On 24 and 25 July, we undertook a study visit to our member organisation, EgyüttHató Egyesület, in Budapest. This visit, organised by our new board member Réka Lőrincz in collaboration with the EgyüttHató team, welcomed our delegation from the Strasbourg coordination office. Fifteen participants took part, and the visit provided a valuable opportunity for exchange and learning.
We were grateful to learn more about EgyüttHató’s new community centre, the transition from Gyöngyös Tanoda to Újpest EKH, and the day-to-day work carried out there with young people with disabilities. During the visit, we were warmly welcomed by volunteers from the European Solidarity Corps (ESC), who shared their experiences of living and working in Budapest, and we also had the opportunity to hear from local beneficiaries who regularly take part in the community centre’s activities.
EgyüttHató has long been one of our most experienced members when it comes to supporting neurodivergent young people and those with disabilities, as well as in utilising the European Solidarity Corps as a powerful tool for social inclusion and empowerment. As Youth Express Network, our aim is to soon begin hosting European Solidarity Corps volunteers ourselves, particularly young people with neurodivergence and those with autism spectrum disorders, and the purpose of this study visit was to draw on EgyüttHató’s expertise and best practices. Another area of learning was ‘Break the Glass Ceiling’, an ongoing KA2 project led by EgyüttHató, which examines why women – particularly those from third countries – are over-represented in international volunteering and how this is linked to structural inequalities. These insights have been particularly useful as we prepare to welcome volunteers and work to better support women from third countries and young people with autism.
