German contest to live in depopulated Soviet-era city proves global hit
I've written quite a bit about government incentives to get able-bodied and working folks to the areas that need it most. The approaches are all over the place, some are leaning into University partnerships, some are offering fixer-up homes or straight up cash. But this is a first of its kind program IMO, and I could see this model scaling well esp. for smaller and more rural cities.
Eisenhüttenstadt, a small little town on the border between Germany and Poland, has lost half of its town (~53,000 in 1989) in the past 3 decades. Those who have left are primarily young and the exact type of person these towns need to help support an aging population. It's the same story all over the world right now.
However, the gov't here is essentially offering a 2 week, 2-sided interview to prospects.
- Selected applicants + families get a furnished flat in the city centre for two weeks
- Interviews with potential employers
- A recreation package including a meet-and-greet at the local pub and hikes nearby
Prospective citizens get to see the best of the city, an inside-track on employment, and most importantly a window into whether they could assimilate well into the existing community.
The powers that be get to measure "fit" via measures that may not come through on paper.
More popular countries or cities can rely on an existing brand name or image, but unknown towns essentially have to build it themselves. This is a pretty good way to do it esp in the age of social media. The article mentions a family heard about the marketing for this program, and even though they weren't selected, moved there all on their own anyways.