1. Tarisznyatáborok/Knapsnack Kamps initiative
Project description:
The project was aiming to implement a one-week long camp for children in the age group of 10-14. The scope of the camp was to spark the interest of the underprivileged children of Litke, a Northern-Hungarian rural village in Nógrád county, for various school subjects and professions and to empower them to build up self-confidence, skills and knowledge to take initiative for their prosperous future.
Project Outcomes/Impact:
More motivated and self-confident children. The kids participating in the camp could improve their skills in order to discover their talents and fields of interests. They have also received support throughout their education. The project had an impact not just on the main target group, the children, but as well on the entire local community, as project team was involving the local adults in different levels of planning and realization of the summer camp.
The project involved volunteers from different parts of Hungary. CEU students as well. So the approach of bringing together people of different economic, social, cultural status was fulfilled.
Through the on-line visibility of the initiative, the project could raise awareness to different social issues and had an impact on the attitude of Hungarian people towards Roma.
Project team: CEU, Olivér Rácz, Dep. of Economics and Business and Henriett Horváth, Dep. of International Relations + Co. from other universities
2. Deviszont Afterschool program
Project description:
The project offers an afterschool program for teenagers, studying in vocational education in the 19th district of Budapest. The project focuses on developing a program and a pedagogical toolkit, which makes it possible to organize activities for teenagers on social sensitization and global education, but unlike the very selective Hungarian school system, will be able to provide them activities that are built on their already existing skills, interests and knowledge as well as to provide them personal pedagogical attention.
The project is experimental and unique, because Hungarian afterschool programs in general focus on a different age group and different activities.
Project Outcomes/Impact:
With the financial support of the Learn & Engage program, the project successfully provided teenagers with a safe environment and a community, in which they can learn to express themselves, and discover the world and society they live in. They have improved their skills in comprehension, social skills, empathy, self-awareness, logic and critical thinking, serving as a base for becoming an engaged citizen. Strengthening these skills also contribute to the students becoming more successful in the labor market.
Project team: CEU, Ágnes Fernengel, Dep. of Sociology and Social Anthropology and Péter Susánszky, Dep. of Philosophy + Co. from other universities
3. Art of Hosting project – A successful methodology to communication and conflict resolution
Project description:
The Art of Hosting technique is to improve communication, facilitate dialogue, and inform decisions. The project was intending to teach the methodology to members of the CEU community empowering them to be more engaged in topics, relevant to the university and to the society and to be able to better participate. The Art of Hosting project provides a forum for the discussions CEU is generally trying to inspire, while simultaneously teaching participants skills to approach the topic differently, empowered through participatory leadership. Participants would use techniques which promote collaboration and allow diverse voices to be heard. Our project would be 100% practical and participatory, which we believe will give stakeholders the tools they need to spread open society beyond CEU.
Outcomes/Impact:
A two days long workshop was organized at CEU with around 50 participants from and outside of CEU through which participants acquired the methodology of the Art of Hosting communication model. As a result of the workshop, colleagues participating from CEU are planning to implement the technique into their everyday work and continue the organization of events, providing the platform for open discussion, using Art of hosting as a tool.
Project team: Hope Loudon, CEU School of Public Policy and Maria del Pilar Molina Sierra, Dep. of Economics and Business
4. Travelling urban garden and bike repair workshop development – educational program
Project description:
The project brings together the representatives and resources of a higher education institution (CEU), an established organic gardening educational foundation (Open Garden Foundation), a self-managed citizen bicycle cooperative (Cargonomia), a local organic farm (Zsamboki Biokert) and citizen volunteers. The project team aims to use knowledge of cargobicycle construction to create a mobile urban gardening and bicycle repair workshop bicycle which can be transported to local schools, community centers, and urban gardens in and outside of Budapest.
The initiative helps bringing together active citizens and local educators in promoting community building initiatives which contribute to sustainable development, environmental consciousness and social cohesion across Budapest. Most importantly the workshops will help pass on useful skills to the current generation of Hungarian youth, while exemplifying the existing commitment to community engagement.
Outcomes/Impact:
Youth, primarily target group of the program, became more concerned about self-sufficient food production and bicycle mobility. The project called attention to the importance of multifaceted community space in Budapest and indicated that agricultural heritage in Hungary still has its importance within the urban context. During the implementation of the project ten workshops were organized in Hungarian elementary and secondary schools, with the active help and participation of volunteers, some of them being CEU students.
Project team: CEU, Logan Strenchock, Environmental and Sustainability Officer + Co. from other universities
5. Ambedkar school English mentoring program
Project description:
The project is a continuous initiative at CEU, implemented by the department of mathematics, aiming to support the English language learning processes of Roma youth coming from Ambedkar-school, Miskolc (Sajokaza).
Outcomes/Impact:
During the academic year, 15 students from Ambedkar school visited CEU on monthly bases (six occasions) in order to participate at the mentoring. In addition to the English language teaching opportunity, the program offered three different work-shops to the student group, aiming to improve their learning skills.
As a global impact of the project, not just the English language skills of participating Roma youth improve, but the general empowerment and self-conscious development of the participating individuals strengthens.
The program engages 8-10 CEU volunteers/AY, providing the opportunity to get involved in civic engagement activities and to improve their skills how to approach/teach underprivileged youngsters.
Project team: CEU, Karoly Böröczky, Professor and Head of Department of Mathematics and Its Applications