A big THANKS! to MOL!
HUF 20 million for the voluntary work projects of secondary school students
Budapest, December 5th, 2014 -
Nearly 100 school community service projects received a total support of HUF 20 million in the framework of the THANKS! programme launched by MOL New Europe Foundation in cooperation with the Institute for Educational Research and Development. The certificates representing financial support were handed over on Friday, the Day of Volunteering, to the non-profit organisations ready to accept students in the framework of the school community service programme.
GOOD AIMS:
The aim of the THANKS! programme was to implement the projects for9-11 grade secondary school students devised by the supported non-profit organisations in accordance with the regulations regarding theSchool Community Service. The project aims to promote the implementation of the School Community Service so that more and more students could accomplish their service tasks, which are an obligatory precondition for their graduation from the year 2016 on, and to provide an experience which might motivate the students for further voluntary activities.
GOOD NUMBERS:
268 applications were submitted for the competition which started in September, out of these97were accepted by the board of trustees.
50 so called big projects will be financed – 10-30 students take part in these projects on average, whereas the 47 small projects include 3-5 students. Out of the financed projects 23 are social, 21 cultural and community, 19 sports and free time category schemes. Moreover 14 environmental protection, 8 educational and 2 health projects got support. The winners include 71 non-profit organisations and 26 church organisations.
GOOD TENDER:
The THANKS! programme was launched by MOL New Europe Foundation in September in cooperation with the Hungarian Institute for Educational Research and Development (OFI) as a professional partner for the implementation of community service projects meeting the legal requirements. It was also a condition that the students could perform approximately 20 hours of community service during the two terms in 2015 in line with the project plans. The tenders were evaluated by specialists invited by OFI and New Europe Foundation. The winner projects could get support for the costs involved in project implementation, e.g. tools, transport costs, documentation and communication costs, as well as maximum 25% of the fee to be paid for the voluntarycoordinators.
GOOD SUPPORTERS:
DomokosSzollár MOL Communications Director pointed out the project was in total harmony with MOL’s concept of corporate social responsibility, where solidarity, responsibility for others, for those in need and for the community are of great importance. „It is a great pleasure for us to support this initiative and to contribute to making voluntariness more popular. As I pointed out earlier at the start of the project the most important for us is that voluntariness should run in our blood and giving help should become our basic temper. This will be the sign that our society has become healthier.”
Following the founders of the scheme the representatives of three supportedapplications introduced their projects.
GOOD PROJECTS:
The representative ofBudapest Bike Maffia (BBM) association told that their organisation included civilians providing immediate help for those in need in an innovative way. The organisation aims to change the negative attitude towards the poor and the homeless and to enhance empathy. 50 students take part in the project.
The successful project of the Association of Nature and Environmental Protection Vigilantes perform nature and environment protection tasks with students in two protected areas of the capital, on the Sas-hill in Buda and in the 12th district. The plans include waste management, limitation of the invasive plants, placing man-made bird houses and the maintenance of the marked walking paths.
The Contour Associationsupports underprivileged groups; their aim is to foster the achievement of equal opportunities. Their key-project is the „Hős street project”, which is a nearly 1000-person segregate in the 10th district of Budapest. Their aim is to revitalize and re-establish the local community while observing the needs and interests of the children and the families with children based on and including their contribution. Therefore two important elements of their project are the free time activities organized for the children (excursions, sports programmes, creative camps) as well as the joint project with the Social Circus, including the teaching and performance of juggler tricks.
For further information please refer to:
Mrs. Gábor, Andrea Haáz
0670 373 4384
Attila Fábián
0620 341 0831