Academy of Experience

Élményakadémia was founded in 2005 by 12 young volunteers, who - based on their personal experiences - believed that non-formal education is an essential tool for the development of groups and individuals. The objective of the organization is to provide opportunities for youth and adults through various non-formal educational activities to develop their personal and professional skills, resulting in altered attitudes and behaviour. To reach this, uniquely in Hungary, the organisation is focusing mainly on outdoor activities supported by diverse methodologies of experiential education. Such as non-violent communication, coaching, meditation, neuro linguistic programming and other solution focused coaching techniques. Our main thematic focuses are: personal and social participation of youth, professional development of adult educators, inclusion and education on sustainable environment. We foresee to reach them by running experience based on non-formal educational activities resulting in the development of life leading skills and competences.

Our mission is to inspire, empower and support youth and adults to take responsibility in their lives and their communities. Our target group is young adults, volunteers and professionals who are working with them. We put special emphasis to reach and involve youth with less opportunities: those dropping out of the school system, unemployed, living in geographically and socially disadvantaged regions, on Roma settlements. In the past 5 years we reached over 4000 people. From different level of participation and organisational structure our participants design, run and evaluate activities. The level of participation and responsibilities are based on personal and organisational needs concerning personal development, legal matters or real life practicalities.

Élményakadémia (Academy of Experience) has 5 full-time employees, 12 variously skilled trainers and approx. 25 volunteers all together cca. 50 members and other stakeholders - representatives of companies, universities, governmental institutions, schools etc. Our office is open on a daily basis, allowing youth and professionals to visit us, ask questions, initiate projects and work as volunteers,trainers. Once an idea for an activity is clear and fitting the aim of the organisation we look for resources together and create an action plan on realities. The project are also carried out by and with youth and adults, supporting them with professional guidelines, coaching or administrative matters, based on present needs. A key value for us in the inclusion and integration of different interest and needs, resulting in an activity which is truly needed and interesting for them and usually we put special emphasis on disadvantaged youth. Next to this we intend to give real life or work based experiences, resulting in learning that can be reused in various life/work situations supporting participation. For this for example we offer opportunity to be involved, run and initiate activities with coaching and mentoring. This way our participants move into deeper understanding from personal experiences by reflections, designed learning processes and personal support. We can state that our adult and young adult participants are and will be involved at all levels of the organisation, from strategic planning to everyday organisational tasks. The long-term objective of

Élményakadémia is to provide opportunity for experiential learning in an intercultural setting for less opportunity youth through volunteering activities, trainings, exchanges and other learning opportunities. This enables them to develop an intercultural dialogue, active participation and experience things that they would not be able to access otherwise. We aim at a broadened, responsible and democratic attitude and we believe that through non-formal learning and intercultural, experiential learning this can be reached. For 2018/19 our priority is to support unemployment and burn-out to be proactive in social and personal situations that our participants face, offering tools, skills and opportunities for them to develop new transversal skills that enables them to approach more successfully the world of work. It’s exceptionally important to provide equal opportunities and access for the socially and culturally challenged adults and youngsters to European projects, intercultural learning, offering them a life long experience and expectantly skill, competence development.

We already work in strong cooperation with roma and orphan youth through institutions, schools, teachers and helping professionals of charities.

We are experienced partners in KA1 and also experienced consortium leaders in KA2 and KA3 projects.