Work
This 2 weeks volunteering program, supported by the Visegrad Fund, is about renovating an old house for the purpose of the soon-to-be-open Egyesek youth centre in the town and mobilising and activating youth in the micro-region. As volunteers, we invite you to partly support the renovation work of the house (light work, e.g. plaster boarding, tiling, painting, etc., but no specific experience is required for this work) and partly to plan a diverse set of activities, including the facilitation of workshops and visits to local schools and other youth centres, with the aim to outreach and engage many youngsters around.
Accommodation and food
As a volunteer, you will sleep in shared rooms or dormitories in Szécsény and you will be in charge of cleaning. Cold food will be provided for breakfast and lunch, and there will be hot meals for dinner after work cooked by the home team or ordered from nearby restaurants. Vegetarian, gluten and lactose-free options will be available. Do not forget to bring some traditional/typical food, drinks, recipes, music, games or movies from your country for the intercultural evening.
Location and leisure
Szécsény is a small town in Nógrád county, located in Northern Hungary, near the Slovakian border. The recorded population of the town is around 5937 inhabitants. Szécsény has grocery stores, ATMs, a bank, local restaurants, pubs, a pharmacy, a bakery, second-hand shops, a post office, and a bus station. From the local bus station, volunteers can reach nearby bigger towns (Balassagyarmat and Salgótarján) within 30 minutes, and Budapest within 2 hours.
In Szécsény we host 8 long-term ESC volunteers, who will support you during your program. Further on the weekend in-between the camp (8-9th Feb) will be free to travel to Budapest or other cities.
Project hosted by
Egyesek Youth Association is a community of active youth and young professionals. We contribute to creating communities based on solidarity, where people are aware of their own freedom of choice, they do what they love and connect with each other peacefully. Our activities are based in Nógrád-county, a socially and economically disadvantaged part of Hungary, where young people have very few opportunities to meet their peers from other European countries, engage in multicultural and non-formal learning, or take part in creative activities during their free time.
Directions to meeting point
Please arrive on 3rd February 2025 at the latest at 6 pm at Szécsény main bus station. Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/n2dtpPfKdAzyGMd68. Departure is on 16th February in the morning (so there is no activities planned on the days of 3rd and 16th, these are travel days.).
The nearest airport: BUD in Budapest,Hungary
The nearest terminal (train-, bus-, taxi station): Budapest Nyugati train station or Népliget bus station.
Inside Budapest, we suggest going to 1138 Budapest Újpest-Városkapu metro and bus station, where you can catch a public bus to Szécsény (around 2 hours travel)
Additional comments
The Visegrad Fund finances the project. You will get a travel reimbursement, accommodation and food will be provided, as well as a health insurance. There will be no pocket money, like in ESC volunteering. Travel reimbursement limits are based on the Eramsus+ distance calculator:
- 20 EUR for travel up to 100 km
- 180 EUR for travel between 100 and 499 km
- 275 EUR for travel between 500 and 1999 km
