of WP7 will be the Rural Decide Declaration—a joint set of priorities shaped from residents’ and partners’ voices.

Photo gallery

Rural Decide Deliberations – workshop moment
Workshop
Rural Decide Deliberations – group work
Group work
Rural Decide Deliberations – discussion
Discussion
Rural Decide Deliberations – participants
Participants
Rural Decide Deliberations – session snapshot
Session
Rural Decide Deliberations – workshop snapshot
Workshop
Rural Decide Deliberations – teamwork snapshot
Teamwork
Rural Decide Deliberations – closing moment
Closing
Co-funded by the European Union

This project is co-funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union.

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