>General information
- Title of the good practice (main title and subtitle, if applicable): Charity Jam Session
- Name of the implementing organization/community: ESN
- Organization address: Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Dugonics Square 13.
- Contact information (e-mail, phone number): president@szeged.esn.hu, +36303883714
- Project and/or organization website: https://szeged.esn.hu/
- Social media contact:
- Name of the implementing organization/community: ESN
https://www.facebook.com/szeged.esn
- Contact details – contact person( s ), project manager, coordinator :
Emese Szucs, +36303883714
Presentation of good practice
The Charity Jam Session is a special music evening that we organized in Szeged, at the Millennium Café. It is a place with a stage, good sound system, and a lot of people can fit in, both as spectators and as musicians. We organized the program mainly for university students – young people who attend the University of Szeged. The goal was twofold: on the one hand, we wanted to give young people the opportunity to show their musical talent, and on the other hand, we wanted to do good for others.
Therefore, we asked the audience to bring non-perishable food items (such as flour, sugar, pasta or canned goods) when they came to the evening. These donations were delivered to families in need with the help of a foundation, the Charity Foundation. In this way, everyone gave and received something: the musicians received applause and attention, the audience received an experience and a good atmosphere, and the families received food aid.
More than forty people participated in the evening, including Hungarian and foreign performers. They sang, played music, rejoiced together, and created a shared experience. The special thing about the event was that with the help of music, students from different countries could get to know each other better – because music is a language that everyone understands, regardless of where they come from.
Mentors also helped in the organization – they are the older students who support new university students in their integration. We advertised the program on social media (Facebook, Instagram), so many people knew about it. The venue, the piano and the technical background were provided by Millennium Café, completely free of charge, as a support.
The event was so successful that it even won an award: it received the “International Project Implementation – 2020” award at the annual gala of ESN Hungary (Erasmus Student Network Hungary). Later, we organized another similar campaign: we collected chocolate for children in the hospital.
Our experience is that such programs are not only fun, but also have a community-building power. They bring people together and help those in need. That is why we would like to continue in the future, and we also hope that similar evenings will be organized in other cities.
Adaptability
This good practice can easily be implemented elsewhere. All you need is a friendly place to play music, some enthusiastic young people to perform, and an organization to help deliver the donations to those in need. Not all the details need to be the same – for example, if you don’t have a piano, another instrument will do. However, with a musical event, not only are instruments, microphones, and sound equipment essential, but people who can confidently handle them are also key.