Follow Up Hungary

Anita Szabó, Axel Uhalde & Jázmin Bakos: On 29. 01. 2024., we did a presentation in a school, Pannonhalmi Béla Baptista Általános Iskola és Gimnázium, located in Budapest's XIX district. We informed the students in the 8ᵗʰ and 9ᵗʰ grades (around 14-15 years old) and their English teachers about the Erasmus+ possibilities they can participate in and we illustrated the training courses part with our experience from Cyprus. After a round of Q&As, we encouraged them to visit the official site for further information to see what Erasmus+ has in store, to look for real application forms and to expand their horizons.

• https://www.facebook.com/axel.uhalde/posts/pfbid0xvcKuwLuABMDsGAfr1iEmrwYgiwWdcRveKhhnUScECH9VsxfsvunoJubE4u5aVijl 
• https://www.facebook.com/axel.uhalde/posts/pfbid0KSnwdUhN7UfsyfPQrw16zGuYFUu5T6pC9wY6F4zBv9iK6qSNMMyTKVM2Hw7sd5G1l 

Zsuzsanna Serbán:

• https://www.facebook.com/zsuzsanna.serban.3/posts/pfbid02S5Jw8yE9UspHq2QX1PYgXP8x78vjF2sEhFk7zdKWynQT4aSPUTMumcp47xBamyJ7l 
• https://www.facebook.com/zsuzsanna.serban.3/posts/pfbid0zuHDrjpFwsBe475MRngxaUKHk25cSyoF4KvvHbe52nzsDvZ13accggghn2KKeH6rl 

Anita Szabó:

• https://www.facebook.com/anita.szabo.1426/posts/pfbid0Nn5qKKawLep74gyBgvuDzDRcG3CjidbTNuTCVr43TXp99mnSFCbZC11uGLVUv6Phl 
• https://www.instagram.com/p/C0uBMndN1vr/ 

Jázmin Bakos:

• https://www.facebook.com/jazmin.bakos.3/posts/pfbid0ykLPdjoWhQ9cLkfdYGioeSUCTGwVWJqwtM7Ws9dct6QjZ3UUSoycUweAjKHzRkkQl 

Zsuzsanna Serbán:

In my opinion the organization of the project was excellent. To be honest, this was the most well organized project which I have participated in, so thank you for that, your efforts worked really well.

I think the PDA was well structured and it was implemented quite well, according to the participants' needs. The theme was really exciting and the programmes were colorful and enjoyable. We learned a lot, but in a good way, the non-formal teaching techniques worked really well.

My follow up activities made sure that more people had the chance to get to know more about youth project opportunities like this, and of course it made Acpelia and my sending organization more popular, truth to be told, you deserve it. After the workshop that I implemented, my colleagues and other partners congratulated me and were amazed by the programme.

In this project I think we amplified some of our key competences and values. Firstly, we became a part of a community and created special programmes together in teams, but also, we could get to know ourselves better, individually and in groups as well, so we reflected ourselves in our photos and collages, it was amazing.

We could learn more about video editing, because it was also written and I was eager to learn more about it, because I am not very good at it, otherwise, everything was perfect.

My favorite part was when we made our own collages and then later we saw the surprise exhibition of our work. I cannot really tell which was the worst part, maybe the part when it ended.

Axel Uhalde:

I think I can speak on behalf of the entire Hungarian team when I say that we were eager to leave the 1 °C we had forecasted as maximum for that week and go spend some time in the Mediterranean Sea.

The logistics? We were relieved when we heard we didn't have to worry about how to get to the venue from the airport. Super grateful for that, really. The Hylatio place was amazing: clean, friendly staff, the food!! So varied… and tasty :) And having a beach nearby was priceless. This part, flawless. ☆☆☆☆☆

But of course it was not a vacation, for we had work to do. And we did. Not only did we learn about a new concept for me, that of "participatory art", but we also could make someone else learn it as well, when we carried out the workshops in the public school. Knowledge is not meant to be kept to ourselves, but to share it with our communities, and even though this particular case was a compelling one, I appreciate the fact it was there in the program.

The three facilitators did a great job overall. Of course some had more experience than others, but the program went smoothly. I also felt it lacked some digital techniques we could have profited from, but it was also nice trying to do things only manually. Making collages was soothing, almost cathartic for some. Personally, I would have liked to dwell deeper on more serious topics, as from the research I carried out before the program, one of the main aims of this kind of art is to expose the social inequities and injustices. But this, in turn, needs a more "experienced" public, and some participants said they were not interested in discussing politics. The problem for me was that they were more youth than youth workers, which was interesting to learn from -by first hand-, but at the same time a bit… frustrating. The group was nice and fun, don't get me wrong. It's just I was expecting things to go in another direction. Coming to the trainers, they were effective & efficient enough to adapt to this situation. And we managed to spend a memorable week together, which I will forever be grateful for. (And I did learn about the political situation in other countries, just not within the program, and that's the magic of non-formal and informal education. There's everything for everyone)

Unfortunately, I was not able to take part in most of the unofficial parts in the night, as my thesis supervisor wanted me to send advances and could not forget about work left behind back in Budapest, but I did commit 100 % to the program and I feel everybody did, and so the program worked.

• https://www.facebook.com/axel.uhalde/posts/pfbid0xvcKuwLuABMDsGAfr1iEmrwYgiwWdcRveKhhnUScECH9VsxfsvunoJubE4u5aVijl 
• https://www.facebook.com/axel.uhalde/posts/pfbid0KSnwdUhN7UfsyfPQrw16zGuYFUu5T6pC9wY6F4zBv9iK6qSNMMyTKVM2Hw7sd5G1l 

Zsuzsanna Serbán:

• https://www.facebook.com/zsuzsanna.serban.3/posts/pfbid02S5Jw8yE9UspHq2QX1PYgXP8x78vjF2sEhFk7zdKWynQT4aSPUTMumcp47xBamyJ7l 
• https://www.facebook.com/zsuzsanna.serban.3/posts/pfbid0zuHDrjpFwsBe475MRngxaUKHk25cSyoF4KvvHbe52nzsDvZ13accggghn2KKeH6rl 

Anita Szabó:

• https://www.facebook.com/anita.szabo.1426/posts/pfbid0Nn5qKKawLep74gyBgvuDzDRcG3CjidbTNuTCVr43TXp99mnSFCbZC11uGLVUv6Phl 
• https://www.instagram.com/p/C0uBMndN1vr/ 

Jázmin Bakos:

• https://www.facebook.com/jazmin.bakos.3/posts/pfbid0ykLPdjoWhQ9cLkfdYGioeSUCTGwVWJqwtM7Ws9dct6QjZ3UUSoycUweAjKHzRkkQl 

Anita Szabó:

Even though I don't have too many experiences as a comparison, being my first short-term youth exchange, I can say that the overall organization was amazingly built and it was a good balance between learning and getting to know each other/ the countries' cultures. The topic and the non-formal education method has met my expectations, moreover, it exceeded it. Apart from the creative flow that the activities gave me, I would highlight the part about the Youth Pass competences, that gave me another perspective and angle to reflect on what I have learnt, in comparison to the way it was presented during my long term ESC project.

I think even though we didn't know each other before the training with the Hungarian team, we became a team because of the preparation and the organizing process of the Follow-up activities.

The PDA was developed clearly, starting with the theoretical part of Participatory Photography and then diving deep in the practices. The written PDA reflected completely the on set activities.

From the Follow up activities I mostly enjoyed creating the video about this week, because it was something completely new for me. Although I lacked the techniques, because we didn't learn too much about it during the training, there were a lot of people with talent in knowledge to help me start this "road". It was hard to pick the best moments, so it can also be informative and entertaining for someone who hasn't been there, but in the end I discovered a new 'mini-hobby' with editing this video.

I think it's hard to pick something that I didn't like, the trainers were all very well prepared, and the cooperation of the team was contagious to us participants too. I think one of the best moments was to watch the results of our exhibitions.

Jázmin Bakos:

This was my first Erasmus + project ever, and it left me eager to participate in more projects in the future. Overall, the organization was impressively well-done; from the first moment until the last, everything was completely clear and well-organized. We had clear timelines that were easy to follow, and communication flowed smoothly with everyone involved. The project maintained a perfect balance between learning and cultural immersion. The accommodation and food were amazing, providing us with enough free time to recharge our energy levels, and there was always a positive atmosphere.

Despite not knowing each other before the training with the Hungarian team, the preparation and organizing process of the Follow-up activities helped us bond and function effectively as a team even more than during the project itself.

The Participatory Digital Agenda (PDA) was meticulously developed, blending theoretical knowledge with hands-on practice, and the written PDA accurately captured the essence of our activities. This was my first time hearing about and using Participatory Photography, and it was incredibly exciting and inspiring to try myself in this art form. My favorite task was making collages, and I want to express my gratitude to the facilitators for organizing an exhibition of our works; it was an amazing experience.

It's really hard to mention anything that I didn't like or would improve; honestly, I think everything was excellent in every possible way.

Axel Uhalde:

I think I can speak on behalf of the entire Hungarian team when I say that we were eager to leave the 1 °C we had forecasted as maximum for that week and go spend some time in the Mediterranean Sea.

The logistics? We were relieved when we heard we didn't have to worry about how to get to the venue from the airport. Super grateful for that, really. The Hylatio place was amazing: clean, friendly staff, the food!! So varied… and tasty :) And having a beach nearby was priceless. This part, flawless. ☆☆☆☆☆

But of course it was not a vacation, for we had work to do. And we did. Not only did we learn about a new concept for me, that of "participatory art", but we also could make someone else learn it as well, when we carried out the workshops in the public school. Knowledge is not meant to be kept to ourselves, but to share it with our communities, and even though this particular case was a compelling one, I appreciate the fact it was there in the program.

The three facilitators did a great job overall. Of course some had more experience than others, but the program went smoothly. I also felt it lacked some digital techniques we could have profited from, but it was also nice trying to do things only manually. Making collages was soothing, almost cathartic for some. Personally, I would have liked to dwell deeper on more serious topics, as from the research I carried out before the program, one of the main aims of this kind of art is to expose the social inequities and injustices. But this, in turn, needs a more "experienced" public, and some participants said they were not interested in discussing politics. The problem for me was that they were more youth than youth workers, which was interesting to learn from -by first hand-, but at the same time a bit… frustrating. The group was nice and fun, don't get me wrong. It's just I was expecting things to go in another direction. Coming to the trainers, they were effective & efficient enough to adapt to this situation. And we managed to spend a memorable week together, which I will forever be grateful for. (And I did learn about the political situation in other countries, just not within the program, and that's the magic of non-formal and informal education. There's everything for everyone)

Unfortunately, I was not able to take part in most of the unofficial parts in the night, as my thesis supervisor wanted me to send advances and could not forget about work left behind back in Budapest, but I did commit 100 % to the program and I feel everybody did, and so the program worked.

Zsuzsanna Serbán:

In my opinion the organization of the project was excellent. To be honest, this was the most well organized project which I have participated in, so thank you for that, your efforts worked really well.

I think the PDA was well structured and it was implemented quite well, according to the participants' needs. The theme was really exciting and the programmes were colorful and enjoyable. We learned a lot, but in a good way, the non-formal teaching techniques worked really well.

My follow up activities made sure that more people had the chance to get to know more about youth project opportunities like this, and of course it made Acpelia and my sending organization more popular, truth to be told, you deserve it. After the workshop that I implemented, my colleagues and other partners congratulated me and were amazed by the programme.

In this project I think we amplified some of our key competences and values. Firstly, we became a part of a community and created special programmes together in teams, but also, we could get to know ourselves better, individually and in groups as well, so we reflected ourselves in our photos and collages, it was amazing.

We could learn more about video editing, because it was also written and I was eager to learn more about it, because I am not very good at it, otherwise, everything was perfect.

My favorite part was when we made our own collages and then later we saw the surprise exhibition of our work. I cannot really tell which was the worst part—maybe the part when it ended.