Get to know Katrina!
I come from a beautiful Baltic sea region country – Latvia, nevertheless I have a strong connection with France where a have spent 10 years of my life. I have obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Geography at Sorbonne University and currently, I am studying Spatial planning at the University of Latvia where I am finalizing my Master These are about the implementation of Community led local development approach in urban areas. Curious and passionate about the human mind, spatial perception, interactions between different cultures and between humans, technologies, nature, and territory – I find myself well in spatial planning especially in rural development although I have experience also in strategic development planning of urban territories. I find it important to keep a multi-level approach in my work – weaving from local to regional, national and international level, from local community initiatives to European policy papers and all the way back.
Describe your work role
In ELARD I will work with the project Cowork4youth which is an analysis and research project with the aim to deliver policy suggestions to enhance youth employment opportunities in less developed EEA regions. The direct target groups are the, usually ignored, NEETs aged 25-29; particular emphasis is put on young mothers and the long-term unemployed.
ELARD as an expert partner in this project will have the possibility to contribute to all the project activities starting from policy baseline and pilot studies to the policy recommendations. The work will be organized within an expert group, gathering experts with different levels of involvement in youth work – practitioners and policy experts.
I will also work on activating the youth “network” within ELARD – youth have often been seen as a separate entity in policymaking, we would like to highlight the youth involvement and contribution to existing structures. Vibrant rural areas are those where everyone gets involved on the same bases with equal opportunities.
What do you think will be the best thing about working as a project manager for this project?
The project explores the employment prospects through collaborative practices, co-working spaces-as- ‘learning middle grounds` and other alternatives, which, in these times of changing economy and lifestyles, are topics of great importance. It is a chance to be a part of an important research project in this field and to contribute to improvement of youth employment situation in remoted rural areas. And ELARD with its expertise and large network is a great ground were to evolve as a professional in rural development field.
What do you think will be the best thing about working as a project manager for this project?
The project explores the employment prospects through collaborative practices, co-working spaces-as- ‘learning middle grounds` and other alternatives, which, in these times of changing economy and lifestyles, are topics of great importance. It is a chance to be a part of an important research project in this field and to contribute to improvement of youth employment situation in remoted rural areas. And ELARD with its expertise and large network is a great ground were to evolve as a professional in rural development field.
If you could have dinner with anyone in the world – who would you choose?
I adore mindful conversations at the dinner table – there would be a lot of great personalities with whom I would like to have a vagabonding conversation accompanied by some delicious food and a glass of red wine. In different stages of life, we need a different conversation with different people – right now I would like to have one with Picasso for his perception of reality and art and for his understanding of the rules that form this perception.