We have been working with volunteers for many years now. Since 2006 our association is a registered hosting organisation in the European Voluntary Service (EVS) program and since 2009 we have been working as a sending organisation as well. In the framework of this program the volunteers who come to our association prepare radio and TV programs, short films and animations mainly on cultural similarities and differences and on the local and international youth work.


Nechita Zoltán
When I left Oradea I had no idea about what it is like working in a radio and after 1 year I feel that I know too much about it. They took away from me the pleasure of just simply listening to the radio. If I hear a radio program I cannot ignore the professional aspects of it (intonation, quality of speech, breathing techniques, mixing music, different editing techniques). At the same time I learnt a lot, at the beginning they dealt a lot with my professional development. I remember that it took me 5 hours to prepare my first interview (it means the recording and editing of a 5 minute-long interview to 3 minutes) and by the end of the project it took 5 hours to prepare the whole radio program.  What I really would like to emphasize is that our project has a real product. I have friend in Oradea and Debrecen who listened to our radio programs and are really jealous of my project. So it was very good, it was a very pleasant year in my life and this is mainly because of my hosting organisation. I was lucky with them, as they treated me as a partner and not as a free worker. I was part of the team.


Szabó Réka
I was preparing a weekly radio program entitled “73 km” that strengthened the connection between Oradea and Debrecen.  I prepared this program with another volunteer. This radio show introduced the city of Debrecen through our eyes. I made interviews and vox-pops on the local topics, on the traditions, activities, and initiatives of the city while I also met a lot of famous and interesting people. When I arrived here my goal was to have an insight into the media in 1 year, but I got much more. The word of the media is more complex and more difficult than I thought before my voluntary service. I thought that if I do not have to stand in front of people, it will net be difficult at all, but I realized that it is much more difficult to talk to the people (to tell them what we want) only through our voices.  During this one year I learnt a lot about communicating with people, to make them understand me. This project gave me a pot of plus inputs that I did not expect. I can say that I grew up during this project.


Boldizsár Zoltán
At the Sound-Picture Association I prepared a series of animations and a Webpage. The themes of the animations were on the traditions, life and situations in Oradea and Debrecen, mainly their differences and similarities. WE could discuss every idea, whether it can be implemented or not or it can remain just at the level of a good joke. I have to indicate the most popular animation I made was just a joke, but it seems people like this the most. By the help of the project I could go deeper in this profession as if I became “big” I would like to be an animation film director, so I think this 6 month-period was very useful for me. I could try out some new techniques that I always wanted to and I have developed the idea of my thesis for school as well. So I think it was very useful for my future as well. At the same time I met people whom I will be working together with in the future as well.


Sándor Levente

In the 73km program I prepared animations that initiated the cross-border cooperation and communication between two countries (Romania – Hungary) and two cities (Oradea – Debrecen) through introducing differences and similarities. We met people who prepare animations, professional photographers film makers and they all helped. Before I came here I had no experience with doing animations and my now I can say that I have prepared 6 animations that helped a lot in my professional development. I think my project was successful as I think these tiny, often funny pieces of work helped the inhabitants of the two cities/countries to get to know the other and hopefully they will generate cooperation between them. I will definitely look for a job in this field, as I am attending a university on films and this half a year was a really good professional experience. The only negative thing is that sometimes I had to taste the food that other volunteers were cooking but everything has a good side, so I learnt how to cook, as I always wanted to.


Abigel Magochi
In the framework of the Communication Skills and Training project I learnt to edit and mix sound and to write news. I mainly prepared radio programs, but I was also involved in organising meetings as well, where I often made interviews and vox-pops as well. I learnt what it is to work in an international community. I tried myself out in film making too, with local young people and other volunteers we discovered together the faces of the old and the new Debrecen. I participated at the open speech trainings of the association too, where I could practice to give presentations for a bigger audience. I prepared a promotion CD as well, on which the music and the English introduction of 16 local amateur music bands can be found. The aim of the CD is to introduce the amateur music life of Debrecen to Europe. I am very satisfied with my project, I participated at several activities, where I could use and improve my language and communication skills. My accommodation was super, exactly in the centre of the city, close to every location that I was going to. I improved my speech as well, I learnt to talk like in a radio and I realised that it comes handy at job interviews too. I recommend this project to everyone who would like to learn new skills and would like to discover another side of her personality. I learnt what the life of a journalist is.


Csoki
I had the chance to get to know the National Park of Hortobagy, not only as a tourist, but as a volunteer as I fed really rare birds and I helped around the Bird Park. With the work there I could improve my Hungarian and English communication, as I met a lot of foreigners there. I ever wore an article in the magazine of the Bird Hospital and with other volunteers we prepared a multi-lingual audio CD for the visitors of the Bird Hospital and the Bird Park. We prepared the audio material in Hungarian, English, Romanian, German and French languages. I have to admit that the activities that I was doing in my project met fully my expectations. I learnt a lot about cultural differences and this added a lot to the success of my project. I improved my communication skills; I learnt to think over things and to explain it consciously to others. This came well since than several times. I am planning to have a long-term business cooperation with the Bird Hospital Foundation. I recommend the EVS project to everybody who would like to work, learn and get better in a new culture while he is participating in activities that serve the local community.


Kemi
During my EVS service I prepared short films and different audio-visual products. Most of these were to help and strengthen the cross-border communication at the Hajdú-Bihar - Bihor Euroregion. WE went on for shooting videos and then came the editing and the post-production. I took part in making the Mobilitars youth TV magazine. I took a lot of photos mainly on different youth conferences, meetings and I also participated at nature photo tours. I participated at the production of different audio-visual products that was made by the association (dubbing, making subtitles, designing DVD and CD covers), and I also helped in organising different meetings and activities. Before the EVS I could not have done these, but this way that I was working in a community, it became much easier and simpler. The project went according to my expectations, I really enjoyed my work. I made several new partnerships and friends during the 1 year and I gained new skills in connection with my work. I gained a lot of experience in making films and doing photography and I could be a useful member in the team of my hosting organisation, so I think my project was successful.


Attila Forizs
My EVS activity was about making short films, videos and various audio-visual products on local and international youth activities. I participated at the making of Mobilitars magazine that introduced the work of youth organisation of the North-Great Plain region and was broadcasted by 12 TV channels. I also did graphic design to some of the short films that were filmed and edited by me or by the other members of the association. I learnt that good ideas have a ground and it added a lot to my sense of initiating new things. As I return home I will have a lot of references (media products) that comes handy for finding a job at this field.


Pierre Baudchon
I was leading a project which is an artistic exchange between France and Hungary, collecting the ideas, looking for artists, searching for gallery and partners, coordinating the arrival, translating during the stay. I was also helping to make video interviews with journalist friends, so I was there as cameraman and as technical assistant. I learnt a lot, like video shooting, editing, photography, designing and developing DVD, graphic design, working in team. I took a fishing camp as well, where I had several “fisherman friends”. It was really nice to discover the life inside an association. When I return to France, I would like to make an association too.


Maili Tannenberg
I am really satisfied with my service at the Sound Picture Association as I learned a lot during the time I spent here. I mean in various ways: personally, service task related, about local life, Hungarian culture, language, the country in general etc. I got to experience how it is to live in a small community, work together, cook for each other and help one another. My main task was to take photos during different events related to youth programmes, trainings and conferences. I had the chance to learn more about photo editing, how to shoot a video, work with different programmes (Adobe Premier, After Effects and Photoshop) and in addition to that I was taught to make short interviews for radio shows. I got to travel around Hungary to various destinations with my colleagues work-related, but also non-work-related. I had a very nice mentor outside the association whom I could speak with at all times about anything. We often met and became very good friends, she introduced me the local musical and cultural scenes. I can say I definitely grew as a person. As I came to Hungary without any previous language training, I started from the beginning and I am proud of myself to have reached to the level where I can understand almost everything. I can explain myself in Hungarian and everyday talk is not a big problem. I think I managed to make myself feel at home, find local friends, discover the varieties of Hungarian culture and enjoy the leisure time as well as my voluntary service.


Alpar David
During my EVS project I mostly worked as cameraman and editor of films, but I did some graphic works as well, like preparing an image book or a leaflet. I designed DVD covers and discs and multimedia menus to them also. I participated in several bigger projects as well, like in the shooting of Hungary Guide or in the making of the YIA video clips. My hosting organisation provided me the necessary personal support, and the mentor. I am very grateful for him, as I learnt a lot from him; he was not only my mentor but also a friend. I participated in youth initiatives and trainings, and I had the chance to see several youth exchanges. It was the best decision of my life that I challenged my self as a volunteer. I am satisfied maximally with my project. I could do what I like and if we had problems sometimes, that was an exciting challenge. I am proud that our team always managed to solve it. During this one year a real group-feeling was formed, and it was unbelievably great! We discussed every tiny detail in advance, repeated it more if it was necessary to clarify it more and we calmly implemented it. I met several youngsters from all over Europe. This was a huge, enriching experience that I will use in my life for sure.


Federica Granati
My project consisted of two main tasks: on the one hand I promoted the Youth in Action programme through events and initiatives, on the other hand I documented this work by filming or taking pictures of these initiatives and creating short video reports or slideshows. I thus experienced both film making with digital technologies and the organization of promotional activities, which required cooperation and team work. I’m satisfied with my service and with the entire experience. The job at the association was what I expected from it during my project choice. I had no surprises, and everything was exactly as I read in the project dossier. I could realize audiovisual products, as I wished, and I met nice people during these months. My relationship with the hosting organization was friendly and informal, so I could work in a peaceful atmosphere, and share my opinions easily. I profited a lot from this experience, learning more and more from new situations and different contexts, so now I can say that I improved my personal skills and my view of the world and of mutlicultural life.


Júlia Lilla Gálfi
During my project I participated at several youth programs, where I mainly took photos and often filmed together with other volunteers. As I am mainly interested in drawing and different graphic arts, I prepared several DVD covers, layouts of hand-outs and I designed the logo of a democracy project as well. I was introduced to several new softwares and as I was working in an international team, my English skills also improved. I think my service here was way better than I expected. For me this project was a real success, full of different activities.