Shaping Municipal Futures Together: Experiences from Rantasalmi, Kouvola and Pyhtää

These questions were explored in the KaakkoACT project’s lunchtime webinar on 26 October 2026, which focused on practical applications of foresight in Finnish municipalities. Jarkko Sanisalo, Director of Administration at the Municipality of Rantasalmi, shared experiences of using the Delphi method in municipal strategy development. The City of Kouvola presented its efforts to embed foresight in everyday decision-making and service development, while an upcoming pilot in Pyhtää will explore ways to bring the perspectives of different generations into local decision-making.

Rantasalmi began its strategy process by exploring the future

Where should municipal strategy development begin? In Rantasalmi, the municipality decided to reconsider the conventional approach. Before defining strategic objectives, it sought to understand how different stakeholders perceived the municipality’s future and what kind of future they wanted to create.

The decision was partly driven by uncertainty surrounding local government. Changes to central government funding, the reform of employment services and the restructuring of health and social services had raised questions about the future responsibilities and financial position of Finnish municipalities. With so many immediate concerns, Rantasalmi wanted to look beyond the challenges of the present.

The municipality chose the Delphi method to support this process. Traditionally used to gather and examine expert opinions, Delphi was applied in Rantasalmi with a broader understanding of expertise. People who live, work, run businesses or otherwise have a connection to the municipality were regarded as valuable contributors to discussions about its future.

More than a thousand comments on the municipality’s future

A call for participants in summer 2025 attracted 68 people. The Delphi process took place over three rounds in August 2025. During the first round, participants responded independently to ten statements about possible future developments, without seeing other participants’ responses. In the second round, they were able to review and comment on each other’s views. The final round focused on issues where opinions differed or where further discussion was needed.

The process generated approximately 1,250 comments, from which around 120 ideas and potential measures were identified. This material was subsequently used alongside other foresight analyses in the municipal council’s strategy workshops.

According to Sanisalo, the Delphi findings made a substantial contribution to the municipality’s new vision and strategic priorities. Five strategic objectives were established: a diverse business environment and an experimental approach to municipal development; high-quality education and learning services; energy self-sufficiency and well-functioning infrastructure; an active and participatory municipality; and balanced municipal finances.

Public engagement continued after the Delphi process. Feedback was invited on the draft strategy, young people were given a dedicated opportunity to discuss its content, and residents could submit further suggestions for developing the municipality.

A participatory approach brought new perspectives to strategy development

Sanisalo described the overall reception as largely positive, although the approach also prompted some questions. Why ask residents about matters that elected representatives have been chosen to decide? Could the information collected in advance steer political decisions too strongly?

These concerns highlight the relationship between participation and representative democracy. The purpose of the Delphi process was to provide elected representatives with a broader evidence base and a better understanding of local perspectives, while leaving decisions in their hands.

Although the additional consultation required time and preparation, Sanisalo felt that it also helped streamline the subsequent strategy process. With a substantial body of views and arguments already available, decision-makers could work with a clearer understanding of what different stakeholders considered important.

Sanisalo regarded the experience as successful and would be willing to use a similar approach again. The process provided useful insights for municipal strategy development while offering learning opportunities for both the municipal organisation and the participants.

Kouvola is integrating foresight into everyday decision-making

SWhile Rantasalmi used foresight as a foundation for strategic planning, the City of Kouvola has approached its development through day-to-day municipal operations.

Joonas Honkimaa, Development Manager at the City of Kouvola, explained how foresight practices are being developed within the city’s employment and business services as part of the KaakkoACT project.

The work follows a four-stage framework: Observe and Understand, Decide, Implement, and Evaluate and Learn. Each stage is guided by practical questions that connect available information to decisions and their consequences.

• What is changing in the operating environment, and who will be affected?
• What action should be taken, and what would happen if nothing were done?
• What benefits are expected, and what risks might arise?
• Once measures have been implemented, have they produced the intended effects, and what should be done differently next time?

Honkimaa emphasised that starting within employment and business services has helped keep foresight closely connected to practical needs. The work draws on labour market, customer and business data, as well as information gathered through direct contact with companies. This helps identify emerging recruitment and skills needs and supports the planning of vocational training and employment services.

Another example is Kouvola’s skills roadmap, which has also been discussed as part of the city’s political decision-making process. The longer-term ambition is to strengthen the connection between foresight and strategic decisions across the city organisation. Experience gained within one service area can provide a foundation for extending foresight practices to other municipal functions.

The next steps include developing an annual foresight calendar to coordinate the production and use of future-oriented information with municipal planning and decision-making cycles. This would help ensure that relevant insights are available when decisions are being prepared.

The work has also encouraged employees to consider their own responsibilities and opportunities from a longer-term perspective. As Honkimaa observed, the value of foresight lies partly in recognising that the future is open to influence, even though it cannot be predicted with certainty.

Pyhtää is bringing the perspectives of different generations into local decision-making

In the final presentation, Enni Jaatinen, RDI Specialist in the KaakkoACT project, introduced a pilot scheduled to begin in Pyhtää in November 2026.

The pilot builds on an earlier phase of KaakkoACT in which regional analyses of current conditions and alternative future outlooks were developed. These provided the basis for identifying practical initiatives to strengthen regional vitality. One of the ideas developed in Kymenlaakso is now being taken forward in collaboration with the Municipality of Pyhtää.

The pilot aims to strengthen opportunities for residents of different ages to contribute their views to municipal development and decision-making. Existing community forums will be used to engage people from different generations and gather their perspectives.

Jaatinen highlighted the importance of communication flowing in several directions. Residents’ views should reach those preparing and making decisions, while participants should also gain a better understanding of other residents’ experiences and the processes through which municipal decisions are made.

The pilot will explore how this exchange of perspectives can support more inclusive local development and strengthen understanding between generations.

KaakkoACT project: Turning foresight into action

Municipalities operate within wider economic, demographic and political conditions that are often beyond their direct control. Nevertheless, local decisions influence how communities respond to change and what opportunities they create for the future.

Foresight helps municipalities recognise where choices can be made, consider alternative courses of action and provide a stronger basis for decision-making.

The central aim of the KaakkoACT project is to turn foresight knowledge into action. By sharing practical experiences from municipalities such as Rantasalmi, Kouvola and Pyhtää, we hope to encourage more local authorities, organisations, businesses and communities to develop their own foresight practices.

Our lunchtime webinar series will continue in December. Further details will be announced soon. We look forward to continuing the discussion.  

For further information: Kati Viljakainen

The KaakkoACT project, Turning Foresight Knowledge into Action, is co-funded by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). It develops foresight capabilities and promotes the use of foresight knowledge in regional development and decision-making across Kymenlaakso, South Karelia and South Savo. The project is part of a wider group of initiatives addressing labour market skills matching.

KaakkoACT project website

The article’s illustration was created primarily using AI.

This article was originally written in Finnish. The English version was translated and adapted using ChatGPT. While it is not a word-for-word translation, it largely reflects the content and meaning of the original article.