The year-long We Make Transition project, established by the Baltic Sea Institute, ended at the end of November 2025.The project supported local actors to work together to make Pirkanmaa more sustainable, and we as an association were invited to participate in the project. In addition to Finland, actors from other Baltic Sea countries were involved.
The We Make Transition project brought together the views and ideas of civil society and other local actors on sustainable living, agriculture and food, biodiversity and the circular and sharing economy. In Finland, the project aims to promote green transition and resilience in Pirkanmaa. The change will be made at the grassroots level by planning and implementing together.
The project enabled joint working and learning with civil society, local government, researchers and businesses. The methodology used was that of "arenas of change". A 'breakthrough arena' is a method of co-production of information that allows the interaction of different societal developments with the phenomenon under consideration to be structured.
Second Hand Tampere represented by the two founders of the association
We were joined in the project by our chair Leena Aalto and vice-chair Anne Korkala. Board member Kristiina Paananen participated in the workshops.
The mission of our association is to increase the visibility and appreciation of second-hand goods, support circular economy traders and strengthen cooperation in the sector both locally in Tampere and nationally.
As a not-for-profit association, our core values are ecological and ethical action, community and equality, guided by optimism and a solution-oriented approach.
Tampere, Finland's capital of second-hand goods, has a vibrant and diverse circular economy hub, including second-hand, antique and vintage shops, flea markets and a variety of rental, repair and maintenance services.
Our aim is to bring together this growing group of entrepreneurs, highlight their work and make it as easy as possible for consumers to find shops and services - for example through the Second Hand Tampere map.
The need for an organisation like SHT has been undeniable: our growing sector needs coordination, representation and a stronger voice. We want to promote responsible consumption and circular economy practices at the consumer level.
In the two years of our association's existence, a broader focus has become building an ecosystem that supports lifecycle-extending services for products - and ultimately contributes to the well-being of consumers, entrepreneurs, communities, cities, economies, the country and the planet.
How we participated in the Arena
WMT provided us with a network of people with similar values from foundations and other associations. During the year, we have met people and organisations that would have been impossible to reach on our own at this scale.
Over the past year, we have presented our work to other participants in the transition arena, participated in discussions and workshops, met other green transition actors, local politicians and city representatives, and received valuable guidance from Johanna Leino and her team, who have supported and helped us outside the formal meetings.
The discussions and processing of the themes have clarified our task and given us the courage and confidence to go forward. The positive feedback from deputy mayors and politicians has been particularly meaningful to our volunteer-driven team.
Although the City of Tampere has not yet supported our activities financially, the Areena offered several concrete benefits and opportunities such as:
- Access to the city's interim space provider, which gave us a working and sales space in Kaleva Hall for six months.
- Johanna Leino and her trainees help Second Hand Tampere to set up its own space in Kaleva Hall as a temporary space operator.
- The organisation of repair workshops in cooperation with the city.
- 1000 € grant for the visibility of the association and the development of the SHT website.
- Accelerating discussions with the city and Visit Tampere on how to co-market Tampere as the capital of second hand and repair.
What was the impact of the project for us as an association
After only two years as a grassroots association, Murrosareena provided us with an excellent platform to be heard and to steer our activities towards stronger networks - both with other Murrosareena participants and with different city departments. It also provided us with important international contacts in countries such as Norway and Latvia.
We have also received appreciative feedback from our members, whose cause we promote. We represent an industry made up of small entrepreneurs, whose numbers will grow in the future as the circular economy grows.
Thank you Johanna Leino, the Baltic Sea Institute and the whole Murrosareena team for your work and the opportunity to be part of the project! We are grateful for this opportunity and the positive start of cooperation with all participants and the City of Tampere.
We have found here the same tirelessness and dedication that we have in Second Hand Tampere. But this is just the beginning. We now need the support of the City of Tampere to take the next step and secure the necessary funding to carry out SHT's effective and professional work to further the city's own green transition and carbon neutrality goals. We can do this. Let us do it.
More information on the project can be found here
https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/we-make-transition/
https://www.youtube.com/@WeMakeTransition/videos
Photo by Tuomas Jaakkola
