(English) Hungarian stakeholders share their impression of the eNEET Rural Annual Seminar & Brokerage event held in Ljubljana, Slovenia

7 Hungarian stakeholders from agro-, youth- and employment development segment joined the eNEET Rural Hungarian mission led by Fruto Ltd to take part in the Annual Seminar& Brokerage event in Ljubljana. The event was organized within eNEET Rural project addressing the youth unemployment in rural areas. Returning from the 2-days mission we were curious to learn their take-away messages of the event.

What was the reason for your interest to attend?

Mrs Rita Tanczos (Unemployment Department of Bekes County Government Office):
The goals of the Unemployment Department of Bekes County Government (http://bekes.munka.hu/engine.aspx?page=wbl) are to decrease the number of unemployment in the county which covers significant rural areas in south-eastern Hungary. The particular reason of my delegation to the study visit was to seek connection with the program of the Young Farmer which Bekes County Government runs. I had no specific expectations, but rather excitement to see different approaches of handling unemployment at international level.

Mrs Gyurokne Csilla Bodi (Baranya County Business Center):
As the representative of Baranya County Business Center (www.bmvk.hu) my professional interest focused on two things: getting to know the project activities and clarifying future cooperation opportunities and tasks.
During the official events, I obtained additional information about the project, which gives our organization a more accurate picture of this very interesting initiative. One of the main target groups of our organization is the circle of agribusinesses, and one of our main goals is to support the young entrepreneurs to become entrepreneurs.

Mr Tamas Horvath (Spica Farmers’ Association and Cultural Association):
As the president of the Spica Farmers’ Association and Cultural Association I am interested in the project and wanted to learn more about it. Furthermore, I think the Slovenians are very good at innovation and farming. They have very good initiatives, hence I was wondering what solutions they had to the agro-industry related problems.

Mrs Melinda Kassai (Butterfly Complex Regional Development):
As an expert of Butterfly Complex Regional Development; http://www.bffd.hu/ I attended the event upon the invitation of the Hungarian project partner, Fruto Ltd.. My expectation was that I could get to know the other participants of the project, the Hungarian partners to be involved, as well as other foreign participants with whom we maybe establish collaboration at professional level.

Mrs Tormane Ivett Hosszu and Mr Peter Torma (TP Consulting Ltd):
We attended the event after meeting Mrs Patricia Merei, Fruto Ltd who visited us and introduced eNEET Rural project, which arose our interest as we are a training provider company operating also in rural areas while focusing on vulnerable groups. Hence, we were happily say yes for the invitation to attend the event.
We arrived with the expectation to build new relationships between national and international professionals operating in similar fields.
Another expectation was that we could expand our own activities with other European Union projects, and find the opportunities that the agricultural field could offer for us.

 What is your profile, what are the linking points with eNEET?

Mrs Rita Tanczos (Unemployment Department of Bekes County Government Office):
I work in the Agricultural and Rural Development Support Department of the Bekes County Government Office dealing typically with rural development and agricultural investment. Our call for support for young farmers under the Rural Development Program has different nature in terms of grants and projects comparing to those introduced in Ljubljana, but they are similar in terms of the targeted end results.

Mrs Gyurokne Csilla Bodi (Baranya County Business Center):
I attended the conference on behalf of my organization: Baranya County Business Center. One of the main target groups of our organization is the circle of agribusinesses, and one of our main goals is to support the young entrepreneurs to become entrepreneurs.
Several elements of our activities and services are / may be related to the eNEET Rural project in the future (consultancy, training, tenders

Mr Tamas Horvath (Spica Farmers’ Association and Cultural Association):
I am specialised in agriculture, rural development. My Association seeks and works on Slovenian-Hungarian projects and nurtures many farmer relations, farmer activities. We have active participation in Leader program and links with agricultural vocational training institutes which would be an asset for eNEET Rural project as well as the common activities with the Chamber of Agriculture. We are very happy to help the implementation of eNEET Rural project via our network of farmers and other shareholders who could assist the mentoring and training of NEETs with agro interest.

Mrs Melinda Kassai (Butterfly Complex Regional Development):
Butterfly Complex Regional Development (www.bffd.hu) has strong competence and skilled staff on sustainable agriculture in rural areas for vulnerable people. eNEET Rural is strongly connected with our training programmes and training experience.

Mrs Tormane Ivett Hosszu and Mr Peter Torma (TP Consulting Ltd):
Our company, TP Consulting Ltd (http://tp-consulting.hu/) deals with adult education, language teaching and foreign language translation. As part of our adult education activities, we provide digital and other competence development training in disadvantaged employment regions among others in Somogy County region. Our accredited trainings (OKJ Master Training) are run in the cooperation with the Employment Department of job seekers.

How did you like the event? What is your take-away message?

Mrs Rita Tanczos (Unemployment Department of Bekes County Government Office):
I had a great time both in the city and at the professional event. The kindness and openness of the project participants was very positive and the developments presented were amazing, especially the “The Sunny Paradise Estate”. As far as I can, I will share with anyone who is interested in youth development what eNEET Rural program is and will force the conclusion of the cooperation agreement with the project to utilize the synergetic operation.

Mrs Gyurokne Csilla Bodi (Baranya County Business Center):
At the professional conference, I received additional information about the project, which gave a more accurate picture of this very interesting initiative. I hope that establishing personal contacts will help the project to be effectively and successfully implemented and will also contribute to the development of activities and services of the cooperating partners.

Mr Tamas Horvath (Spica Farmers’ Association and Cultural Association):
I very much enjoyed my participation at the professionally organized event. I especially liked the video presentations of the Slovenian rural development projects, but also felt pleased to meet other Hungarian stakeholders and my two collaborative farming partners attending the event.

Mrs Melinda Kassai (Butterfly Complex Regional Development):
I find the event very useful as we got to know Hungarian participants who would otherwise be working in different parts of the country.
The same for foreign project partners whom we could exchange words and learn about the practices of organizations working on the same domain in other countries at
I liked the large-scale ‘local product’ exhibition which was attended not only by exhibitors from Ljubjana or even Slovenia, but also from Croatia and Serbia. It was impressing to see the high quality of Slovenians products and their openness for organic (natural, chemical-free) cultivation and consumption.

Mrs Tormane Ivett Hosszu and Mr Peter Torma (TP Consulting Ltd):
The participants shared good practices and experiences at regional level.
During the event, it was clear that the international participants of the project took the task seriously, and many young people were reached, involved and encouraged to start their independent activity. They were also stimulated to build a team and create a community.
What I liked the most was the enthusiasm and coordination of the speakers and the appreciation of each other and their international experience.

Is there any future collaboration with the project?

Mrs Rita Tanczos (Unemployment Department of Bekes County Government Office):
Bekes County Government Office intends to promote eNEET Rural project by circulating the project flyers. Further, it will invite Fruto Ltd as project partner and communication manager of the project to attend the relevant events of the Office and introduce it to the target group of unemployed young people. The Office plans to deliver human development services on the trainings to be run by Fruto to the target group.

Mrs Gyurokne Csilla Bodi (Baranya County Business Center):
It was especially useful for me to be able to have a glimpse at an agro expo with a profile similar to the farmers’ days held yearly in Szentlorinc, Hungary which our organization co-organise. Both events provide opportunities for exhibitions and fairs of local handicraft products. We trust that the newly established links with the Slovenian counter-partners will aid organising our event in August 2020. We also deem that we can generate new projects with the stakeholders we got to know during the study visit in Ljubljana!

 Mr Tamas Horvath (Spica Farmers’ Association and Cultural Association):
Beyond the cooperation agreement we concluded with Fruto Ltd on the project related activities (contribution to the trainings, hosting and mentoring the NEETs, disseminating the project and its results) I see numerous opportunities for cooperation beyond eNEET Rural project. We can certainly help each other out in our daily operation and we can work out the potential of Sector Training Centers.

Mrs Melinda Kassai (Butterfly Complex Regional Development):
Having concluded a cooperation agreement with Fruto Ltd, we will mainly play role in the implementation of trainings.

Mrs Tormane Ivett Hosszu and Mr Peter Torma (TP Consulting Ltd):
For the sake of agricultural and other training opportunities, we would like to join the eNEET project.