Activate your community!

The “Activate your community!” project aimed to mobilise communities in disadvantaged settlements or neighbourhoods with a high Roma population, with a view to fostering self-organisation and, through this, initiating cooperation with public institutions to improve public services or make them more accessible.

The aim of the project was to advance issues important to local communities by strengthening them, thereby reinforcing democratic practice, civic participation and a culture of dialogue and cooperation.

As part of the programme, we worked in nine settlements (Aparhant, Héhalom, Inárcs, Kerecsend, Pécs-Gyárváros, Pere, Szúcs, Tar, Tomorolyan) with staff who, by involving the local community and responding to local needs, developed community life in these settlements. Activities included the creation of community spaces, the launch of clubs and workshops, sports and cultural programmes, communal cooking sessions, and music and media projects; facilitated discussions were also organised to improve communication between communities and institutions.

As a result of the programme, community self-organisation increased, cooperation with public institutions strengthened, prejudices were reduced, housing and leisure opportunities improved, and participants’ civic awareness was enhanced. The community organising practices developed are sustainable in the long term and can be adapted to other localities according to local needs.