Europa Consortium

31/05/2016

I-SICS Pre-selection round

The pre-selection round of I-SICS International Social Innovation Competition was held on 26th May, 2016 at the House of Chambers in Zalaegerszeg, Hungary.

The competitors were university students in Zala county: three teams came from the Zalaegerszeg Training Centre of the University of Pécs, Faculty of Health and two from the University of Pannonia, Nagykanizsa Campus. Teams were expected to elaborate their ideas, send the detailed project idea in writing and present it at the regional competition. Preparing for the contest, students were provided a training on social enterprises and they were also supported by a mentor.

The detailed ideas were evaluated by a professional jury of three members. In the pre-selection round, contestants presented their ideas to this very same jury, answered their questions and welcomed their professional advice. Mr. István Lábodi, the managing director of Europa Consortium Regional Development Non-profit Ltd. was the president of the jury. Arriving from the social field, Ms. Éva Simánné Mile and Ms. Valéria Lérántné Mátés, managing director of Kanizsa Rehab Non-profit Ltd. evaluated the relevance, practicality and feasibility of the proposed projects.

According to the decision of the jury, the winner of the competition was the team ‘Idea of Tomorrow’ (Mr. Adrián Árvai, Mr. Norbert Gergely, and Mr. Dániel Horváth) from the University of Pannónia, Nagykanizsa Campus. In frame of their project they aim to create and coordinate a service supporting education that would encourage the use of a device, called the ‘Smartbook’ instead of heavy books. The tablet would not only make materials of course books, dictionaries and maps easily available and accessible, but also provide applications for students to expand their knowledge, improve their skills and practice. The innovative character of the project is shown by the device called the ‘Smartbook’ which would be used instead of heavy books, so that students would not have to carry heavy load and it would also satisfy the learning demands of generation Z.

Second place was awarded to the team ‘Createam’ (Ms. Mariann Aigner, Ms. Vivien Gyenese, and Ms. Anita Párizs) from the Zalaegerszeg Training Centre of the University of Pécs, Faculty of Health. Their project ‘5 minutes for Ourselves’ would provide help to students and adults with a desk job by teaching them good posture and also showing them easy exercises in order to stop and prevent neck, shoulder, and back pain caused by poor posture. Posters created for this purpose would show exercises that are easy to perform, videos would be made on the right use of seat cushions and fitballs. The project contributes to shaping a health-conscious lifestyle.

Third place was awarded to the team ‘Ladies of Traditions’ (Ms. Enikő Vígh and Ms. Júlia Sümegi) from the Zalaegerszeg Training Centre of the University of Pécs, Faculty of Health. Their project called ‘Where there used to be, will be’ wants to revitalize those Hungarian traditions that are dying out and pass it on to the younger generation by elderly people visiting school classes and talking about their traditions, stories, teaching them how to embroider and by organizing cooking classes. This would be a great opportunity for bridging the ever growing generation gap. The prepared goods and food would be given to homeless shelters, disadvantaged groups and nursing homes.

For these teams the competitions is not over yet, since they will represent the region at the international competition this summer in Balatonalmádi and compete against Belgian, Spanish, Croatian, Slovakian and other Hungarian teams.

27/05/2016

I-SICS International Social Innovation Competition Pre-Selection Round

16/03/2016

What is a social enterprise?


Social enterprises are organisations with the aim of maximizing social impact instead of producing more and more profit. In planning their products and services they strive to provide solutions to crucial social problems. They seek to create a balance between the profit aim and the social aim, thus social impact has a huge role besides financial sustainability. Contributing to that, they also employ disadvantaged employees, enable the access to health care and education, engages in nature conservation activities.

In order to achieve their goals, social enterprises are economic organizations, their operation is built upon ethical principles which agree with corporate social responsibility. They point at things that are not working and suggest changes for solving social issues.
Social entrepreneurs are creative, talented, innovative individuals, who care for others, are desperate and dedicate their energy and skills to tackle social issues. This way they become active members of their community.

The European Union considers the case of social enterprises as an issue of great importance, so they have taken measures to start, promote and support them. Our EU funded Erasmus+ project I-SICS, International Social Innovation Competition for Students and Adult Learners is closely related to this subject.

How can you become a social innovator?

Keep your eyes and your heart open, talk to people, think about ways for helping them and do not hesitate to act.

The following video talks about some personal experiences of some who has been working with social enterprises for years: http://youtu.be/5LD1HN0zEDI

Három éve foglalkozik társadalmi vállalkozásokkal, több országban kutatta fejlődésüket a párizsi HEC School of Management programjának hallgatójaként. Ma els...

29/02/2016

For problem solvers

On 24th February 2016 students studying at the Zalaegerszeg Training Centre of the University of Pécs, Faculty of Health were provided information on the International Social Innovation Competition.

In frame of a short presentation the physiotherapist students got to learn more about the mission, the course and the rules of the competition and also about the phrase social innovation itself. The young adults, that see themselves as problem solving people, can help those in need with their ideas, they can contribute to the solving of severe social problems with their creativity and willingness, which will make them an active member of their community. In order to that a mentor will assist them during the competition and a training will give them a deeper understanding of social enterprises.

Contestants of the regional round will get the chance to qualify for the international round taking place in Balatonalmádi and make some new Spanish, Belgian, Slovakian and Croatian friends. Many of the students expressed their interest.

29/02/2016

For a smooth transition

Talking to a local organisation employing people with changed working abilities made us aware of some of the problems that directing these people to the open labour market cause.
One of the biggest problems is that these people are not prepared for the expectations and requirements of the labour market, since there is a great difference between the expectations of protected employers and employers of the open labour market. Unfortunately this often results in persons with changed working abilities not being able to stand their ground at their new job and returning to the protected employers, or worse, becoming unemployed. Sadly they cannot reach the level needed in order to keep their jobs.

We came up with a new project idea in order to provide an innovative solution to this problem. We planned to develop a levelling system which would operate as a transitioning for the persons with changed working abilities to the open labour market during their protected employment. People depending on their condition would partake in a coaching consisting of multiple stages and as they progress they would have to meet more and more requirements. This way having been directed to the open labour market they would face a system of expectations and requirements already familiar to them. This would enable them in adapting to and coping with the challenges of the labour market. The system would help the accredited protected employers in the transition of persons with changed working abilities to the open labour market and increase the working chances of these people. The assembled educational kit would facilitate the mentors of protected employers in implementing this innovative solution.

A discussion with experts on the topic of employing people with changed working abilities made us realize that although implementing this project would be a great experiment, there is a high possibility that it would not be sustainable right now.

15/02/2016

Applicants wanted

We have opened up the applications to the regional round of the I-SICS, International Social Innovation Contest. The competition will take place this spring in Nagykanizsa.

The task of the applicants is to come up with ideas that provide innovative solution to the severe social problems surrounding us and satisfy upcoming social needs. Before the competition mentors help the contestants to elaborate and develop their ideas and a training will enable the students to further their knowledge on entrepreneurship. The best 3 ideas of the regional round will compete against Belgian, Spanish, Slovakian, Croatian and other Hungarian teams at the international competition in Balatonalmádi this summer. The best idea of the international round will receive prizes of great value.

The competition provides an exceptional opportunity for students to further their knowledge on social innovation, to gain new experience, to improve their skills, to prove themselves in an international environment, to practice their English at the international competition and to increase their social sensitivity.

Applicantions to be sent by 4 March 2016 to the following e-mail address: [email protected].

02/12/2015

The last monitoring visit to the Hungarian Little Plain project area took place on 19 November 2015, when the external monitoring expert registered the condition of the project area before closing the project.
It is an ordinary procedure of LIFE+ projects to survey the condition of the area at the beginning of the project and the external monitoring expert checks the progress once a year. Right before closing the project, he pays a field visit to the project site to look at the interventions carried out and also to be able to correlate the after-LIFE conservation commitments of the partners to them.

They started the day with a field visit to the Hungarian Little Plain project site where the external monitoring expert together with the representatives of the partners looked at all the areas where interventions were carried out in frame of the project. After that office discussions were held in order to go through the project documentation with the colleagues responsible for the financial administration. Besides that partners were given advices on how to prepare a perfect Final Report of which the deadline is 31 March 2016.

The mandatory audit of the project has also started, an independent auditor has looked at the expenses in order to help the inspection work of the EC.

In frame of the project every proposed activity was carried out and actually in some cases even more. As aimed by the project, degraded habitats were restored and valuable species were preserved. In order to rehabilitate the sand land steppe habitats, invasive species were eliminated. Abandoned military objectives were demolished and the debris was transported from the project area together with the illegally disposed waste.

02/12/2015

An exciting, successful transnational meeting was held in frame of project I-SICS on 16-18th November 2015 in Antwerp, Belgium.
Unfortunately, the excitement was only partially due to the previously proposed topics of the meeting: the terror attack in Paris had its effect on the partners and the host organisation as well. Our host, CVO Antwerpen, as an adult education centre, organises vocational and language courses for foreigners settling down in the Belgian city, it has students from all over the world. Together with the staff and students of the host organisation partners attending the meeting paid their respects during a minute’s silence held in memory of those murdered in the Paris terror attacks.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the regional round of the International Social Innovation Competition and Award ceremony to be held in Balatonalmádi in the summer of 2016. Partners agreed on the deadlines related to the organisation of the regional rounds, in the aspects of selection, and also the award criteria.

One of the regional rounds to be held in Hungary will take place in Nagykanizsa. University students participating in the competition elaborate project ideas with the help of mentors and also through a training focusing on the special aspects of social innovation and social enterprises. They can either identify a social need requiring innovation in their area or use the information and ideas provided by enterprises and social organisations operating in or around Nagykanizsa. The elaborated social innovation projects will be judged next spring, probably in March or April 2016. Those finishing in the first three places at the regional round of the Social Innovation Contest held in Nagykanizsa will be qualified for the international round, competing against Belgian, Spanish, Croatian and other Hungarian contestants.

The detailed description of the competition together with the announcement will be available on our website, as well as on our page.

17/11/2015

A preparatory event was held in Budapest on 11 November 2015 by Tempus Public Foundation for professionals working in the field of public, higher, vocational and adult education on the subject of Strategic Partnerships in the Erasmus+ Programme.

The goal of the event was to throw a spotlight on the co-operations supported by the Erasmus+ Programme in frame of Strategic Partnerships. Participants were encouraged to develop their own institutional strategy and harmonise them with programme objectives and priorities. Since the purpose of the occasion was to equip applicants for the preparatory activities of their project proposals, presentations were held about needs assessment and partner search, and financial planning. Besides all the above mentioned, a successful project proposal was also introduced.

In the afternoon, through a workshop activity participants had the opportunity to see everything in practice, as they were given different case studies and were asked to look at the main steps of the preparatory activities of a project, from needs assessment to relevant strategies.

17/11/2015

In frame of our project I-SICS, or International Social Innovation Contest for Students the regional round of the International Social Innovation Competition will be organised next spring.

One of the pre-selection rounds will be coordinated by our organisation and it will be held in Nagykanizsa focusing on the West Transdanubian region. The International Social Innovation Competition is scheduled for the summer, when all the winning ideas of the different regions and their inventors will compete in order to receive the award for the most authentic, useful and problem-solving innovation. Before the rounds, contestants will undergo a training and will be guided and supported by mentors in preparing and further elaborating their ideas.

Our goal is to create a prestigious European social innovation competition that will involve the youth in order to find innovative solutions to the severe social issues surrounding us. We aim at raising the awareness of university students and also of other stakeholders to problems affecting their regions and also to encourage their social responsibility. This will make them become willing and committed actors of their homeland.

17/11/2015

To celebrate the European Co-operation Day, the Hungary-Croatia Cross-border Co-opration Programme organized a special event on 10th September to close the Hungary-Croatia CBC Programme 2007-2013 and open the Interreg V-A Hungary-Croatia Co-operation Prog

The Cross-border Co-operation Programme 2007-2013 provided more than EUR 49 million of the EU contribution for 169 joint Hungarian-Croatian projects, including three of our projects. As for 2014-2020, the new Interreg V-A Hungary-Croatia Cross-border Programme was approved by the European Commission in 7th September 2015. The event was also a great opportunity for the participants to learn more about the new priority axes and funding opportunities of the 2014-20 Interreg V-A period.

The Interreg V-A Hungary-Croatia Co-operation Programme 2014-2020 aims at enhancing cooperation; addressing the problems of poor accessibility or business environment; enhancing and preserving the environmental and natural assets or preventing the risk of loss related to them; fostering the lack of networks among local and regional administrations and improvement of communication between educational and training institutions and key actors of local economy. The focus is set on supporting the reinforcement and expansion of the existing co-opreative networks and maintaining the continuity of activities as outlined above.

Croatia was represented by Ms Helga Bubanovic Devcic, Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Regional Development and EU funds, while Hungary was represented by Mr Zsigmond Perényi, Deputy State Secretary and the Head of Managing Authority in the Prime Minister’s Office at the conference. Ambassadors of both Hungary to the Republic of Croatia and the republic of Croatia to Hungary, Mr József Magyar and Mr Gordan Grlic Radman were also present, and so were the the county prefect of the hosting Medimurska County, Mr Matija Posavec and the mayor of Cakovec, Mr Stepjan Kovac. Representing the European Commission, Ms Lena Andresson Pench, Director in the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy talked about her positive experience with the implementation of the Hungary-Croatia CBC Programme 2007-2013. Among the 300 participants, the conference was attended by two of our colleagues.