SZIDÖK manifest - archived
What is SZIDÖK?
The Youth and Student Government of Szentes is the elected local council of the younsters and students of the town of Szentes in Southeast Hungary. It is usually called SZIDÖK, the abbreviation of the Hungarian name. Its members are representatives and delegates elected by the students of the 5 primary and 5 secondary schools of the town or delegated by local youth NGOs.
Established as a result of a long development process, SZIDÖK is the primary forum of local youth interest in Szentes.
Brief historic overview:
1992 The beginning of the conscious development of the public life of youth at a local level, in cooperation with the Town Council of Szentes and the Children and Youth Union of VE-GA
1992-1995 Renovation works (predominantly volunteer work) on two buildings to create meeting points for youngsters. The results are the Youth Cellar in the centre of Szentes, and the Summer Camp Centre in Magyartés, 10 km from the town. Both properties are operated by the Children and Youth Union of VE-GA.
Foundation of CARE Children and Student Foundation of Szentes to ensure independent financial management.
1996 Establishment of the Children and Youth Round Table (GYIKA, the predecessor of SZIDÖK) to prepare the conditions of the first local youth election – ie. the first SZIDÖK elections in 1998.
1998 SZIDÖK set up after first election
1999 SZIDÖK was co-organiser of the international Youth Mental Health and Anti-Drug Conference
2000 Public Utility Contract between the Town Council and VE-GA:
VE-GA coordinates the youth public issues of the town, and appoints a youth expert, whose main tasks are to help the operation and management of SZIDÖK and its integration into the activity of the Mayor’s Office.
SZIDÖK appears in the Organizational and Operational Regulation of the Local Government of Szentes as an independent chapter. The Body of Representatives, its committees and the officials give full support to SZIDÖK.
2000 Co-organiser of the conference Against Drugs with Conscious Lifestyle
2001 Co-organiser of Drug Problems, Youth Problems, Moral Problems conference
2002 Co-organiser of Teenager Peer Support Conference
Aims:
• to help and develop institutional self-governments (e.g. student governments of schools) and organizations established by youngsters
• to provide facilities for youngsters to facilitate democracy education
• to organize trainings for the youth about various usefult topics that can be useful in their further life and to teach them about things they are interesed in
• to encourage the youth to remain in the town as they grow up by providing them guidance on education, lifestyle, labour market, culture etc.
• to make Szentes and its environment cleaner and nicer and to conserve its values and traditions
• to build partnerships and maintain good relationship with youth NGOs in the neighbouring countries and across Europe, to help each other and learn from each other
Operation
Each year each electoral district (ie each primary and secondary school of the town) elects one representative, and the local youth NGOs also delegate one person each to the Body of Representatives. They also delegate 5-5 delegates to the committees:
• Organiser Committee
• Media Committee
• Financial Committee
• Committee of Home and Foreign Affairs
• Committee of Trainings
Any child or youngster can freely join the work of the committees, he/she doesn’t need to be a representative or delegate.
The Body of Representatives assembles twice a year. They make decisions about every important issue, and they elect the Youth Mayor (secondary school age) and the Youth Vice Mayor (primary school age).
The regular SZIDÖK meeting point is the Youth Cellar every Friday afternoon.
SZIDÖK as local youth council is a permanent invitee to the sessions of the Body of Representatives of the local government of Szentes. It has the right to raise an issue and to proclaim its opinion on any topic – this right is not restricted to youth and student issues.
SZIDÖK issues a membership card which entitles its holder to visit e.g. other schools’ programs free of charge.
Local media regularly reports about our programs.
Activities
Cooperation with the Local Government of Szentes:
• Participation in the sessions of the Body of Representatives and its committees;
• Submitting applications for funds in cooperation;
• Following a proposal by SZIDÖK, the Body of Representatives founded an award in 2001 called Youth Public Life Award of Szentes Town. The award is presented on the International Children’s Day of each year to the adult and younster who receive the most, well-reasoned recommendation from the students of the town.
Activity in local youth public life:
• Supporting student governments of schools
• Supporting local youth initiatives and NGOs
• Yearly adjucating the Youth Public Life Award (to one student and one adult)
• Holding the „Most … Student of the Town” elections
• Participation in the programs of the Youth Information Point of Szentes
• Art competitions: origami, literature, photo, graffiti, drawing, painting etc.
Youth support:
• Fighting against drugs, alcohol and juvenile delinquency;
• Peer research;
• Alternative workshops;
• Summer camps, assemblies;
• Weekly gatherings in the Youth Cellar
Building partnerships with Hungarian and foreign youth organizations:
Attending assemblies, trainings, summer camps
Inland partners: e.g. Children and Youth Council of Nagytőke, Children Council of Szolnok, Secondary Schools’ Council of Szolnok
Foreign partners: Kinder und Jugendparlament in Sankt Agustin, Deutschland; FRANCAS, France; Cultural Centre Association of Marosvásárhely, Romania
What we are especially proud of:
SZIDÖK appears in the Organizational and Operational Regulation of the Local Government of Szentes as an independent chapter. The Body of Representatives, its committees and the officials give full support to SZIDÖK.
SZIDÖK as local youth council is a permanent invitee to the sessions of the Body of Representatives of the local government of Szentes. It has the right to raise an issue and to proclaim its opinion in any topic – this right is not restricted to youth and student issues.
As a result of a SZIDÖK proposal, Szentes town received the title ”Youth-Friendly Town Council” from the Ministry of Youth and Sports in 2003.
Contact address:
SZIDÖK – Youth and Student Government of Szentes
6600 Szentes, Kossuth square no. 6, Hungary
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.