Partiszkon Summer Academy

General information

• Title of the good practice (main title and subtitle, if applicable): Partiszkon Summer Academy
  • Name of the implementing organization/community: Partiszkon Social Research Public Benefit Association
    • Organization address: 6791 Szeged, Erdőstarcsa Street 19.
    • Contact information (email, phone number): partiszkonegyesulet@gmail.com , +36202110748
    • Project and/or organization website: www.partiszkonegyesulet.hu
    • Social media contact:

www.facebook.com/partiszkon; www.youtube.com/partiszkon

• Contact details – contact person( s ), project manager, coordinator :

Attila Feher, +36202110748

Presentation of good practice

The program took place in Szeged, a large city in Southern Hungary, the seat of Csongrád County. High school students from Szeged, aged 15 to 18, participated in the program.

The youth academy was created to help young people learn how to effectively represent their own opinions and interests. Many high school students have great ideas and want to make a difference in their school or city, but they don’t know exactly how to start. The program helped them do that.

A variety of activities took place during the sessions: students’ communication skills were developed, they learned how to work well with others, how to maintain contact with decision-makers (e.g., principal, local government representatives), and also how to exert pressure on behalf of a cause – of course, in a peaceful, legal manner.

The program used practical methods, meaning they didn’t just talk, they did things together. They participated in interactive sessions and tried out drama pedagogical methods that helped them learn in a playful way.

The program was implemented in cooperation with several organizations, which made the events very colorful. This way, the young people could get to know different points of view. They also received grant support for the implementation. The organizers have dealt with similar topics before, but this time they implemented the program in a block-based, one-week format for the first time, which gave the participants a more intense experience.

The program was also created because many young people have ideas, but they don’t know how to communicate them well, organize them, and implement them. This academy helped them gain the knowledge and courage to initiate change.

The program was really successful when the young people went back to their schools and tried to start some kind of project or change of their own. Not everyone got to this point, but several participants did, and that is a great achievement.

The program was also featured in social media posts and local television coverage to let as many people as possible know about the important work the young people were doing.

Adaptability

For the program to work well , it is important that students are supported by adult mentors throughout the program – adults who understand the topic and can provide support, either with advice or just by listening.

According to the organizers, every detail was necessary, nothing was superfluous. During the implementation, they realized that the young people required much more playful, interactive tasks than they had expected, so they flexibly shaped the program as they went along.

It is also important to have support from not only the students but also the teachers and management of their school if they want to achieve real changes in school life.

Location