Civil society in Budapest, Újbuda

Civil society is composed of the totality of voluntary civic and social organizations and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society as opposed to the force- backed structures of a state, regardless of that state's political system, and commercial institutions of the market.

Examples of civil society institutions:  Clubs (social, sports)  Activist groups  Charities  Community organizations  Cultural groups  Non-govermental organizations  Non-profit organizations  Support groups

The governance of our district has supported the slowly organizing self- efficient communities since the late eighties. On the one hand they were helped with legal informations to register them officially, and on the other hand a subsidy was given for their functioning.

The governance has also permitted them to hold their programs and meetings in their own financed community centres. The civilian organizations started in this time primarly were made by the inhabitants of the different parts of this large range district.

After 1990 the legal regulation has also ensured the working of the civilian organizations.

Our self government guarantees an amount of their supporting from it’s budget in every year, which is being distributed by a special committee founded to only this aim.

There are 84 registered civilian associations under the authority of Újbuda Local Government. The main types can be selected in the following groups:

1.Aerial civilian organizations Among the civil societies of our district had left the civilian organisation of the quarters of Újbuda, such as the Civil Round of Kelenvölgy, Albertfalva, Kelenföld or Lágymányos.

The members of them collect and present their traditions of local history, organise the days of the quarter, take part in the editorial committee of the quarter’s newspapers. They also represent the interest of the quarters at the municipial authorities. Aerial civilian organizations are often involved in the city developing projects as an civilian advisor.

Many civil societies collect the branch of art lovers. In our district The MU theatre association operates under an agreement from 2000, which is the home of different alternative moving theaters. The “Babszem” Dance Association which act in Ustron in this weekend, is also working in an associational form. 2. Artistical civilian organizations

3. Educational civilian organizations This tendence is specific in the cases of the schools where foundations being grounded, thus supplement the budget support with amount won on tenders or with the 1% free part of the personal income tax which is guaranteed by the state if the citizen choose to support the implied school.

4. Sanitarian civilian organizations Collects the individuals fighting different types of sicknesses, such as visually damaged, disabled and diabetics. These districtional groups actively helps the daily life of the people who need help and they played significant role in the obstacle clearing of the parking and the approaching of the common buildings.

5. Environmental civilian organizations They defend the clearness of The Gellért Hill, the Bottomless Lake, the Kopaszi dike and naturally the air and the healthy environment.

The old-age pensioner civil societies are in a special situation due to a new local governmental program called Q-Ageing subserve their functioning. 6. Old ageing civilian organisations

The 60 + program Nearly citizens over the age of 60 live in Újbuda. The local government decided to develop a complex way of life program for the elderly in addition to the well-functioning social and healthcare services. The program named Újbuda 60+ supports the improvement of the quality of live for the elderly in an organized way.

The Újbuda 60+ includes initiations and encourages free time activities, entertainment, cultural and public gatherings, enforcement of interests as well as campaigns in the fields of local history, culture and social matters. A relevant element of the program is community development, i.e. to facilitate and motivate the elderly to initiate and organize events themselves.

The local government provides support and relevant background to the implementation of these programs. In the first phase of community development, the volunteers accepted by a certain community and capable of managing a self organization are selected.

Next, they are prepared to be able to accomplish their future job. These neighbourhood volunteers can later become the key figures and organizers of the local communities who will know and help the local projects and also work to increase the number of participants. Another objective of the first phase is to establish 3 or 4 model communities that may serve as examples for the new community organizers.

The research project closely related to the Q- AGEING program contributes to the professional structure of the program. The survey conducted by professional researchers embraces the population of the entire district area with a focus on age. Thus, the local government can gather data about the needs, activities and purchase habits of the elderly. The collected information can help to organize events, improve programs and to support the elderly with higher efficiency and more optimal usage of financial expenditure.

The program Újbuda 60+ also involves its participants in the alredy existing events. The local government and its institutions offer the 60+ participants educational, cultural and sport events as well as health preservation and recreational programs in the first place.

In Újbuda, all citizens over the age of 60 are entitled to receive the Újbuda 60+ membership card free of charge, allowing them to participate in the programs as well as to receive discounts in shops registered as Újbuda 60+ enterprise in favour of the elderly. These shops and service providers offer people with a 60+ membership card a 5 to 20 percent discount.

An important element of the Újbuda 60+ program is to provide information about the self-organized groups. The local paper entitled Újbuda dedicates a column to the news and events related to the program. Additionally, on the website of the district, all important information is available for the participants and those interested.

The declared objective of the Újbuda 60+ program is to orient the aged over 60 towards an active participation in the life of the community and society, and to facilitate them to prepare for this even more active lifestyle voluntarily and willingly, following their internal needs.

Project Partners:  Local Government of Maribor, Slovenia  Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenia  IEM HRDC, Maribor, Slovenia  Province of Treviso, Italy  Local Government of Sopot, Poland  Local Government of Genova, Italy  NHRI, Genova, Italy  Civil Society Development Center, Freiburg, Germany

Thank you for your attention! Budapest, Újbuda