Be Present. Be a Volunteer.

The aim of the Be Present. Be a Volunteer! project was to provide secondary school students with the opportunity to engage in volunteer cooperation with target groups whom they might not ordinarily encounter in their everyday lives. The objective was to encourage young people not to live exclusively in the online space, but to become active in the offline world as well. To achieve this, volunteer actions were implemented for various beneficiary groups, with young participants acting as active planners and organisers of the programmes.

As part of the preparation phase, invited experts helped participants critically reflect on the online world. During interactive sessions led by Dr. Katalin Baracsi, internet lawyer, students debated and argued about the role of artificial intelligence, examined whether news on social media platforms was genuine, and tested their knowledge of various online platforms.

By the end of the preparatory phase, the young participants had developed a broader and more comprehensive understanding of the online world, including its risks, and became capable of reflecting on their own responsibility regarding internet use.

Drawing on elements of the online environment, each class developed its own offline action plan tailored to their chosen beneficiaries. Fears and expectations were discussed, and a detailed list of necessary tools and resources for a successful volunteer action was compiled.

At the outset, the volunteer actions progressed more slowly, with the support of coordinators, teachers and professionals assisting the participants. However, the young people quickly demonstrated their ability to implement high-quality initiatives. The actions had a strong emotional impact on participants, which was one of the programme’s intended outcomes. Reflection sessions were held after each action, including feedback provided by the involved expert and opportunities for participants to articulate their experiences.

Short videos were produced about the volunteer actions, and at the conclusion of the project, large posters were created and displayed in the participating schools to inspire other students and encourage them to engage in volunteering.

Following the implementation of ten volunteer actions, it can be concluded that young people are capable of achieving significant impact in the offline sphere and of volunteering for the benefit of others – they simply require encouragement and support. The programme also empowered the participating schools to be more open to allowing similar volunteer initiatives and collaborations within the framework of non-formal learning in the future.

A “Good Practice” document was produced summarising the experiences of the volunteer actions. It is available via this designated link and may be freely used by others.