"Decisive for the success of a village development is ultimately the existence of committed and inno-vative personalities who take up plans and ideas, carry them forward and set village life in motion. ... The goal is the co-creation of social change and the co-responsibility of the individual for the social integration of all." This basic idea is in my diploma thesis. It is supported by the interplay of active people and community, of self-responsibility and empowerment. It can be found again in the concepts of social village development and caring community. I have implemented this idea in Neubrandenburg through offers for consulting and empowerment of actors in the villages: the training for village moderators, coaching of funding applications and the cooperation in the FORUM Rural Development and Demography Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.