Youth for a Liveable countryside was the first long-term – 6 months – EVS project in Nógrád county which is one of the most disadvantaged in Hungary. Five EVS volunteers (Lilit, Ruzan, Sacha, Julien, Landry) from three countries (Armenia, France, Portugal) were freshening up the rural area by offering their voluntary support to local children, youth and citizens. The power of volunteering and impact it creates was totally new experience for the local people. During the EVS service the volunteers successfully brought an example that EVS brings additional values in many different ways to the citizens’ and their communitites’ life. The EVSers were living in Hollókő, where the community place of Creative Space is located. They created sustainable, eco-friendly life and organized action based learning events for kids and youngsters in the nearby villages (Nagylóc, Rimóc, Nógrádszakál). They supported a local NGO (Magyar Szegénységellenes Alapítvány – Gyerekesély Program) in their afternoon school service (Tanoda) by adding English speaking, intercultural learning opportunities to the regular activities the Tanodas carried out. It was mutual learning process where EVSers and local social workers acquired non-formal learning methods and developed them on the field by putting it into practice. The volunteers were active in promoting the acitvities, projects, programmes of Creative Space in local high schools. They were promoting YiA and EVS programmes by doing outreach youth work and creating formal and informal relationship with the local high school students. All in all this project was a start of a new era in Szécsény micro region from the aspect of grassroot youth work and rural community development.
https://vimeo.com/54599154
Ruzan's comment on the project:
EVS in Hungary, in Hollókő (01.05.2012-01.11.2012)
Hello everyone who will read the story about my EVS ))
I am Ruzan 23 years old, I live in Armenia, in Yerevan, and I am eager to share with U My GREAT EVS experience that I had in Hungary, in Hollókő.
So, it was 2012 March when I got an E-mail, that I am chosen to do an EVS in Hungary and for that I should go for APV(Advanced Planning Visit) in April. I was so excited, I started to prepare everything for my trip to Hungary. In the beginning it was difficult to pesuade my father, because I have never lived alone abroad, but in the end I could, and I went for my APV. It was planned to be just 3 days. Krisztina, Eszter and Tomi took us to Hollókő. They showed us the amasingly beautiul village with all its sights, where we were going to live. I liked it so much, though I have never lived in such a small village. During that days we went to Tanodas, where we were going to work with children. It was in the villages near by Hollókő. When it came time to come back, we missed the plane, so we stayed there 2 more days. It was 2 days of challange and adventures. So, I came back to Armenia and started to prepare for a long trip, which were going to be 6 months.
In 1st of May I was already in Hungary, ready to do my EVS. First 10 days we had a training, which was called “Guide Your Life'' Basic Synergy Training, who had that kind of training can understand me. During that training we had a lot of challanges and fun with all participants. After the training everybody went back to their countries and we, with our EVS-ers, stayed to start our new life together. In the begining it was difficult to deal with everybody as we were from different countries living in the same house, shareing almost everything together. But after, little by little, we discovered each other's character and started to get used to each other. We were 5, from Armenia, Portugal and from France. Though we had a lot of difficulties during living together, but anyway it was so interesting, as we were working, traveling together, having a lot of fun. We were cooking together, trying to make every time something special, traditional from our countries. Singing and playing guitar was part of our everyday life, I will never forget the songs that me and Sacha were singing, when Julien was playing the guitar. In Tanoda, in Nagyloc, we found a new friend - Agie, we became so close, as she was also from one of us. We were doing almost everything together. She has so wonderfull family, many times we had parties with her family.
In July we had ''Fusion for Chance'' International Voluntary Camp, organised by Egyesek. There were almost 55 people from 15 different countries. We were all living together, we were going to Tanodas, playing with children, doing innovation in the house, painting the wooden houses, making some furniture and of course organising parties. During weekends we were going to spent our time out of Hollókő. Once 8 of us went to Ballaton, to the famous lake, and what was interesting and funny that we all slept in one small tent, which supposed to be for 2 person. So during this camp we had a lot of fun what is impossible to forget. And in the end of camp we had an ''Open Event'', we had guests and all of us present our countries in a very interesting and beautiful way.
During that 6 months we had another trainings as well, which were all so useful, interesting and funny))) The most favorite for me were ''RE-CREATE IT!'' and '' CASTING FOR LIFE'' dance training. In the end of dance training we had a concert in the prison and in the Cultural House, in Balassagyarmat. It gave me so many things, I got acquainted with many interesting and very good people, and I had so much wonderful time, that I will never forget.
This 6 months flied so fast. I know that good things end fast, anyway I will keep all good moments in my memory, all good people, my friends and everybody who helped me there so much. My dear friends- Sacha, Agie, Julien, Landry, Imanol, Celia, Pedro, Vaida, Andrea, Konstantina, Sophia and all the rest that I met during this time, I miss all of U and I hope that one day we will meet again ) And of course I want to say THANK YOU to Egyesek and Creative Space for this all Specially Krisztina, Eszter and Tomi.
This Is all about our EVS.
Thank U for reading ))))
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