The Hungarian Our Voice Camp took place in Balatonberény from 14th to 18th August 2023, where 20 brave young people and I set out on a journey of discovery to find the most precious thing in the world, Their Voice. Our goal is to spread the message that every life is precious and that it is possible to turn disadvantages into advantages and help others!
On Monday, after creating the rules together, our lead trainer took us on an inner journey to explore our perceptions. Later, with the help of youth facilitators, we continued to work in small groups, guided by our trainer. We worked on ourselves and got to know each other, while of course splashing around in Lake Balaton and playing lots of sports: badminton and football. In the evening the camp turned into a garden cinema. We watched the film „Saving Casa Hogar” together.
On Tuesday we went on an exciting inner journey led by our trainer. We were able to learn about our love languages and gain insight into the emotions our perceptions trigger and our reactions to them. Our developmental trainer showed us some great exercises to develop our cognitive and emotional skills. In the evening we enjoyed the sunset on a boat on Lake Balaton.
On Wednesday, although the day started rainy, we managed to make the clouds disappear with a game. We were tired by the middle of the week, so we really enjoyed Betti’s sound bath, which is becoming a tradition in the Parents’ House Family. The focus of the day was on the camp’s goal of finding 12 young people to join the Our Voice team and take part in the year and a half programme. The young people began to formulate their own messages, which you will soon be able to hear.
In the afternoon, the „little ones” arrived, as the aim of the programme is for the young people to become peer helpers and return to the children’s homes to pass on the methods they have learnt in the training sessions to the children. This time we were able to put this into practice.
On Thursday, after a nice get-together, the project manager of the Our Voice programme gave us an interesting presentation about the Erasmus+ programmes and showed us how the world can open up to us.
Júlia Pálhegyi told us about her volunteering trip with Solidarity On, from which she recently returned from France.
We also met the public mentors involved in the programme, including Katalin Balázsy, a researcher and member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and her husband Csaba, who came to talk to us about their work, which includes helping Nasa.
We were also visited by the Mayor of Balatonberény, Tünde Draskóczy, who told us about the village and her work as Mayor, and brought us gifts from local producers.
In the evening, Károly Nyári gave a concert as part of the Our Voice programme in the community centre, where we were able to introduce ourselves to the people of the village. After the unforgettable concert, we all enjoyed a pizza dinner.
Friday was the farewell day, but we know that every end is the beginning of something new. This is even more true in our case, as the basic camp will soon be followed by the trips with the 12 selected young people, who will be joined by 12 other young people from Transylvania and Belgium.
We will soon know who the „voices” of the first Our Voice programme will be. But one thing is certain: we will not leave anyone behind. We have met many, many precious people, diamonds that, like many others, still need polishing, but who are all great fighters and full of love.
Take a look at our gallery and see for yourself what our camp atmosphere is like!
