Together READING — Involvement, community and well-being in the Sámi regionLappi region was in a worse situation than the national average in 2014 on the basis of several indicators of disadvantage. From the perspective of young people in the region, there are concerns about substance abuse, low physical activity, computer gambling, mental health problems and sexuality issues. Long distances, lack of operators, lack of specific support and post-graduate studies and fragmentation of services pose challenges for supporting and guiding young people. It is therefore important to develop local multi-professional cooperation and operating models. According to 2014 statistics, unemployment rates are also relatively high in Enontekiö (18.9 %), Inari (17.9 %), Utsjoki (12.6 %) and Sodankylä (13.9 %). According to statistics for the same year, youth unemployment (aged 18-24) was high in the municipality of Inari (19.8 %). The proportion of 20-64-year-olds experiencing a deterioration in their ability to work is high in the Lapland region (26.3 %). According to the Employment Survey of the Lapland Region (March 2016), unemployment among upper secondary graduates and the situation of the long-term unemployed are a particular challenge. Unemployment has increased in service, sales, office, customer service and expert positions. The project seeks solutions to prevent exclusion and promote well-being and inclusion in the Sámi region. The project is implemented by the Diakonia University of Applied Sciences and the municipality of Enontekiö. The partners are the congregations of Utsjoki, Sodankylä, Inari and Enontekiö and the municipality of Utsjoki. The cooperation partners of the project are the Church Board and the Diocese of Oulu. In the deaconic work of the churches, people who are poorly placed to promote their own well-being and who are at risk of being marginalised are particularly confronted with their own deacons. The youth work of the parishes, in turn, reaches young people in the region through their activities. By pooling the resources of parishes, municipalities and organisations and by jointly developing their activities, it is possible to increase the accessibility, inclusion, activity, ability to work and the effectiveness of the services provided to people in vulnerable situations and at risk of social exclusion. The project will produce concrete ways to strengthen the inclusion, community, work capacity and overall well-being of the residents of the region, and make visible the inclusion and well-being activities carried out by the congregations. The project will provide the Sámi region with development resources for social rehabilitation, participatory methods, multi-professional cooperation and online service activities, which would not otherwise be possible. The activities of the project include different low-threshold activities (groups, clubs, operational events, events), specific online assistance to young people, peer-to-peer activities, outreach (home visits, other contacts), mobilisation of church and organisations volunteering, interventions to promote health and well-being, joint development workshops (multiprofessional networks and multidisciplinary actors), prevention and cooperation with entrepreneurs. As a result, the participation, community and well-being of the target group and other Sámi residents will increase, thus reducing the risk of exclusion. With the project, local (municipal/municipal associations) cooperation will be more structured, effective and more accessible to the inhabitants of the region. Members of the target group are inspired to be active and involved in planning, implementing and evaluating activities. Developing preventive and low-threshold activities (peer support, different resource groups, community events and events, village take-offs, voluntary activities) in particular through cooperation between parishes and organisations will strengthen a wider sense of community, inclusion and active citizenship. Through outreach work and long-term targeted customer-oriented support as well as guidance (social counselling, lifestyle counselling, individual meetings) we increase accessibility and improve individual resources, faith in one’s own competence, work ability and well-being. The resources of the unemployed and those at risk of unemployment will increase as well as the ability to work, and the project will open up opportunities for different types of volunteering, training paths and job opportunities. Through training and workshop activities, the professional skills related to social rehabilitation and resource-enhancing methods of social, health and church workers will be strengthened and the cooperation roles clarified.