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MagyarThe ‘Your idea counts’ Small-scale Partnership project in the field of Adult Education was prepared by Antares Foundation and Nevelők Háza Egyesület (in English: Educators’ Centre Association, ECA) under the Erasmus+ programme. The project aims at the popularisation of the direct forms of the civic participation among local groups of seniors using the form of the ’Participatory Budget’ or ‘Civic Budget’. Many municipalities ask their citizens to vote for low-budget projects proposed by other citizens. This way the authorities try to increase the bottom-up participation in the local budget. Our project will help senior citizens to develop their idea and actively participate in the local Participatory Budget. Every idea counts in voting!
The project also intends to increase the competence of seniors in the field of project management and the use of social media in the promotion of the civic project. The local actions consists in an information and education campaign as well as conducting a contest for local groups of seniors. The best idea of a change based on the participating budget will be awarded with a series of workshops about a project preparation and management. This way the target group will develop their own civic project that will be submitted to the next edition of the local participatory budget. In case of winning, the partner organisations will help in realisation of the idea.
The project is based on the exchange of good practices between the partner organisations that will improve the capacity building and the quality of work in the project teams. Based on the internal trainings the partner organisations will prepare the work plan about the stimulation of the citizens using the form of the participatory budget. In the end the project results in strengthen of participation in local civic actions among elderly people.
Project duration: 01.12.2023 – 31.11.2025
Study visit of Nevelők Háza Egyesület in Kraków
On March 11-13, 2024, the first study visit took place as part of the „Your idea counts” project. The study visit was aimed at exchanging good practices in the context of promoting the Participatory Budget formula, with particular emphasis on the aspect of involvement of elderly people.
The activities of the Antares Foundation and the formula of the Participatory Budget in Krakow year were presented during the meeting. We celebrated the tenth anniversary of the Participatory Budget in Krakow last year. The Hungarian delegation met with councillor and social activist Rafał Zawiślak, who develops Participatory Budget projects in the Podgórze district. Using the example of infrastructure at the Bagry Reservoir, he talked about the history of the Participatory Budget in this district, as well as the problems that residents face while they try to change their neighbourhood.
We also visited other places revitalized thanks to funds from the Participatory Budget in Kraków including: the Wisława Szymborska Park. The talks concerned methods of promoting the Participatory Budget in Krakow and promotional campaigns conducted in recent years. Part of the program was devoted to a project meeting, discussing current tasks in the „Your idea counts” project and creating a promotional plan for the project. The participants expressed satisfaction with the opportunity to better learn about the activities of the partner organisation, establish new contacts and exchange experiences that may contribute to the further development of the Participatory Budget in Pécs.
Study visit of the Antares Foundation in Pécs
The aim of a study visit, that took place on May 27-29, 2024, was to learn about the activities and projects implemented by the partner organisation of the „Your idea counts” project. The event was attended by representatives of the partner organisation, public administration, and employees and volunteers of social partners.
The participants had the opportunity to visit the seat of the Hungarian non-governmental organization: Educators’ Centre Association (in Hungarian: Nevelők Háza Egyesület), where they were introduced to the project team and volunteers. The talks concerned the second edition of the Participatory Budget in the city of Pécs and support for seniors in the application process. Then the delegation visited the local town hall, where the deputy mayor presented local forms of citizen activation in Pécs. Participants could see how the city achieves its goals through cooperation with local universities, schools and other social partners. They discussed the Participatory Budget formula and methods of promoting this initiative in the city of Pécs.
There were also talks on the promotion of local forms of civic participation during the trip. The challenges faced by non-governmental organisations and local governments during the implementation of the Participatory Budget were discussed. Good practices of activities aimed at greater activation of seniors were presented on the example of the host organisation. Representatives of Nevelők Háza Egyesület conducted a series of idea-generating workshops for elderly people. Some of them will be expanded and submitted in the next edition of the Participatory Budget in Pécs. The participants discussed methods of activating elderly people in civic participation processes and the methodology used during developing a scenario of workshops for seniors and a webinar for educators working with seniors. The study visit ended with a summary meeting, which concluded from the visit, and with plans for the future development of the project.
Participatory Budgeting – How It Works and Why You Should Get Involved
Participatory budgeting (PB) is a tool that allows residents to decide how a portion of municipal, city, or district funds should be allocated to specific projects. This process empowers communities to co-create their living spaces through a series of structured steps:
Submitting Proposals: Residents can propose ideas for projects that improve the quality of life in their area. These can range from renovating sidewalks and building playgrounds to organizing educational or cultural events. Proposals must comply with legal regulations and be feasible within the available budget.
Evaluation: Submitted projects are reviewed by local government units to ensure they align with zoning plans, budgets, and technical or legal feasibility.
Voting: Approved proposals are presented to the community for voting, often online or at designated locations. Residents choose the initiatives they consider most beneficial.
Implementation: Projects with the highest number of votes are implemented. Local authorities or external contractors are responsible for their execution.
Evaluation: After completion, the implemented projects are assessed for their impact, and feedback is gathered to improve the process for future editions.
As part of the project, partner organizations conduct workshops on developing their projects for seniors. We invite you to download the workshop script. We have prepared a webinar on methods of civic activation of this social group for educators working with seniors. Materials from the webinar and the recording can be found below:
Missed the live session? No worries! You can catch up on all the insights and practical tips shared during the webinar. Learn how educators and local governments can work hand-in-hand to address challenges, foster inclusion, and create opportunities that empower older adults to actively participate in their communities: Watch now on YouTube (you can enable English subtitles)