The Ugar Association was registered in 2014, active young students attending the College of Eger, who got to know one another in March 2011, during the organization of the 4th Geographical Specialization Week. The event and lectures were attended by 600 people, and the night adventure tour also by 360 people and 20 helpers. At that time, the idea of setting up a youth organization was formed in their mind, with which they could contribute to the community development of Eger through volunteer work. There objectives include the implementation of youth initiatives, youth exchanges, meetings and programs in Europe; the protection of the environment and nature; the cultivation of community-led agriculture; promoting workshops and scientific research for talented and disadvantaged youngsters in the abovementioned topics.
In 2017 and 2018, several mini-projects and actions were implemented by the Association within the framework of our project entitled “Strengthening and activating small communities of Northeast Hungary”, in cooperation with us. Their projects were mainly for youngsters and students of Eger and were implemented with their active participation and involvement.
On one occasion, the environment at the Sas dorm in Eger, was improved through community cooperation; the participants scythed, mowed the lawn and picked up the trash themselves and then ’adopted a bench’. The bench was polished and repainted, tidied up and youngsters, in addition to having a good time in the joint action, while they acted in public interest by their useful works.
On other occasion, they planted trees together in the city and the team managed to enrich the Earth, the urban environment, with four saplings. The involved local young people, the volunteers of the association, were twice organized in practice-oriented trainings, presented through non-formal and informal learning methods what new knowledge can be acquired on sustainability and ecology awareness, outside of school.
In the time between the two projects on formal practices, a community space was created to bring college students together, and a computer desk was designed and constructed along with a dartboard. Everyone helped to create from design to assembly and they learned a lot about manual work in the process. These youngsters found the programs useful and interesting, which not only expanded their skills and knowledge, but also made new acquaintances and friends. As a result of this , they expressed their willingness to participate in similar programs in the near future and they themselves have become more proactive, more open and sensitive to their environment and community.
This action was implemented within the framework of the Carpathian Foundation’s projectentitled „Strengthening and activating small communities of Northeast Hungary” (EFOP-1.3.5-16-2016-00915) .
The project is implemented with the support of the European Union and co-financed by theEuropean Social Fund and the Hungarian Government.
