DC NOISE

Lead Benefi ciaryRegion of Twente

Nijverheidstraat 30 PO BOX 1400 7500 BK Enschede The Netherlands +31 - (0)53 487 65 43 [email protected]

DEMOGRAPHICDC NOISE is an Interreg IVB North Sea Region project

with a total budget of more than 6 million and is

funded by the EU. Nine regions from fi ve countries in

Europe work together to deal with the consequences

of demographic change. These are the Region of

Twente (Lead Benefi ciary), the province of Zeeland

and Groningen in the Netherlands, the provinces

of West and East Flanders in Belgium, Knutepunkt

Sørlandet in Norway, Freie und Hansestadt Hanburg

and Kommunalverbund Niedersachsen/Bremen in

Germany and the University of Abertay Dundee in

Scotland. The project runs from June 2008 until

June 2011.

9

4

6

5

2

1

3

7

8

It’s your futureBesides climate change and globalisation, demographic change is recognised as one of the most signifi cant

challenges facing Europe and its regions. The implications of this are already becoming apparent. Demographic

change consists of different trends, like total population decline, diminishing number of young people, shrinking

labour force, ageing society, changing ethnic composition of population and changing household composition.

Demographic change has consequences for the quality of life. Action is needed: get ready for the future!

Demographic Change: New Opportunities In Shrinking EuropeWithin DC NOISE 9 partner regions work together. Joining a transnational project means a possibility to exchange

ideas, best practices and new policies and strategies on topics that are relevant in shrinking regions in Europe. It

helps to bring the subject on the agenda of national and regional authorities and gives fi nancial support, thereby

creating the necessary conditions for experiment, fi nding creative solutions and new strategies, and be ready for

the future.

Together they want to:Raise awareness amongst both private and public actors and involve these actors in the process;1.

Develop a better understanding of and fi nd solutions for the consequences of demographic change, especially in 2.

three identifi ed economy-related themes: labour market, services provision and innovative housing;

Implement strategies, transnational and demonstration pilots and concrete actions to deal with these 3.

consequences of demographic change;

Communicate the outcomes and best practices of the DC NOISE project in such a way that also other regions in 4.

the North Sea Region will be aware of the urgency and the consequences of demographic change in their policies

and actions.

1Region of TwenteThe Netherlands

+31 (0)53 487 65 432

Province of Groningen The Netherlands

+31 (0)50 316 49 113

Province of Zeeland The Netherlands

+31 (0)118 63 19 404

Knutepunkt Sørlandet Norway

+47 (0)47 38 17 60 635

Kommunalverbund Niedersachsen/Bremen Germany

+49 (0)42 211 66 96 6

Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg Germany

+49 (0)40 428 408 0947

Province of West-Flanders Belgium

+32 (0)50 40 73 518

Province of East-Flanders Belgium

+32 (0)9 267 86 999

University of Abertay Dundee Scotland

+44 (0)1382 30 84 20

ActivitiesImplementation of activities within the fi eld of the labour market, housing and service provision as well as raising

awareness, monitoring and adaptation strategies for areas of signifi cant population change are recognized by

DC NOISE partners as the common priorities. Actions will function as triggers and good examples in the process. Through

the implementation of 24 demonstration pilots and 3 transnational pilots several deliverables are expected.

For example:

50+ employment: senior policy, a job-seeker instrument, change in mentality towards retirement age, innovative •

methodology to transfer company specifi c core knowledge of older employees.

Housing and (care) services: new housing concepts combined with care and quality of life of the elderly, measures •

to prevent loneliness/accidents, analysis of ICT impact on day-to-day life.

Novel communication strategies to effectively increase stakeholders awareness and understanding of •

demographic change, using a transferable visualisation tool to generate scenarios identifying effects of

policy implementation.

You can fi nd more information about the activities at www.dcnoise.eu