TY - GEN N1 - 24 cm N2 - Due to the fact that Poland accessed European Union in 2004 its rural areas have been supported by a broad stream of structural funds. These, through various programmes and different financial mechanisms, have gradually contributed to the modernization of rural areas. One of the most effective means of this support was LEADER, whose recognition in Poland is the largest among all EU member states. This tool, which involves activation of local communities, has proved to be an effective response to the real needs of specific people – educational needs were considered especially important. The article analysed how and to what extent LEADER mechanism supports educational processes in rural areas. All 27.5 thousand LEADER projects implemented in 2007–2013 financial perspective in Poland were analysed. Both local development strategies and cooperation projects were taken into account. In the case of the latter, the educational component, however, proved to be of marginal importance. In the framework of the implementation of local development strategies educational initiatives accounted for a quarter of all projects. They included a variety of forms, however two main groups of activities were distinguished: direct and indirect support of education. Indirect support initiatives were in majority on a country scale as well as in individual LGDs (Local Action Groups) – both in terms of number and expense. Most of them involved constructing dayrooms in the villages. Countrywide projects directly supporting education were of a relatively minor importance. Analyses of the number and value of educational projects did not show significant spatial relationships. The universality of „hard” investments, especially rural dayrooms, which involve a large amount of funds unifies spatial structure image of the projects. L1 - http://www.rcin.org.pl/igipz/Content/58068/PDF/WA51_78055_r2015-t40_SOW-Sykala.pdf M3 - Text J2 - Studia Obszarów Wiejskich = Rural Studies, t. 40 PY - 2015 EP - 94 KW - LEADER mechanism KW - Local Action Group KW - education KW - rural areas A1 - Sykała, Łukasz A1 - Dej, Magdalena A1 - Wolski, Oskar PB - PAN IGiPZ PB - PTG VL - 40 CY - Warszawa SP - 81 T1 - Wsparcie edukacji na obszarach wiejskich z wykorzystaniem programu LEADER = Educaation support on rural areas by means of the LEADER Programme UR - http://www.rcin.org.pl/igipz/dlibra/publication/edition/58068 ER -