Activity Plan

Activity Plans for Sámi Organisations

In order to create an activity plan for a Sámi organisation, you will need to closely link your strategic goals to the needs of the Sámi community, while also taking practical and cultural conditions into account. Strong activity plans are built around four cornerstones:

1. The Sámi Context as a Starting Point

In order to ensure that your activities support your overall purpose,  they should be organised around the core areas of your organisation. These will typically be:

• Language Revitalisation: Set concrete dates and assign coordinators for activities such as language exchanges, study groups and intensive language nests.

• Culture and Traditional Knowledge (Duodji/Árbbediehto): Plan craft evenings, cultural days and intergenerational gatherings where traditional knowledge can be shared and passed on.

• Children and Youth: Plan targeted initiatives, such as youth gatherings and camps, to engage the next generation.

• Rights and Advocacy: Plan when the organisation will participate in municipal consultations, prepare official responses on land rights issues or attend conferences organised by the Sámi Parliament.

2. Adapt Your Calendar to the Sámi Year

One of the most important and unique aspects of a Sámi organisation is adapting the calendar of activities to the Sámi seasons and traditional tasks. When setting dates in your activity plan, you should consciously avoid scheduling major  meetings, courses, or important consultations during busy periods of the reindeer herding year – such as the calving period in May, the calf-marking period which falls over midsummer, or the autumn and winter round-ups. By planning around these seasonal events, you can make sure that your members will be able to participate.

3. Clarity for Funders and Partners

Since the activity plan is often submitted as part of applications for core funding and project funding from the Sámi Parliament, the municipalities, or the regional councils, it needs to provide a clear picture of what you intend to do. Instead of simply writing ‘hold courses’, you could write, for example, that you will ‘run a weekend course in South Sámi during October for 12 participants.’ This shows funders that your activities are well considered and will also make it much easier for you to report results in your annual report at the end of the year.

4. Practical Division of Responsibility (Who, What, When?)

In order to ensure the activity plan serves as a living tool rather than a wish list that gathers dust, it should be structured in a clear matrix. This will enable the board to quickly check on progress at every meeting.