Origins

In Hungary, like elsewhere in the world, an increasing number of disciplines and professional fields are beginning to recognize the importance of supporting the “small circles” of society. Although the professionals and activists performing this diverse activity may call themselves and their work in many different ways, they all agree that it is a common interest of everybody active in the area of community development, community planning, community organization and the development of civil society, to implement the principles laid down by the Budapest Declaration (Building Civil Society in Europe through Community Development – International Conference – Budapest 2004, www.kka.hu) and to represent the interests of professionals working in the area, as the neglect of communality would entail the risk of having even more of the oppressed and marginalized become alienated from society.

This recognition has led the founders, the Autonomy Foundation, the Civil College Foundation, the Association for Community Workers in the Upper-Kiskunság, the Eastern-Hungarian Community Service Foundation (on behalf of Pro-Net), the Hungarian Association for Community Development, the Intercommunity Foundation, the Partners Hungary Foundation, the National Association of Community Resource Centres, the Soros Foundation and the Hungarian Environmental Partnership Foundation, to establish the FEDERATION for the Development of Community Participation (FDCP) on 14^th November 2004. The organization started its activities as soon as its registration became effective, and was joined in 2007 by the Nonprofit Information and Training Centre Foundation (NIOK). 

The FEDERATION is an umbrella of organizations willing to contribute to an increasing social recognition of community development, community organization, community work and community planning.

Main Objectives

The basic objective and mission of the FEDERATION is to promote the development of a community-based society, enhance social participation, facilitate the reintegration of deprived groups of society, promote equal opportunities for women, and raise awareness on the responsibility of the state and local governments in organizing development processes that are implemented by the communities themselves. More precisely:

• to promote the development of a community-based society and an enhanced level of social participation,
• to facilitate the reintegration of disadvantaged groups into the labour market,
• to promote equal chances for women,
• to raise awareness on the responsibility of the state and local governments in organizing development processes implemented by the communities themselves; in initiating and financing regional and small regional community development programmes; and in developing nationwide networks in community development, community work, and local social development,
• to develop the vocational training system for community development work on a continuous basis,
• to strengthen the reputation and social prestige of community development, community work, and local social development work through reconciling the interests of professionals working in these disciplines, and creating the necessary publicity,
• to formulate and publish professional standpoints and declarations on issues related to social policy, community development, community work and local social development,
• to organize professional workshops and programmes in community development, community work and local social development,
• to edit and manage electronic and printed publications,
• to build international professional contacts, and
• to run a central office providing information and other services.

The First Years

To meet the above objectives, the FEDERATION has been active in the following areas:

As a member of the Vocational Network for Supporting Community Initiatives (KÖZTÁMHÁLÓ), it has provided coordination and administration services for the organizations cooperating in Hungary’s seven regions, and has fulfilled the duties of the Pest County network node directly, providing consultations, training courses and experience exchanges, and performing administrative tasks.

It has conducted a professional analysis on the first two years of the Vocational Network, and has prepared a detailed monitoring study which makes recommendations for new development directions.

It runs an office at its headquarters to secure the operations of the organization. The office is active all through the year, and is managed by the General Secretary/Vice President. Main activities include:

• coordinating and facilitating the flow of information among member organizations,
• performing administrative and fundraising activities,
• collecting information, grant opportunities and professional materials, and
• organizing and coordinating the professional activities of the organization, also via a mailing list.

It participates in vocational events related to community development, and holds information sessions on the activities and objectives of the FEDERATION in various locations of the country.

Further activities of the organization have included:

• taking part in the work and events organized by the working group NGOs for the Publicity of the 2^nd National Development Plan, starting in 2005,
• taking part in the activities of the working group Civil Lobby Roundtable,
• taking part in the activities of the National Civil Reconciliatory Forum on Regional Development (OTCEF),
• taking part in the organization and implementation of the Citizen Participation Week and the related regular public survey on public trust, and in promoting the results, starting from 2005.
• establishing and organizing the work of an informal working group called Table Society, which has held regular sessions since October 2005. The working group has contacted ministries within the sector in order to secure more opportunities to organize community development grant programmes within the national programmes to be implemented between 2007 and 2013. In February 2006 the FEDERATION has submitted a professional document to the planning group at the former Ministry of Youth, Family and Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities (now Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour), which has been integrated into the draft version of the Human Resources Operative Programme.
• opinioning the New Hungary Development Plan,
• taking part in the working group opinioning the Social Renewal Operative Programme, preparing proposals, and disseminating information about the programme in the civil sphere, in co-operation with 10 other non-governmental organizations,
• initiating the establishment of a working group which targets the use of the Global Grant technique while distributing some of the social development and community development funds deployed during the EU’s next funding cycle.