• Connectivity, access to basic services, transportation, and the opportunity for employment are some of the most important and necessary elements to ensure that people choose to stay in the region.
• The health and socioeconomic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed a clear commitment to a change in lifestyle, oriented towards rural areas.

The event, titled "Facilitators of Settlement in Rural Areas, Get to Know Them!", aimed to raise awareness of the various resources and organizations working in rural areas that facilitate the settlement of young people and other interested individuals in the area, offering information on access to housing, employment opportunities, and assistance aimed at training and entrepreneurship. To this end, the event was structured into two roundtable discussions, with the participation of coordinators and technicians from the organizations to disseminate and provide information to the more than 160 attendees.

Access to housing

Initially, initiatives were presented aimed at facilitating the start of a life project in rural areas, primarily through access to housing:

• Isabel Catalán presented the ARRAIGO project as the person responsible for entrepreneurship and territorial matters in the Community of Madrid. This project is linked to the regional government and dedicated to providing information aimed at "matching the town with the individual."
• Juan Manuel Palentino, who belongs to COCEDER , explained the Return to the Village project where they work with different groups that provide information on housing, land, or businesses in various territories, seeking to settle the population.
• Leonor Cólliga , a rural development technician at the CEPAIM Foundation , explained the New Paths initiative, which, in several phases, gathers information about the area, works with beneficiaries, and monitors the integration process of all participants.
• Patricia Sanchón, from the CEDER Somontano association He showcased the Pueblos Vivos project, which focuses on Aragon and in which they collaborate with other entities, gathering information and contact information about the municipalities participating in the initiative and then contacting potential new settlers, following the process of those who decide to settle in one of the towns.
• Ramón Pradera presented the Come Live in a Town initiative, which offers a series of housing, job, and transfer programs aimed at facilitating the settlement of those who want to move to a town.

Employment and entrepreneurship

In the second panel discussion, information on employment and entrepreneurship was provided.

• José Luis Vaca , managing partner of Rural Bridge He commented on the importance of valuing endogenous resources, as well as having innovative ideas and empowering entrepreneurs who create social and sustainable projects.
• Laura Corchado of the Ruralízate project highlighted the importance of supporting entrepreneurs, generating new projects for young people, and providing strategic consulting as a way to monitor and evaluate initiatives.
• Xavi Martínez , coordinator of entrepreneurship programs at the Roberto Rivas Foundation in Galicia, showed how innovative, social, and sustainable entrepreneurship is possible if training, knowledge about business development, and knowledge of business opportunities are provided.
• César Marcos explained the Puebla Program , which is part of the Alliances for Sustainable Agriculture (ALAS) program and works to halt the gradual abandonment of agricultural and livestock farming activities, due to the fact that fewer and fewer young people are attracted to this profession due to the difficulties they encounter.
• María del Mar Martín , director of the Abraza la Tierra Foundation , shared the importance of inter-territorial cooperation, disseminating information about rural areas through the media, and learning about business opportunities in different territories, supporting new settlers in their employment settlement process.

The meeting included a speaking opportunity, which demonstrated the great interest of the attendees in this topic, as it was well attended. Participants shared their experiences and questions they had about certain issues. Among the questions, they asked about possible support lines, job and housing grants, and entrepreneurship training activities.

All the information about this meeting can be found at the following link , as well as on the RRN social networks: Twitter , Facebook and YouTube .