GLC Newsletter
-
Upload
emilmetodiev -
Category
Documents
-
view
246 -
download
0
description
Transcript of GLC Newsletter
GREAT LAKES CONSORTIUM
for International Training and
Development (GLC) — GLC is a
collaborative effort of the Bowling
Green State University, Lourdes
University, The University of
Toledo, and WSOS Community
Action Commission, Inc - Contract
Agent and Manager. Established
in 1999.
Dr. Elizabeth Balint
Project Manager
Barbara Dennis,
Viktoriya Maryamova
Program Coordinators
GLC Toledo Office
P.O. Box 352424
Toledo, OH 43635
Phone: 419-725-0440
Cell: 419-973-8007
Email: [email protected]
Website:
www.GLC-Teachdemocracy.org
www.gl-consortium.org
Find us on
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of the Educational and
Cultural Affairs, Office of Citizen Exchanges, Professional Fellows Division
The Great Lakes Consortium – through
WSOS Community Action Commission,
Inc. – as Contract Agent and Manager –
received a grant for a two-way exchange
between September 2011 and May 2013
from the U.S. Department of State for
the “Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Mi-
nority Communities” with 28 partici-
pants from four countries of Europe and
for 17 U.S. mentors.
The overall goal of this exchange
program is to provide a professional
development opportunity for up-and-
coming and mid-level professionals to
gain knowledge of United States
practices in engaging citizens and
community leaders in collaboration to
inform changes in legislation that make
a difference in minority communities
(including Roma, disabled, homeless,
immigrant populations) and strengthen
democracy.
Foreign participants are exposed to
diverse community organizing methods
to engage citizens as active participants
in solving problems in their own
communities. They also gain hands-on
experience at both public and civil
society institutions in the U.S. and a
deeper understanding of U.S. society,
culture and people. They have an
opportunity to examine the relationship
between civil society and government
and learn methods to fight public
corruption and develop accountability.
Through internship placements at
national, state and local organizations
across the U.S. participants gain
knowledge and experience as well as
adaptable approaches that they can
implement after their return.
U.S. mentors also have an opportunity
travel for a reciprocal visit overseas.
The U.S. participants of this exchange
will have an opportunity to share
professional expertise and gain a deeper
understanding of the societies, cultures
and people of other countries.
“Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities”
Professional Fellows from
Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia in the USA
October 1 - November 10, 2012
October 2012
First U.S. Mentors delegation welcomed at Budapest City Hall, Hungary
Page 2 “Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities”
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PROJECT ADVISORS AND SUPPORTERS
David Beckwith, Paul Cromwell, Chuck Hirt,
Cris Doby, James Mumm, Bill O'Brien,
Greg Markus, Deb Martin,
Peter Ujvagi and Juli Bertalan
Update on the Progress: The first round of exchange was com-
pleted during the spring and summer
of 2012.
The first European delegation with a
total of 16 fellows from Bulgaria,
Hungary, Romania and Slovakia vis-
ited the U.S. from March 26 - May 5,
2012. Thanks to the support of differ-
ent U.S. hosting organizations the
joint activities and the internship
program were very successful and
guests returned to their communities
with many new ideas and an action
plan to implement some of those and
share with others as well. Some of
them collected additional resources
and in-kind support, others started
to submit grants to attract outside
resources to work on new projects.
As a follow up 9 American mentors
traveled for three weeks in July 2012
to Europe. They provided additional
consultancy and made visits to learn
more about the problems in the mi-
nority communities in Europe and
assisted in additional training with
the alumni.
U.S. and foreign participants are in-
volved in alumni activities through
an alumni social network in each
country. We established an online
network for continued learning.
Next round of exchange: After completing the first round of
exchange we will welcome another 16
member delegation from Europe from
October 1-November 10, 2012. They
will participate in group seminars,
round-table discussions, site visits,
and will have interactions with U.S.
leaders. As with the first delegation a
tailored 3-week internship with
mentoring, multicultural events, and
participation in volunteer activities
as well as in the Professional Fellows
Congress in Washington, D.C. are
also included in the 6-week
professional fellows program.
Participants will prepare a 6-9
month individual and group Action
Plan for follow on activities.
They will have an opportunity to
experience the American family life
and the diversity in the U.S. through
staying with American host families
during their internship in Chicago
Normal and Bloomington in Illinois;
New York, in New York; Charleston
in West Virginia; Portland area in
Maine; Toledo, Columbus and
Cleveland area in Ohio; Wichita in
Kansas, Portland, Oregon and
Aurora in Washington.
The next group of U.S. mentors will
travel to Europe from November 24-
December 15, 2012 and another after
January 20, 2013 for a 3-week pro-
gram. They will offer more joint
workshops with the alumni and on-
site consultation, engage media and
conduct wider outreach programs.
This program is a collaboration be-
tween GLC and its overseas partners:
CEGA in Bulgaria, Civil College
Foundation in Hungary, CeRe in Ro-
mania and Center for Community
Organizing in Slovakia as well as
many U.S. partner organizations.
This citizen civic exchange promotes
mutual understanding, creates long-
term professional ties, enhances the
collaboration between GLC and its
partners.
First Delegation from Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia in Toledo,
Ohio, with Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur and Peter Ujvagi
The program is funded by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs,
Office of Citizen Exchanges, Professional Fellows Division
Locally organized by Great Lakes Consortium for International Training and Development
through WSOS Community Action Commission, Inc. – Program Agent and Manager
Page 3 Professional Fellows program in the U.S. (October 1 - November 10, 2012)
“Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities”
Participants of the Second European Delegation from
Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia
Romania
Slovakia Hungary
Bulgaria
Page 4 “Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities”
Bulgaria Full name: Republic of Bulgaria
Head of state: Rosen Plevneliev (2012)
Prime Minister: Boyko Borisov (2009)
Population: 7,093,635
Capital: Sofia (1,192,000)
Area: 42,823 sq. miles (110,910 sq. km)
Major language: Bulgarian
Major religion: Bulgarian Orthodox
Main exports: clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery
and equipment, fuels.
Hungary Full name: Hungary
President: Janos Ader (2012)
Prime Minister: Viktor Orban (2010)
Population: 9,880,059
Capital: Budapest (2,597,000)
Area: 35,919 sq. miles (93,030 sq. km)
Major language: Magyar (Hungarian)
Major religion: Roman Catholic
Main exports: machinery and equipment, food product, fuels
and electricity.
Romania
Full name: Republic of Romania
Head of state: Traian Basescu (2007)
Prime Minister: Victor Ponta (2012)
Population: 22,181,287
Capital: Bucharest (2,210,800)
Area: 91,699 sq. miles (237,500 sq. km)
Major language: Romanian
Major religion: Eastern Orthodox
Main exports: textiles and footwear, metals and metal
products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels,
chemicals, agricultural products.
Slovakia Full name: Slovak Republic President: Ivan Gasparovic (2004)
Prime Minister: Robert Fico (2012)
Population: 5,470,306
Capital: Bratislava (480,800)
Area: 18,859 sq. miles (48,845 sq. km)
Major language: Slovak
Major religion: Roman Catholic
Main exports: vehicles, machinery and electrical equipment, base
metal, plastics.
Nedka Taneva Sliven, Bulgaria
E-mail: [email protected]
Dr. Nedka Taneva works in the Hospital
for Active Treatment Queen Ioanna Sliven,
Bulgaria and is a Doctor-specialist in clinical
laboratory. Her responsibilities include man-
agement and organization of work in the
hospital clinical laboratory, control over the
laboratory staff, directing, controlling and
understanding of the laboratory results
obtained. Since 2008 Ms. Taneva is a
Chairman of the "European Youth Alterna-
tives". She is in charge of training persons
from minority groups in health care and
protection of human rights and fundamental
freedoms.
Ms. Taneva was actively involved in
several projects: (1) “Together” (2009-2011),
(2) “Days of Youth Alternatives” (2010) and
(3) “My Town” (2010-2011). The target group
for the first two projects was young people
from the Roma minority in the Sliven region.
Project “Together focused on training two
groups (total 40 people) in the field of human
rights and freedoms and their ways to
protect and guarantee under national and
international law, to support and enable
young people trained in a business to put
into practice their skills among their
community, and assist its members in their
dealings with institutions, and health and
legal advice in the field of human rights of
and Germany. In addition she visited U.S.A.
twice – in 1998 and 1999. She resided and
worked in the U.S. as a student under the
program “Work and Travel”
While in the USA, Ms. Taneva would
like to gain experience in working with U.S.
minority groups with future goal to use these
established U.S. practices in Bulgaria.
Nedka wishes to make contact with
organizations working with minority groups.
She would like to exchange ideas and
collaborate on future projects.
Ms. Taneva would like to gain further
knowledge of the human rights of minority
groups and particularly in the area of
political rights, rights to health, rights to
education and work.
She is interested in the rights of
detainees for crimes, would like to exchange
skills and ideas with organizations working
in the field of guaranteeing the right to work,
health and education of minority groups, and
visit organizations in preventing the spread
of AIDS and HIV.
Furthermore, Ms. Taneva wants to visit
important places in the U.S. related to the
history and culture of this country and other
landmarks, and to meet with the experience
of leading U.S. experts in the field of
medicine.
In her free time Ms. Taneva interested
in photography, gardening and spend much
time with her family. Very often her family
travels to different places in Bulgaria and
Europe.
young people with risk behavior. Project
“Days of Youth Alternatives” focused on
given advice and counseling on health and
legal issues the same young people from the
region of Sliven. The objective of project “My
Town” is to discuss the problems of Sliven
Municipality and the opportunities for civil
society participation in its management.
Project activities include series of discussions
on the problems of Sliven and civil society.
Preparation of analysis based on
consultation with the citizens of the major
problems in the city.
Ms. Taneva holds Master’s Degree in
Medicine from Thracian University Stara
Zagora. She is fluent German, and has
excellent language skills in English and
Russian. During last three years Nedka
visited Greece, Turkey, Romania, Austria
Kaloyan Damyanov Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
E-mail: [email protected]
Kaloyan Damyanov has been Director of
the Resource Centre for assistance of the
integrated training of children with special
educational needs in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria,
since 2007. Previously Mr. Damyanov has
worked in the system of children's protection
and social work. The Resource Centre is a
state institution within the structure of the
Ministry of Education, Youth and Science,
which carries out the governmental policy
for integration and inclusion of children and
students with special educational needs in
the general comprehensive schools and
daycares. In 2011 as recognition of his work
at the Resource Centre, Mr. Damyanov was
elected as Chairman of the National
Association of Resource Teachers (NART).
NART unites over 900 resource
teachers and specialists from the whole
country. The main goal of the organization is
to promote the professional profile of this
profession, yet new for Bulgaria as well as to
afford the opportunity for equal access to
practices, etc. He has several publications in
scientific magazines and presentations at
conferences both in Bulgaria and in Europe.
Kaloyan is visiting the U.S.A. for the
first time. Mr. Damyanov would like to get
acquainted with different representatives
and leaders of NGO, public authorities,
politicians, engaged with the integration
and submission of public services to children
and youths with disabilities as well as to
inclusive education and social work.
Kaloyan also expect to have an opportunity
to meet university professors working on
programs for training of professionals in the
area of social work, the legal protection and
training of children and youths with
different needs. Especially important for
him will be the possibility to learn about
specific operating practices focused on the
work with families of children and youths
with disabilities and on different activities,
organized together with them.
Mr. Damyanov is also interested in the
opportunity to make contacts with
professional organizations of teachers and
social workers. In his free time, Kaloyan
likes to go to the cinema, to go for walks
with friends and to be occupied with sports
activities.
education to young people and children,
without any reference to their differences.
NART is an accredited organization of the
European Volunteer's Service /EVS/ and in
this capacity Mr. Damyanov is also a Mentor
of several young volunteers from Spain and
France. Mr. Damyanov teaches at Trakia
University – Stara Zagora, lecturing and
making research on the following academic
subjects: Supporting environment and its
impact on the inclusion of different students
as well as social and legal protection of
people with disabilities, anti-discrimination
Participants from Bulgaria
Page 5 Professional Fellows program in the U.S. (October 1 - November 10, 2012)
Henriett Dinok Budapest, Hungary
E-mail: [email protected] Henriett Dinok is working as Junior
Researcher at Institute for Legal Studies
of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
since 2010. Her research focuses on the
national criminal law, especially notion of
violence, violence in the field of criminal
law and criminology, violent crimes, hate
crimes, hate speech. Besides the criminal
law, Ms. Dinok is involved in legislation
affecting Roma people, mainly in field of
education.
In addition to her employment,
Henriett is a volunteer and student at
Romaversitas Foundation, a training and
scholarship program for Roma youngsters
in higher education. The Romaversitas
Foundation not only gives scholarships
and various services, but also tries to
create space for vibrant social life since
1997. In addition, she is member of the
University, Doctoral School of Faculty of
Law and Political Sciences. She has also
attended various short-term academic
and training programs including a
European Training Program for Roma
Mediators organized by the Council of
Europe. She speaks fluently English and
beginner in German.
This is her first trip to the U.S.
Henriett is interested in learning more
about issues related to ethnic minorities
in the U.S. as well as best practices in
involving them in community organizing.
Ms. Dinok would like to visit
organization that work with school
segregation and see both local and
national organizations dealing with
minority issues, especially working with
youths. If she gets the opportunity, she
would like to know more about the
legislation of the U.S.A. about the hate
crimes.
In her free time Henriett likes reading,
spending time with friends and her pets
(5 dogs, 2 cats and a rabbit).
Board of Trustees of Chance for Children
Foundation (CFCF). Founded in 2004,
CFCF has been fighting for equal rights
in education for Romani and
marginalized children, focusing on school
desegregation.
Henriett graduated from the Károli
Gáspár University Faculty of Law in
2010. The same year, she has begun her
Ph.D. studies at Pázmány Péter Catholic
Balint Vojtonovszki Budapest, Hungary
E-mail:
Balint Vojtonovszki started working
as an activist in 2005 while learning at a
local university in Budapest, Hungary.
He worked with his fellows on homeless
peoples’ rights in a voluntary advocacy
group. Besides his voluntary activity, Mr.
Vojtonovszki participated in several
other projects (Roma, Green, Alterglob,
etc.) as well. On August 2009, he
participated in the foundation of “The
City is for All” which is a grassroots
homeless advocacy group including
homeless, formerly homeless activists
and their allies who fight for a society
based on equality and justice.
The group is based on voluntary
work and it’s aim is to create an
opportunity for homeless people to stand
up for their dignity and fight for the right
to housing. Homeless people play a
leading role in all the group’s activities,
so the group implements several tools of
community organizing, which is
considered quite unique in Hungary.
After finishing his studies in 2007
and receiving his MA in Sociology, Balint
worked for small foundations as Project
tance) in Budapest.
Mr. Vojtonovszki is visiting U.S.A.
for the first time. He expects that this
program will help in his professional
advancement in HAPN. Balint wants to
gain knowledge, methods, approaches
and fresh ideas at his U.S.A. hosting
organization as well as the technical,
practical informations he will be using in
the HAPN campaign about some issue
related to public work by the time he gets
back to Hungary.
While in USA, Mr. Vojtonovszki is
interested in how to involve low-income
people in campaign building, in new
methods in holding trainings, in efficient
and creative reach-out techniques and
the different types of databases built up
from the infos aquired while doing
recruiting.
Balint is sure that present program
will help him to identify and to be able to
use the community organizing methods
more thoughtfully and more thoroughly,
as well as to implement new methods and
think about existing dilemmas in a
different approach.
In his free time, Balint tries to find
balance between activism and spending
quality time with his girlfriend. He likes
to read and do some sports, and used to
play drums in a rock band.
Coordinator, and also for six months as a
Peer Mentor for juvenile offenders. In
2008, he worked in a public foundation, a
governmental background organization
as an Associate in a 4-year long
European Union funded program to
develop the homeless care system.
More then 3 years passed, until he
got totally fed up with the mechanisms of
the governmental system and the
hierarchy between the interests of service
providers and the possibilities of service
users. In February 2012 he managed to
become a Community Organizer working
for the Hungarian Anti Poverty Network
(HAPN). At the present time he is
working on organizing a group of public
workers (people living on public assis-
Page 6 “Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities”
Participants from Hungary
Krisztina Hegymegi
Molnar Budapest, Hungary
E-mail: [email protected]
Krisztina H. Molnar works for ESZA
Social Service Nonprofit Ltd as EU Ex-
pert. She started working for homeless
people in 2000 after she and her husband
visited a Christian foundation what
works for homeless people in the United
States, which made big impression on
them. Since 2001 Krisztina is Project
Manager, Youth Worker and Mentor at
the Human Integra Foundation (HIA) in
the North-Hungarian region. This civil
organization has been established as a
result of a private initiative the original
purpose of which is to promote the
reintegration of people and groups floated
to the periphery of the society owing to
the circumstances beyond their control.
The aim of Human Integra
Foundation is to make the activity of
individuals and civil organizations more
fruitful by realizing the projects
organized in partnership.
Krisztina’s role includes organizing
projects and trainings, consultative
assistance, orientations and mentoring
Economics. She would like to know more
about community organization too so she
will use in her Civil and Community
Studies (MA) at Eötvös Lóránd
University, in Budapest Hungary from
September 2012.
This will be her second trip to U.S.
During the present fellowship program
Ms. Molnar hopes to be able to improve
her skills and competencies such as the
intercultural communication, English
language knowledge, community
development and organizing, how to
increase tolerance and acceptance –
techniques, best practices.
She would like to gain skills in
motivating peoples. Krisztina would like
to visit organizations (both governmental
and nongovernmental) that deal with
issues related to ethnic minorities and
civil leaders.
Ms. Molnar states: “Although I am
Christian who feel it necessary the moral
reform in Hungary, I also strongly
believe that the education is that we can
provide to our target group too. The aim
of our organization is preparing leaders
to serve their local communities and who
have strong identity, know well the
circumstances and try to find solutions
for problems.”
for the civil organizations.
Ms. Molnar helped to establish 7 new
organizations for local minority
communities in last 5 years. In the region
she lives, the rate of unemployment has
been raised to high levels after 1989, and
Roma people have significantly suffered
from it. She meet their problem of racism
and xenophobia every day and she would
like to get experience how to treat the
question of minorities.
Ms. Molnar has been participant in
some international programs as coach
and trainer (Youth in Action,
EUROMED). Krisztina has a Teacher’s
Degree in History and Hungarian
Language, and also Degree in EU
Zsolt Peter Fugg Szeged, Hungary
E-mail: [email protected]
Zsolt Peter Fugg has been working as a
Project Manager at NGO called DARTKE
(Southern Great Plain Social Research
Association) in Szeged for five years.
Besides overseeing the implementation of
various international projects and
researches Zsolt’s tasks include the
preparation of project reports and writing
grant proposals to different European
Institutions. One of the projects he is
currently managing aims to provide
information training and career advices
for disadvantaged young people in the
Szeged area. He is also responsible for
international relations at the association.
In addition to this employment, Mr.
Fugg is a Chairperson of the Board of a
Foundation established by DARTKE
called Agora Foundation. The main goal
of the Agora Foundation is to help young
charity thrift shop opened in Hungary.
The shop is operated in the form of a
social cooperative and as such it is
unique in the country.
Mr. Fugg graduated from the
University of Szeged in 2002 as an
English and History Teacher with focus
on teaching civic competences. He is
fluent in English and knows a little
Spanish.
Zsolt has never been to the U.S.A.
before. Within the frame of this
fellowship program, he wishes to learn
about community organizing, methods
and strategies on motivating volunteers
at NGOs, learn about different projects
aiming to assist minorities and
immigrants, especially projects focusing
on young people. Zsolt would also like to
visit a couple of thrift stores in the U.S.
in order to get some ideas to be
implemented back at the store in Szeged.
In his free time Zsolt enjoys cooking,
travelling and watching American TV
shows.
social scientific researchers through
special scholarships and internships.
Agora Foundation’s current flagship
project is titled “Integration through
mentoring”. The project goal is to assist
in the integration of children from non-
EU member states with the help of
university students (mentors).
In addition to all his responsibilities,
Mr. Fugg is the Manager of the first
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO
DAVID GUSTAFSON,
PROGRAM OFFICER AT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Page 7 Professional Fellows program in the U.S. (October 1 - November 10, 2012)
Andreea Buzec Bucharest, Romania
E-mail:
Andreea Buzec is working as a Pro-
ject Coordinator and a Trainer with Part-
ners Foundation for Local Development,
Romania from 2006. Since 2010 she is an
Associate Professor with the University of
Bucharest, Faculty of European Studies,
delivering the Project Management
course to 1st year students and the Cul-
tural Programs course to Master stu-
dents. At the same year, Ms. Buzec be-
come a member of the National Network
of Trainers for the European Commis-
sion’s Youth in Action Program, being
responsible for designing and delivering
training courses to youth workers and
youth NGOs, in order to improve the
quality of their projects, on the following
topics: project writing, project manage-
ment, how to start an NGO, methods and
instruments of non-formal education,
management of volunteers and youth
participation.
Ms. Buzec is deeply committed to
participatory processes of planning in
terms of community development, having
facilitated the elaboration of local eco-
nomic development strategies at commu-
nity and county level in Romania and
Tajikistan, by bringing together at the
same table community members, NGOs
and decision makers and facilitating a
participatory process of need analysis
and long term strategy planning that is
accepted by all actors involved and that
has real chances of being implemented
because it has been planned and agreed
upon in a participatory way. Thi belongs
to the collaborative approach in advocacy,
where the capacity of vulnerable groups
and their representatives is built in order
to work together with decision makers
and identify long term solutions to their
problems.
In the communities where Andreea
has facilitated the elaboration of socio-
economic development, the Roma minor-
ity was involved in the process through
the participation of Roma NGOs. In the
same way, she has facilitated the elabora-
tion of strategies focused on intercultural
development at county level, improving
living conditions for Roma people and
fighting corruption within local govern-
ment.
In terms of formal education, Ms.
Buzec holds the University Degree in For-
eign Languages and Literatures of Portu-
guese and Greek, Faculty of Foreign Lan-
guages and Literatures, a Master’s Di-
ploma in International Relations, Faculty
of Political Sciences, and a Master’s Di-
ploma in Intercultural and Inter-religious
Dialogue, UNESCO Department.
During the fellowship experience in
the U.S.A., Ms. Buzec would like to learn
more about instruments and approaches
that can be used to mobilize citizens
around ideas, to build their capacity to
efficiently identify their problems and
design and implement processes that
bring them together with public admini-
stration in participatory manner. She
would like to gain experience on how to
create sustainable changes through for-
mal and informal policies, especially for
minorities.
In her free time, Andreea enjoys bad-
minton, reading, traveling and drawing.
Anda Marina Lupusor Timisoara, Romania
E-mail: [email protected]
Anda Marina Lupusor works at Ti-
misoara City Hall, as Counselor for Roma
people. Her main responsibilities in-
clude offering support and information to
Roma people in need, and proposing so-
lutions about how to improve their lives
and include them on the labor market
through professional classes, professional
reconversion and so on.
In addition, Ms. Lupusor is a teacher
at some classes as well. She enjoys the
trust in her community and she estab-
lished good relationships with the people
she is working with. Anda’s job is part of
a project named “Barrabarripen”, which
in Romani language means “Pride”. In
this project the Timisoara City Hall
is partner with four other municipalities
around the country.
Ms. Lupusor has a Social Worker
Degree since 2008, but she works in this
social field since 2000. Her first job was
at the National Roma Agency, Romanian
Government. Anda has been work-
ing with prisoners, refugees, youth and
unemployed persons.
Every experience helped her to ap-
proach people and to find solutions with
them for their problems.
Anda holds a Master’s Degree of
Social Assistance on Social Reintegration
in Criminal Justice. This year Anda re-
ceived a Master Degree in Social Econ-
omy, a domain that she feels much at-
tached.
All Anda’s studies are made at West
University from Timisoara City. She re-
ceived her diploma from Ministry of La-
bour and recognized as Social Economy
Promoter in Romania. So her passion
received a name.
It will be her first visit to the United
States. While in the U.S.A., Anda would
like to gain experience in the diversity of
social services, their non-formal activities
and their solutions for common problems
so later she can use this experience also
in Romania.
Ms. Lupusor likes reading and paint-
ing but her hobbies are on the 2nd order
because her priority is her three year son
named Andy.
Page 8 “Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities”
Participants from Romania
Mihaela Grigoriu Bucharest, Romania
E-mail:
Mihaela Grigoriu is a Project Man-
ager for COLFASA Association in Bucha-
rest, where she coordinates the imple-
mentation of a strategic project named
“Integration of vulnerable people on the
labor market”. This project was imple-
mented in two regions of Romania, fi-
nanced by the European Union. The pro-
ject,aims to integrate vulnerable people,
mostly Roma people, single-parent fami-
lies and families with more than two chil-
dren on the labour market. Within this
project she works with 20 people
(psychologists and social workers) who
are doing counselling, orientation and
trainings for unqualified persons, trying
to integrate them on the labour market.
Their target group is 500 people.
Ms. Grigoriu activities include the
coordination of projects activities, orien-
earned her Bachelor Degree in Public Ad-
ministration from “Al.I.Cuza” University
in Iassy, Romania. She also holds a Mas-
ter’s Degree in European Integration from
the “Al.I.Cuza” University.
Mihaela is fluent in both written and
spoken English and has a Diploma of
French Translator.
This is her first trip to U.S. Ms. Grig-
oriu would like to learn innovative meth-
ods used for the integration of minorities
in the society and on the labor market.
She would also like to understand how
these minority communities learn about
their rights.
She would like to gain skills in moti-
vating people, in negotiating with deci-
sion makers.
Mihaela would like to know how the
citizens of minority communities were
integrated at the same time keeping their
own identity but also accepting that they
have to change.
Mihaela's hobbies are socializing,
reading, watching good movies and trav-
elling.
tation on labor market, professional
trainings and finding jobs for 250 people.
Ms. Grigoriu has five years of experi-
ence working with European projects,
developing social projects, “to get in con-
tact with different people from different
backgrounds, to create, to develop and
also to help and to learn”.
Previously, Ms. Grigoriu has worked
as an Expert within the Romanian Minis-
try of Education for 5 years. Ms. Grigoriu
Vlad Catuna
Bucharest, Romania
E-mail: [email protected],
Vlad Catuna is a Researcher in An-
thropology at Unlock Market Research,
where he is currently managing the Con-
sumer Panel on household expenses and
consumption. He takes part in studies in
which different human communities and
groups are studied for identifying the
cultural context, codes, values and men-
talities. Currently Mr. Catuna coordi-
nates an informing campaign regarding
shale gas exploitation in Barlad area (in
3 villages and one city). The campaign is
developed by VIRA Association. The NGO
was formed in 2007, and financed by the
Foundation for Development of Civil Soci-
ety (FDSC).
Since 2011, Mr. Catuna is in charge
of the social research department of the
“Make a Point” NGO. The main purpose
of the NGO is to enlarge the opportunity
space of Pantelimon neighborhood in-
habitants, with special focus on the
ghetto area (Roma people, low income
inhabitants). The social research con-
ducted during “Neighborhood is how I’m
called” project financed by Youth in Ac-
tion and AFCN, has facilitated CeRe’s
community organizing intervention in
Pantelimon neighborhood in Bucharest.
Previously Mr. Catuna has collabo-
rated with different NGO’s and institu-
tions (ATU – Association for Urban Tran-
sition, British Council, ICCV – Research
Institute for Quality of Life, MTR – Mu-
seum of Romanian Peasant, Urban 2020,
CCCDC – Center of Research and Con-
sultancy in Cultural Area) on quality of
life, education, development, urban and
cultural issues.
Mr. Catuna has a Bachelor’s Degree
in Sociology and Master’s Degree in An-
thropology and Community Development.
Both Degrees obtained at the Bucharest
University, Faculty of Sociology of Roma-
nia. Vlad is fluent in English, and has
good understanding of spoken French.
This is his first trip to U.S. Mr. Ca-
tuna would like to learn more about how
to analyze and influence legislation or
policies regarding fracking process. Also
he would like to improve skills involving
the negotiation and mediation for organ-
izational and minority community
change. Vlad also is interested in learning
more from organizations that work to
build widespread citizen awareness and
advocacy for the protection of natural
environment and public health.
Mr. Catuna’s hobbies are pinhole
photography, long-board, and music.
Generally he likes to listen to jazz, funk,
soul, and bossa-nova.
THANK YOU TO THE UNITED STATES EMBASSIES
in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia
for your support!
Page 9 Professional Fellows program in the U.S. (October 1 - November 10, 2012)
Radu Raileanu Bucharest, Romania
E-mail: [email protected]
Radu Raileanu is a Project Assistant
in the Antidiscrimination Department of
ActiveWatch – Media Monitoring Agency.
Besides the mostly administrative duties
his job title implies, he is also involved in
the rapid response activities that take
place each time the organization learns of
potentially damaging statements or draft
laws put forth by local or national au-
thorities.
Also, Mr. Raileanu is part of the
newly created Communication Depart-
ment, a support department where pro-
test planning is made and where concepts
for the organization’s participation to
events are designed. The main vulnerable
leaders, but, over time, he has become
more of a PR consultant.
Mr. Raileanu has a Bachelor Degree
in Computer Studies form the Polytechnic
University of Bucharest, a Trainer Di-
ploma, a Project Manager Diploma, and
is enrolled in a Master’s Program in Pro-
ject Management at the National School
of Political and Administrative Studies,
Bucharest.
This is his first visit to the United
States. Mr. Raileanu would like to learn
advocacy skills at community level. Also
he would like to learn how public policies
and legislative information can be
“translated” so that the members of the
community can understand and use it.
In his free time, Mr. Raileanu likes
watching films, reading, traveling and
going to underground rock and punk rock
concerts.
groups with which Mr. Raileanu is work-
ing are persons with disabilities and
Roma. Whenever he finds the time, Mr.
Raileanu participated in an informal citi-
zen action group from his neighborhood.
Within this group, he started as one of its
Page 10 “Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities”
Special Thanks to the U.S. Mentors and their organizations
for working with the European Fellows in October 2012:
Don Carlson & Dawn Dannenbring,
Mary Tarullo & Hannah Gelder
Jennifer Hadlock & Monique “Mo” George,
Jade Souza & Meta Hogan,
Michael Tierney, Genevieve Lysen,
Louis Goseland & Sulma Arias
Ramon Perez, Bill O’Brien, Luke Allen, Rachid Elabed
Vanessa Pesec, Gwen Fisher, Dan Phillips and Melanie Houston
Nicu Dumitru Bucharest, Romania
E-mail: [email protected]
Nicu Dumitru is a PR Specialist at
the K Consulting Management and Coor-
dination (KCMC), where he is coordinat-
ing the communication campaign for
Romano Cher – House of Roma project.
This project aims to bring the Roma tra-
ditional craftsmen back on the market,
and organizing them into social economy
cooperatives. He also runs a campaign
aiming to improve the work related is-
sues of Roma women.
In the past, Mr. Dumitru has worked
for 7 years at an NGO called Media Moni-
toring Agency – ActiveWatch, and helped
establish the Antidiscrimination Depart-
ment, tackling mainly Roma, disabled
and hate speech issues. Nicu also collabo-
rated and worked with National Agency
was usually covered by entertainment
and music.
Mr. Dumitru holds a Degree in For-
eign Languages, as he graduated in 2010
the Foreign Languages Faculty, Univer-
sity of Bucharest. At the present time,
Nicu is attending a Master’s Program on
Public Communication. He has very good
understanding in written and spoken
English and French and good knowledge
of Spanish and Romani.
Mr. Dumitru has visited Europe in-
tensively, but this is his first trip to the
U.S. During the program he would like to
learn here further methods of integration
of minority and community organizing,
that can be adapted and used in Europe
and Romania.
In his free time, Mr. Dumitru’s inter-
ests are in snowboarding, botany and
riding bikes.
for Roma, British Embassy in Bucharest
and the European Commission (DG En-
terprise) in Brussels. Nicu has hosted a
TV program called “European Roma”,
broadcast on national television (TVR1),
where he presented the situation of Roma
to the public and authorities, using an
investigative approach, in a niche that
Marcela Beresova Presov, Slovakia
E-mail: [email protected]
Marcela Beresova is working as a
Social Worker in the Community Center
in Petrovany (Eastern Slovakia) estab-
lished by NGO – People in Need (PiN)
since September 2011. Marcela works in
Low Threshold Program with children,
young people and their families and with
students of universities in volunteering
program. She would like to learn how to
motivate socially excluded people and
include them in community organizing,
because usually they are discouraged and
don´t see a way out from their actual
situation. Marcela wants to teach them to
look for their own resources for change
not just to wait for help from others. Pre-
viously she cooperated with PiN during
two years as volunteer.
Also Ms. Beresova is a Coordinator of
volunteers and some projects in that or-
ganization. As a student Marcela worked
local conditions.”
Recently Ms. Beresova graduated
with Master’s Degree is Social Work from
University of Presov. During one
semester she was an exchange student at
Masaryk University in Brno – Czech Re-
public, and then took part in Intensive
Program Erasmus at Savonia University
of Applied Sciences, Iisalmi – Finland.
Marcela has not been to U.S. yet. Ms.
Beresova would like to learn how to em-
power young people from ethnic minori-
ties to change their lives and motivate
them to study and work. She also would
like to gain more information and practi-
cal skills in community organizing which
she could use in establishing a new Com-
munity Center in other areas in Slovakia.
Ms. Beresova is interested in ecologi-
cal and alternative ways of life and tries
to connect them with solving social prob-
lems. Empowerment for women and
women’s rights in Eastern Europe are
also interesting topics for her.
Marcela´s hobbits are hiking, garden-
ing and bicycling.
as a Librarian in the Feminist library in
EsFem´s (NGO) project.
Ms. Beresova and her colleagues
work with Roma minorities in rural areas
of Eastern Slovakia, where problems of
education, labor market, and housing are
concentrated. Slovak social policy teaches
people to wait for help without their own
contribution. She states: “It is difficult to
change system of social policy; therefore
we try to cooperate with authority of mu-
nicipalities and schools and try to change
Jolana Natherova Banska Bystrica, Slovakia
E-mail: [email protected]
Jolana Natherova currently works as
a Program Manager. In 1998 together
with her husband, Mrs. Natherova
established a non-profit organization
called “Hope for the children” which main
objective is to help marginalized families
with steady personal development of
their children in what concerns physical,
mental and spiritual aspects of their
lives. The target group is children, youth
and their families in Banska Bystrica
and its close neighborhood, through social
work and educational programs.
Mrs. Natherova created two
community centers in her hometown and
to adopt children.
Mrs. Natherova graduated from the
Academy of Business School of
Economics. This year Jolana will start
her study at the University of Matej Bel
in Social Work.
While in the U.S. Mrs. Natherova
would like to learn new methods and
skills, and also to improve her leadership
and language skills.
Mrs. Natherova was born in a Roma
family. Together with her husband have
raised three children, and one adolescent
child was adopted into the family. Now
she is a proud grandmother of three
granddaughters.
In her free time Mrs. Natherova likes
hiking and reading books. Jolana’s
hobbies are taking care of her family,
music, traveling, and history.
helps to run other community centers for
Roma people in other cities in Slovakia.
In recent years Jolana worked as a
Trainer of Parenting Skills of the
professional parents and people that plan
Participants from Slovakia
Page 11 Professional Fellows program in the U.S. (October 1 - November 10, 2012)
THANK YOU TO ALL
THE DRIVERS, ESCORTS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS
ASSISTING IN THIS PROGRAM IN NINE STATES
AROUND THE UNITED STATES!
Page 12 “Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities”
Milena Kacmarcikova
Kosice, Slovakia
E-mail:
Milena Kacmarcikova has been
working in ETP Slovakia – Center for
Sustainable Development - since 2010.
She is involved in a number of projects
dealing with provision of comprehensive
services to marginalized Roma and
refugees in transit living in Eastern
Slovakia. Ms. Kacmarcikova has been
working as a Project Coordinator in
Kosice-Saca neighborhood in cooperation
with other project partners – local
municipality, local primary school and
private sector. Besides that Milena works
as a Lecturer of Financial Education for
children and young people living in
marginalized Roma communities and a
lecturer of cultural orientation for
refugees, who are living in the
Evacuation Transit Center in Eastern
Slovakia.
Ms. Kacmarcikova holds a Master’s
Degree in Public Administration and
Public Policy obtained from the Pavol
Jozef Safarik University in Kosice,
graduating in 2010. She is a proficient
English speaker.
Milena’s desire is to see young Roma
leaders rise and stand up for their cause
and for their community and most of all
show the majority that they are able to be
self-sufficient and independent with only
a little help and support at the beginning.
She would like to learn new
leadership development techniques and
strategies and implement them in the
socially excluded neighborhoods she is
working with.
ETP Slovakia-Center for Sustainable
Development is a non-profit organization
based in Eastern Slovakia supporting
regional development and focusing
specifically on the disadvantaged regions
with a high population of marginalized
Roma.
Milena states: “We provide
comprehensive services that include
education, healthcare awareness, housing
and vocational counseling as well as social
counseling to minorities in order to
improve the quality of their life and help
them reach their full potential.”
This will be Milena’s second visit to
the U.S. Ms. Kacmarcikova previously
participated in an internship program
aimed at organizing leisure time of young
people in one of the Chicago suburbs with
a local church.
This time she is hoping to acquire
new skills and knowledge in the area of
developing young leaders coming from
disadvantaged environment.
OUR SPECIAL THANKS TO
Viktoriya Maryamova for Computer Assistance and Art Design!
Monika Bandurova
Povazska Bystrica, Slovakia
E-mail: [email protected]
Monika Bandurova works as Pro
Bono Consultant for the Pontis Founda-
tion (NGO) since 2011. She is providing
consultation services to a halfway home
which is a youth shelter house offering
work therapy to young men leaving insti-
tutional children´s home at the age of 18.
Also Ms. Bandurova volunteers in
providing advocacy and services to deaf
entrepreneurs with starting and running
their own business. Her main duties are
to train the prospect deaf entrepreneurs,
advice them with business plan prepara-
tion and consultation and advocacy dur-
ing development of their business.
In addition, Ms. Bandurova is an
Assistant Teacher giving lectures on So-
cial Policy at Comenius University, which
is a part of her duties as a part-time
Ph.D. student. During the last four years
Monika worked as Business Consultant
While in the U.S.A., Monika’s main
interest is to meet with other locally in-
volved people both from Central Europe
and U.S.A., to share the knowledge and
their best practice models in community
work, review her ideas with people that
have experiences in managing projects in
different methods for other target groups.
Furthermore she expects to widen her
perspective about community organizing
programs.
Ms. Bandurova would like to be able
to set up a project that will ensure the
sustainability of the program even if the
donors/other external parties will leave
the community. Monika hopes to be able
to strengthen her organizational and
leadership skills and widen skills in pub-
lic policy analysis and problem solving in
community work.
In her free time, Ms. Bandurova is
interested in the modern art, public pol-
icy, reading and painting. Monika’s hob-
bies include hiking, traveling, skiing and
cycling.
for American consulting company Accen-
ture. Her responsibility included to work
closely with client in mapping of existing
processes and definition of streamlined
processes.
Ms. Bandurova holds a Master´s De-
gree in Public Policy obtained from Public
Policy Institute at Comenius University,
Slovakia. At the present time she is work-
ing on her Ph.D. diploma at the same
University.
Thank you to the every host family and leaders and mentors
from the U.S. hosting organizations in 9 states for your
hospitality and all generous assistance to this delegation:
Illinois (IL): Ed & Cristina Deutsch from
Bloomington;
Juergen & Meredith Schro-
eer and Orlyn & Jana Edge
from Normal;
Lois & Clayton Parr, Kathy
& Tom Moore, and Mary Ta-
rullo from Chicago
West Virginia (WV): Linda Elliott, Michael Tier-
ney & Marcelle St Germain
from Charleston
Maine (ME): Genevieve Lysen, Susann
Pelletier & James Lysen from
Lewiston
New York (NY): Fran Rolan, Ian William and
Rob Rodriguez from Brooklyn
Oregon (OR): Lucy Davenport from Port-
land
Washington (WA): Meta Hogan & Bread and
Roses House of Hospitality
from Olympia
Kansas (KS): Mark Gurrola, Louis Gose-
land & CJ Schoch, Emira &
Yadira Palacios and Bill &
Teri Kitchen from Wichita
Michigan (MI): Bill Obrien and Vicky Kovari
from Detroit, and Rachid Ela-
bed from Dearborn
Ohio (OH): Julia Bertalan & Calvin
United Church from Toledo,
Dorothy & Dolph Faller from
Olmstead Falls,
Dan & Kathy Philipps from
Painesville,
Gwen & Stan Fisher from
Hiram,
Deb Martin from Fremont,
and Melanie Houston from
Columbus.
Page 13 Professional Fellows program in the U.S. (October 1 - November 10, 2012)
OUR SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR U.S. PARTNERS AND
INTERNSHIP HOSTING ORGANIZATIONS:
Community Voices Heard (New York, New York)
Lakeview Action Coalition (Chicago, Illinois)
Illinois People’s Action (Bloomington, Illinois)
Step by Step (Charleston, West Virginia)
Families for Justice/Resurrection Café & Sisters of the Road
(Portland, Oregon),
Bread & Roses (Olympia, Washington)
Maine People’s Alliance (Portland, Maine)
Sunflower Community Action (Wichita, Kansas)
One Village Council (Toledo, Ohio)
Harriet Tubman Center (Detroit, Michigan)
ACCESS (Dearborn, Michigan)
Neogap (Lake County, OH),
Concerned Citizens of Ohio (Portage County)
Ohio Environmental Council (Columbus, Ohio)
ITINERARY *
Monday, October 1, 2012
Detroit, MI
1:25PM & 2:00PM: Arrival at De-
troit Metro Airport in two groups;
Welcome by Elizabeth Balint
check in to hotel for 1 night
Afternoon: Distribution of the orien-
tation materials and orientation;
time to rest, enjoy the pool, getting to
know each other in the hotel.
6:00PM: Meet at the lobby for dinner
outside the hotel
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Detroit, MI
7:30AM: Check-out from hotel and
travel to downtown Detroit (2727 2nd
Avenue, Detroit 48201, 1st floor con-
ference room).
8:15AM: Welcome to the U.S – break-
fast with community organizers at
the Harriet Tubman Center (HTC)
9:00-10:00AM: Topic “Become a
Community Organizer”
Meeting with: Bill O’Brien, Executive
Director and Co-Founder of Harriet
Tubman Center and other organizers
10:15-11:15AM: Topic “Organizing
Institutions” - challenges and suc-
cesses in church organizing
Meeting with: Luke Allen, Lead Or-
ganizer of the Metro Coalition of
Congregations
11:30AM-1:45PM: Visit Capuchin
Soup kitchen (4390 Conner, Detroit
48215)
Discussion topic: “Success stories of
community organizing in the home-
less community”. Lunch and meeting
with Detroit Action Commonwealth
leaders: Professor Greg Markus, Ex-
ecutive Director and Founder, Molly
Anne Sweeney and leaders of DAC
3:30pm-4:30PM: Attend YOUTH
VOICE chapter meeting at Henry
Ford High School and Central Colle-
giate Academy (20000 Evergreen,
Detroit, MI).
Meeting with: Kayla Mason, Lead
Community Organizer of Youth Voice
4:45PM: Travel to Maumee hotel
6:00PM: Check-in to hotel for 6
nights
6:00PM: Light dinner & social hour
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Oregon & Sylvania, OH
8:30AM: Depart form hotel and visit
“Food for Thought” (3540 Seaman
Rd. Oregon, OH 43616)
9:00AM: Topic “How to feed people
with thought”
Meeting with: Sam Melden, Execu-
tive Director & Chief Though Officer.
11:00AM-12:00Noon: Team building
exercises and games! Each partici-
pant suggest a game idea.
Travel to Sylvania to Lourdes College
(6832 Convent Blvd. Sylvania, OH
43560)
1:00PM: Lunch at the Main Dining
Hall of Lourdes University.
2:00-4:30PM: “Making Change with
People Power”
Meeting with: Cris Doby, Program
Officer and Charles Stewart Mott
Foundation
4:45PM: Returning to hotel; prepar-
ing tri-fold posters for display next
morning; getting ready for the Con-
gress poster show in Washington,
D.C.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Toledo & Oregon, OH
Morning: Set up Poster Show in the
Staybridge hotel meeting room.
9:00-10:30AM: Morning activities
with Dave Beckwith; presentation of
the posters.
10:45AM-12:30PM: Reporting on the
one-on-one interview experience from
home.
12:30-1:10PM: Joint pizza lunch in
small groups to learn more about
each other.
1:30-2:00PM: Discussion and plan-
ning of one-on-one interviews as re-
hearsal for the evening
2:00-3:00PM: Action Planning I.
Plan A: Why and how you can start
doing community organizing after
your return.
Plan B: Why and how to improve
training in community organizing
after your return.
Page 14 “Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities”
* Itinerary as of October 1, 2012 — subject to change without further notice
Titles for the Posters
Slovakia:
Marcela Beresova: “Work with
Roma children in Community
Centers in Eastern Slovakia”
Jolana Natherova: “Work with
Roma youth in Banska Bystrica
– with support from Sister City
Charleston, West Virginia”.
Milena Kacmarcikova:
“The change is possible”
Monika Bandurova:
“Listen to us, we want to work!”
Romania:
Andreea Buzec: “Building a cul-
ture of participation worldwide”
Vlad Catuna: “In villages, in
towns we keep the gas inside the
shale”
Anda Lupusor and Mihaela Grig-
oriu: “The social inclusion of
Roma Minority in Romania”
Nicu Dumitru: “Social entrepre-
neurship: Minority craftsmen in
the spotlight”
Radu Raileanu: “Communicating
about Minority Communities in
Romania”
Hungary:
Henriett Dinok:
“All Different All Equal?”
Krisztina Molnar:
“Together for Another” – Human
Integra Foundation
Zsolt Fugg: “Working with mi-
nority communities – Szeged,
Hungary & Toledo, Ohio, U.S.A.”
Balint Vojtonovszki: “Organizing
against the national workfare
system in Hungary”
Bulgaria
Kaloyan Damyanov:
“Inclusion Education in Bulgaria
– Myth or Reality”
Nedka Taneva:
“Alternative for All”
ITINERARY *
3:00-4:00PM: Preparing for the eve-
ning program;
Finalizing discussion and planning of
one-on-one interviews
4:15PM: Depart to Hungarian Club
of Toledo (224 Paine Ave, Toledo, OH
43605)
5:00-8:00PM: International
Friendship Night – welcome dinner
and program in the Hungarian Club
of Toledo.
8:30PM: Return to the hotel
Friday, October 5, 2012
Toledo, OH
8:30AM: Departure from the hotel
and drive to downtown City of Toledo
Conference room 1st Floor.
9:00-9:45AM: Topic “Transparency
and Accountability in Local Govern-
ment & Citizens involvement”
Meeting with: Patrick McLean, Direc-
tor of Finance City of Toledo
10:00-10:45AM: : Topic “The Success
Imperative – A Toledo Story on
Youth Development and Engage-
ment” Meeting with: Tracee Ellis,
City of Toledo Mayors Office
11:00-12:00AMProgram Assessment
with Elizabeth Balint
12:30-1:30PM: Lunch at the Govern-
ment Center Cafeteria
1:30PM: Topic “The U.S. governance
system & the role of local govern-
ments in the U.S.”
Meeting with: Wade Kapszukiewicz,
Lucas County Treasurer and Peter
Ujvagi, Lucas County Administrator
2:00-4:00PM: A sample organizing
campaign in a Toledo neighborhood
Meeting with: Ramon Perez, Commu-
nity Organizer, One Village Council
4:30PM: Return to hotel, dinner on
your own
7:00PM: Departure to Toledo Mu-
seum of Art “Its Friday” for those
who interested.
7:30PM: Departure to Valentine
Theater, La Boheme performance
(starts at 8:00PM) for those who pre-
viously requested tickets to the
Toledo Opera.
Pick-up will be arranged for each
group and drive back to hotel.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Toledo, OH
10:00AM: Departure from hotel and
drive to the Imagination Station in
Downtown Toledo.
10:30-12:00Noon: Enjoy the Imagi-
nation Station
12:00Noon-3:00PM: Drive to the
Toledo Zoo; Lunch on your own
3:00-7:00PM: Dinner around the ho-
tel on your own
7:00PM-12:00Midnight: An Inter-
national Disco Night at the Hungar-
ian Club (224 Paine Ave, Toledo, OH
43605) – this program is open to the
public ($5.00 fee for nonmembers of
the Hungarian Club)
12:00Midnight: Drive back to the
hotel
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Sandusky, OH
Group A (those who requested go to
Cedar Point):
10:00AM: Departure from hotel. Day
of fun at Cedar Point; Lunch and din-
ner on your own.
10:00PM: Return to the hotel
Group B (not go to Cedar Point): Day
for rest, shopping on your own at
Fallen Timbers Mall
Monday, October 8, 2012
Chicago, IL
9:00AM: Travel to Chicago
1:00PM: Store the luggage in the
hotel and sightseeing – visit to the
Hancock Building Signature Lounge,
Magnificent Mile; shopping opportu-
nity, look around in the Millennium
Park—as weather permits
4:00PM: Check-in to hotel for 3
nights; Dinner on your own.
Evening: Free time to rest
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Chicago, IL
8:30AM: Departure from the hotel to
NPA office (810 N. Milwaukee Ave-
nue, Chicago)
9:00AM-12:00Noon: Visit National
People’s Action (NPA);
Meeting with: Jeff Pinzino, Develop-
ment Director;
Discussion topics: (1) History of the
community organizing in the U.S.;
(2) Challenges and opportunities in
national organizing, and youth orga-
nizing in Chicago.
12:00-1:30PM: Lunch around the
NPA on your own
2:00-4:00PM: Visit the Jane Addams
Hull-House Museum (The University
of Illinois in Chicago) at 800 S. Hal-
sted, Chicago
4:30PM: Drop off materials at the
hotel
5:00PM: Visit the Navy Piers – enjoy
a 30 minutes boat ride on Lake
Michigan– if weather permits, sight-
seeing in downtown Chicago.
Evening: Dinner on your own
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Chicago, IL
8:15AM: Depart from hotel to Anshe
Emet Synagogue (3751 N. Broadway,
Chicago )
9:00AM-1:00PM: Workshop with or-
ganizers from Lakeview Action Coali-
tion & Illinois People Action;
Meeting with: Mary Tarullo, Organ-
izer LAC and Dawn Dannenbring,
Organizer IPA
Discussion topics: (1) How to turn a
big problem into an issue for a cam-
paign (this includes small group
work);
(2) Learning about statewide orga-
nizing effort and collaboration among
community organizers & organiza-
tions (Dawn – Illinois People Action);
(3) Action Planning II: Barriers or
opportunities to bringing what they
have learned in the U.S. to their
countries.
2:30-4:00PM: Meeting at UIC Insti-
tute of Policy and Civic Engagement
(IPCE) at the College of Urban Plan-
ning and Public Affairs.(412 S. Peo-
ria St. 400, College of Urban Plan-
ning Chicago, IL 60607
Meeting with: Joseph Hoereth, Ph.D.,
Director
Evening: Open for sightseeing and
nightlife in Chicago
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Travel day: Check-out from the ho-
tel and travel to your internship site.
Page 15 Professional Fellows program in the U.S. (October 1- November 10, 2012)
ITINERARY *
October 11-November 1, 2012
3-weeks Internship at the U.S. host-
ing organizations, learn and stay
with local host families.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
New York, NY
Morning: Travel to New York and
check-in to hotel for 4 nights
Afternoon/Evening: Free time for
sightseeing and dinner on your own;
Suggested program: Enjoy visiting
Carnegie Hall, Rockefeller Center,
Sony Wonder Technology Lab, Time
Square and Broadway
Friday, November 2, 2012
New York
8:00AM: Depart together from hotel
to “Community Voices Heard” (CVH)
office conference room.) 115 E. 106th
St. 3rd Floor, New York)
9:00-11:00AM: Topic “Changing Peo-
ple, Places and Policy through Com-
munity Organizing” - small group
discussions on internship experience;
Meeting with: Jennifer Hadlock, Mo
George, CVH organizers
11:15AM-2:00PM: Joint Pizza lunch
and discussion “Community organiz-
ing success stories”.
Meeting with: Mr. James Mumm,
Staff Director
2:15-4:00PM: Action Planning III
Discussion and presentation of ideas
that the delegation would like to im-
plement after return, and planning of
joint actions by countries.
5:00PM: Return to the hotel
Evening: Free time for sightseeing
and dinner on your own;
Suggested program: Greenwich Vil-
lage and Empire State Building
Saturday, November 3, 2012
New York, NY
9:00AM: Sightseeing – boat ride to
the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island,
Visit the 9/11 memorial; China town
Sunday, November 4, 2012
New York, NY
Time to rest, sightseeing
Suggested program: Metropolitan
Museum, Central Park, Soho
Monday, November 5, 2012
Washington, D.C.
8:45AM: Check-out from hotel and
departure to Washington, D.C.
Check-in to hotel for 2 nights
2:00-4:00PM: Meeting with Eliza-
beth Balint; Discussion topic: “Story
plus Action Equal Change”;
Report & evaluation of the program
and presentation of the joint action
plans;
Finalizing the U.S. mentors visit to
Europe
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Washington, D.C.
ELECTION DAY:
Tour of the Congress and visit to the
Library of Congress.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Washington, D.C.
8:00-11:00AM: Check out from hotel
and store luggage
Sightseeing in Washington, D.C.
downtown around the White House
and White House gift store, monu-
ments etc.
12:00Noon: Moving to another hotel
for the Professional Fellows Congress
2:00-4:00PM Meeting at the Roma-
nian Embassy (for the Romanian
delegation)
4:00PM: Check-in for 3 nights; and
registration for the Congress
6:30-8:30PM Orientation & Network-
ing, light refreshments
Thursday, November 8. 2012
Washington D.C.
Congress continues
Friday, November 9, 2012
Washington D.C.
Congress continues
Evening: Farewell & JOINT Birth-
day celebration with our delegation
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Washington D.C.
Morning: Evaluation of the Con-
gress; Meeting with U.S. State De-
partment program officers,
Presentation of the certificates
12:00Noon: Check-out of hotel,
travel to the airport with group
transportation organized by the ad-
ministration of Congress.
* Itinerary as of October 1, 2012 — subject to change without further notice
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR COLLABORATING OVERSEAS
PARTNERS AND IN-COUNTRY DIRECTORS:
Emil Metodiev Liuba Batembergska
Creating Effective Grassroots
Alternatives Foundation CEGA
Bulgaria http://cega.bg
Mate Varga Civil College Foundation Hungary
http://www.pepol.info/partners/ccf.htm
Oana Preda Nicoleta Chirita
CeRe Romania http://www.ce-re.ro/
Milan ‘Kajo’ Zboril Chuck Hirt
Center for Community Organizing
Slovakia http://www.ceecn.net/