Good Practice - Project
CTAY youth centres – with young people, for young people
Raising awareness of youth work and projects, developing responsible local young people who can be the future of the region, and seeing them as partners
General information
RDP Priority
- P6. Social inclusion and local development
RDP Focus Area
- 6B: Local development
RDP Measure
- M19: LEADER/CLLD
Beneficiary type
- Non-governmental organisation
Summary
The project was divided into three sections. The first was the 'Value Guard Programme', which involved expanding the Value Guard network to the Balatonfüred sub-region. The second was the incubator programme – building contacts between local young people and the business community. The third was the key youth workers programme, bringing together workers from the region and building cooperation among different sectors.
A series of workshops and study tours was therefore organised for young people to get to know the trademark-holder businesspeople of the region, a database of job opportunities open to young people was created, and community work events were organised in five municipalities to strengthen the attachment to the region of young people, who were given tasks and responsibilities.
As a result of the project, Value Guard groups were formed in Balatoncsicsó and Lovas, and more young people were involved in the identity-strengthening Value Guard Programme. A wider professional network of young workers was established. Through the nine study tours, young people were introduced to the most active and innovative businesspeople in the region who had recruitment opportunities. The kalákas tested an innovative new way of involving young people in community life across five municipalities.
Results
- Two new Value Guard groups set up (in Lovas and Balatoncsicsó), so there are now Value Guardians in every district of the LEADER LAG's territory.
- Twenty young people involved in the youth incubator programme.
- A total of four major events, 16 workshops, nine study tours, five kalákas, over 100 young people and 10 youth workers participating.
- Around 80 hours of professional assistance and mentoring.
- Kalákas had tangible results in five municipalities: playgrounds and street benches painted, pavements built, litter collected along country roads and flowers planted in public spaces.
- One person employed during the project.
- LEADER group developed a wider professional network in the field of youth work
- Increased number of partnerships.
- Raising awareness of youth work and youth projects, and seeing young people as partners, not problems.
Promoter
Közép-dunántúli Szövetség az Ifjúságért (Central Transdanubian Alliance for Youth)
Funding
Total budget: 41 090 (EUR)
EAFRD: 36 981 (EUR)
National/Regional: 4 109 (EUR)
Ressources
Documents
Good Practice Report - CTAY youth centres – with young people, for young people
(PDF – 710.39 Ko)
Liens
Context
Since 2011, the Central Transdanubian Alliance for Youth (CTAY), in cooperation with the Foundation for the Development of the Pannonian Region, has been operating the Pannonian Youth Value Guard Network, providing a place to meet and professional assistance. Young people are involved in the mapping, archiving and recording of local values (e.g. on data sheets, films, photos, etc.) and contribute to the operation of the list of municipal heritage. Some members go on to be involved in local politics and on committees, but in the sub-region of Balatonfüred, which is part of the Local Action Group, there have been no Value Guardian groups so far.
Since 2014, CTAY has organised the 'Youth for the countryside – the countryside for young people' conference every two years, where the work of CTAY member organisations is always highlighted, alongside the work of the local LEADER group, as well as the opportunities and achievements of young people. Professional presentations are performed on topics of interest to young people or on the current situation of youth policy.
Objectives
The project had three main goals:
- Extend the network of the Value Guard to the Balatonfüred sub-region, where none of those associations were in place.
- Build links between young people and entrepreneurs in the hope that local young people would be more likely to find jobs and start their careers in the area.
- Bring together key youth workers and build cooperation between them so that an increasing number of municipalities focus on youth and youth empowerment, and local decision-makers see young people as partners rather than problems.
- Achieve fuller and greater involvement of the LEADER LAG area by expanding and strengthening youth outreach and youth retention work.
Activities
The various aspects of the project all required different activities.
The Value Guard Programme in the Balatonfüred district began with a project launch event, which was followed by smaller group workshops, a large joint workshop, a study trip and finally, a project closing event and presentation exhibition.
The youth incubator programme involved workshops and field visits, as well as mentoring of the participants, while the key youth workers programme had a network launch event and a three-day evaluation workshop. These two aspects of the programme also required a database of local job vacancies to be compiled.
The kalákas (community work programmes) were obviously a key activity (see further details below). Their organisation involved stepping out of the usual framework and giving fresh impetus to the preservation of municipal values, while at the same time involving young people.
The kalákas (community work programmes) were obviously a key activity (see further details below). Their organisation involved stepping out of the usual framework and giving fresh impetus to the preservation of municipal values, while at the same time involving young people.
The overall project was summarised in a publication at its conclusion, and miscellaneous tasks were undertaken throughout the duration of the programmes, such as the acquisition of equipment (t-shirts, certificates, badges etc.)
The project worked on building links between different age groups while at the same time crossing municipal boundaries with its activities, namely the study tours and the establishment of new Value Guard groups. It focused on creating a common, collaborative platform for youth workers from neighbouring municipalities and linked the network of local businesspeople (who hold a trademark locally) with the network of young people.
Young participants in the project also visited local businesspeople to learn aspects of adult life. This was another crucial activity, as the Hungarian school system does not provide a framework for such visits.
Main results
Two new Value Guard groups were set up (in Lovas and Balatoncsicsó), so there are now Value Guardians in every district of the LEADER LAG's territory. Twenty young people were involved in the youth incubator programme and around 80 hours of professional assistance and mentoring were provided. One person was employed throughout the project.
The project organised a total of four major events, 16 workshops, nine study tours and five kalákas, with more than 100 young people and 10 youth workers participating. In five municipalities, the kaláka had tangible results: playgrounds and street benches were painted, pavements were built, litter was collected along country roads and flowers planted in public spaces.
The LEADER group has also developed a wider professional network in the field of youth work, and a new way of involving young people in the area has been introduced through the kaláka programmes.
Overall, the project has served to raise awareness of youth work and youth projects, and changed perceptions among the local population – young people should be regarded as partners, not problems.
Key lessons
The project holders are most proud of the fact that such broad collaboration was established during the project and participants are still working together today. It has created a foundation on which to build further projects.
The Value Guard groups are developing responsible local young people who can be the future of the region. The methodology is fully transferable to other regions.
Connecting local entrepreneurs and young people is a niche area and the results will only be seen later.
Tibor Hoffner