• The "We have a town for you" project is led by the Sierra del Segura Local Action Group
• It is primarily aimed at entrepreneurs from within and outside the province of Albacete who are interested in establishing themselves in the area.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the depopulation of the Sierra de Segura region with the lowest population density in the province of Albacete (Castilla-La Mancha). This situation has prompted the Sierra del Segura Local Action Group (LAG) to take action.

Thus, the website "We have a town for you" was created in August 2021 in response to the pressing need to take measures to curb growing depopulation in an area with fewer than 16,000 inhabitants.

"The intention was to provide the resources available in the region to those interested in starting a business or coming to work who contacted the GAL," says GAL manager Rafael Fernández.

The goal is to identify all the resources the region can make available to entrepreneurs or new residents so that the website can serve as a driving force.

The GAL operates in the twelve towns in the region: Ayna, Bogarra, Férez, Elche de la Sierra, Letur, Liétor, Molinicos, Nerpio, Paterna del Madera, Riópar, Socovos, and Yeste.

Available resources

The “We have a town for you” website has the following information for new residents:

1. Repopulation of the Region : provides useful information on the area's possibilities, the municipality's profile, communication channels with the administration, etc.
2. Job Offers: Combines and facilitates job opportunities in a single space, taking into account a person's resume and experience.
3. Housing: Acts as an intermediary between private homeowners or public housing managers and new residents.
4. Services: Provides information on healthcare, school, cultural, and social services in the municipality and region, as well as other information of interest. It also provides other resources, such as land for agricultural use.

The GAL thus acts as a hinge: as a support that, on the one hand, gathers all the information of interest that a new resident might have difficulty finding or that is unavailable; and, on the other, establishes a filter to ensure that new residents are interested in settling and fosters revitalization and entrepreneurship in the region.

It also carries out important informational work regarding the aid and incentives available for each type of entrepreneur in the region.

The start of a long-term project

Although 'We Have a Town for You' is still in its early stages, the GAL is gathering information from local councils, government agencies, and individuals, identifying resources, and engaging the local people to collaborate on its repopulation .

The project is part of the GAL's Territorial Animation program with LEADER funds, and is financed 90% by EAFRD funds, 7% by Castilla-La Mancha funds, and 3% by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food.