The Youth Exchange “Transition in Action II” under the Erasmus+ Programme will take place from 15th August (arrival day) till 28th August (departure day) 2016 in Hungary, Kunszállás a village situated 100 kms to the South of Budapest in a beautiful rural setting.

Why transition?

Local communities around the world are searching for new ways of being in the 21st Century; experimenting with new ways of cooperation, sharing wealth more fairly, creating meaningful livelihoods, appreciating the natural world and respecting the limits it imposes on us. These communities are looking for ways to thrive rather than simply survive; climate chaos, economic crisis, resource depletion, precarious employment and unending conflict is not our inevitable inheritance.

The Transition Network is a global network bringing together over 1000 such local communities that are actively re-creating themselves in the belief that the future depends on us. These inspiring community based initiatives are growing around Hungary as well, since the difficult circumstances (high unemployment, social misery, dependence on costly public services) open people's mind and encourage them to search for alternative solutions for a more healthy, peaceful and secure way of life. Community gardens, local currencies, farmers' markets, urban bee-keeping, repair and up-cycle workshops are all offering new forms of collaboration for all kinds of people and their wider communities.

What is Transition in Action II?

The Transition in Action II Youth Exchange is a "reality gathering", bringing together 40 young people in a 'rural lab' setting to support them in creating together their own transition community from the resources around them. From Bosnia and Herczegovina, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, they will gather for 13 days to get to know each other and to explore 'transition' concepts: how nature, communities and our lifestyle are connected and how, by using resources wisely, we can lead sustainable, rewarding lives. Through games, debates, excursions, creative workshops, and practical hands-on work, the participants will experience what it means to share ideas and cooperate, and to collaborate to bring alive their own "settlement" with the resources around them.
They will be aided by 4 support workers experienced in community organising, facilitating, food growing and natural building crafts.

The project is divided into three main parts.

In the first few days we will build our team: core to our work is our ability to bring out the best in ourselves and each other; this will be partly practical, partly games-based exploration of our skills, needs and abilities. Making community work is very much about knowing who we are, what we enrich the community with, and what needs we have. All aspects of the exchange are shared and each participant will have a role in making this community thrive and prosper!

The next phase is the exploratory and mapping work: where are we, what are the surroundings and the local community like, what chances are there to creatively develop necessary local infrastructure? We will organise in 'hives' to explore, gather and report back, building local knowledge.

In the third phase we will take that knowldege further in practical ways, in workshops around the community, learning new skills such as adobe stove building, furniture renovation, grain harvesting, ceramics, bio-dinamic farming. The final list of local workshops will be finalised together. In the meantime we are working with the local community to prepare them as hosts; this means tasting local food and the odd glass of local wine or palinka will be some of the pleasant moments we will share.

It's not just about practical outcomes though:  this creative work will allow us to use and develop organisational and cooperation skills, refine consensus decision-making and facilitation, and explore "heart and soul work" too.

Each participating organisation has been invited to develop its own program within the broader exchange framework, so it is sure permaculture, natural stoves, community gardens will also all come into the picture.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

• Working language of the Youth Exchange: English. Acceptable alternative: Hungarian.
• Accommodation: in tents (which you will have to bring, - and we will have showers and toilets indoor and outdoor as well.)
• The food will be sourced  from the local community from mainly local resources and it will be lacto-ovo-vegetarian. We will all participate in preparation and cooking and basic house-keeping.
• There will be physical work during the camp (building structures, working with adobe, wood, etc) which can be demanding sometimes, but we will learn a lot of useful techniques which can be easily implemented in the participants' home communities.
• If selected, participants will be asked to purchase their own travel insurance for the period of the 13 days.
• If you play any instruments, please plan to bring it ;)

PARTICIPANTS SHOULD:

• be a resident in one of the following countries:
  Bosnia and Herczegovina, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia
• be in the age between 18 and 30 (except the youth leader of each country delegated by the partners, who should be preferably but not necessarily under 30)
• be interested in the topics related to the youth exchange and ready to prepare activities and workshop materials before coming to Hungary
• be willing to live simply, sustainably and in a community for 13 days (and hopefully longer)
• fill in this application form until 1st of July.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Accommodation, food and costs of the activities are fully covered by the organizers.  

Travel costs are reimbursed up to the following amounts per person:

• Portugal: 270 EUR
• Latvia, Italy: 170 EUR
• Bosnia and Herczegovina, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia: 80 EUR
• Hungary: 20 EUR

VERY IMPORTANT!

Don"t buy your tickets without being selected and officially informed about your possibility of participation!

Once you are selected, make sure you choose the cheapest and most sustainable means of transport - this is a key issue of the project! All partners were asked beforehand about willingness to travel in the most sustainable manner - we aim to keep flying to a minimum.

You will have to bring your tent, sleeping bag and mattress and a big straw hat.

You may buy your tickets arriving up to 2 days before the beginning or 2 days after the end as long as it makes economic sense. The Degrowth Conference starts at the beginning of September. More details about that here: http://budapest.degrowth.org/ NOTE: this falls outside the travel reimbursement dates.

Once selected you will receive a document (info pack) with further details.

The Transition in Action Youth Exchange is organised by the Védegylet (Protect the Future).The Védegylet provides support to the Hungarian Transition Communities Movement and the trainers are part of this movement. The Youth Exchange is financed by the European Union Erasmus+ program.

MORE INFORMATION:

Email: contact[at]atalakulo[dot]hu
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/496593030531480/
Website: http://kozossegek.atalakulo.hu/transition-in-action-ii
Application form: http://goo.gl/forms/jQ7oljbwlTyjl59K2 (deadline: 1st of July, 2016)