Sitra offers support for local summer jobs promoting the circular economy

The crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic is having a profound effect on parts of Finnish society. The impacts can be seen in companies, local authorities and the day-to-day lives of people. One consequence of the crisis will materialise as the spring progresses: many summer jobs will be cancelled.

Sitra is launching the “Circular Economy Summer Jobs” idea competition for Finnish municipalities, looking for projects and experiments promoting the circular economy to be implemented in the summer of 2020. The chosen authorities will hire a summer employee to implement the project with Sitra funding. We want to encourage municipalities to develop the circular economy to enhance the sustainability and resilience of their local economies.

The circular economy is an economic model in which production and consumption are based on the provision of services instead of ownership: sharing, renting and recycling products and goods. Valuable materials are not ultimately destroyed, but instead constantly redeveloped into new products. The circular economy can offer a competitive advantage for municipalities, strengthening the vitality of the regions and helping to achieve climate goals.

In the Circular Economy Summer Jobs idea competition, Finnish municipalities and local authorities can apply for funding for projects that:

1. promote the circular economy in the area;
2. are clearly new projects;
3. employ a summer employee (young or old).

Circular economy projects can relate to, for example, the reuse of materials, reducing waste, lengthening the life cycle of products, developing sharing services or converting a product into a service. The proposal can also be an insightful campaign, a communications measure or an effort to promote the circular economy in the municipality.

Each chosen local authority will hire a summer employee with Sitra funding the implementation of the planned project for a maximum duration of two months between 1 June to 30 September 2020. Funding will be granted to a maximum of 10 projects. Sitra’s circular economy specialists will make the decision on the chosen projects. The choices will stress the resolution of a problem, understanding the target group and the insightfulness and novelty of the idea. Sitra’s circular economy specialists will mentor the chosen municipalities in planning and implementing the project.

More information can be found on the Circular Economy Summer Jobs project page.