Exzellenz im Projekt-Management

"<< Background >>The project Excellence in Project Management was developed in response to the identified need for the professionalization of civil society organizations. Informal educational formats often remain purely informational, without offering concrete action-oriented options for the target groups. As a result, long-term impact is frequently lacking. This project therefore aims to train partner organizations and other civil society actors in the development of action-oriented educational programs.Another central need addressed by the project is the provision of solid foundational knowledge in project management and structured grant writing for volunteers and activists. Many civil society groups treat fundraising and grant management as secondary tasks due to a lack of resources for professional development. Through hands-on training and active project work, participants are encouraged to engage directly in implementation, helping to counteract engagement fatigue. In this way, even adults with lower qualifications gain valuable experience, while the flexible design of the program allows it to be adapted to various educational topics and methods.<< Objectives >>The project aimed to equip participants with practical skills in project management, project planning, and campaign development—with a particular focus on minority inclusion and gender equality.Participants from Europe, Africa, the Americas, and Asia, including members of the Roma minority, were empowered to develop and implement projects in an international setting. Through structured workshops, they gained hands-on experience in planning, structuring, and executing projects, which strengthened their intercultural and collaborative competencies.In addition, the project supported civil society organizations in professionalizing their educational approaches and improving their fundraising strategies. By engaging participants in active project work, the initiative helped counteract symptoms of engagement fatigue and provided young adults with the opportunity to gain valuable learning experiences.<< Implementation >>In February 2024, the project began with a kick-off workshop, where the partner organizations Bagázs Egyesület and the Center for Cooperation and Exchange e.V. defined roles and responsibilities, outlined the training structure, and drafted a Memorandum of Understanding. In addition, they finalized the participant selection criteria, the curriculum, and the mentoring program.The Summer School took place in August/September 2024 and the Autumn School followed in October 2024, both held in Budapest. A total of 22 participants received practical training in project management, intercultural competencies, and minority empowerment, and developed their own impactful small-scale projects. Interactive group work and a diverse evening program fostered exchange and collaboration.From September 2024 to February 2025, participants implemented their projects—among them an AI training for teachers, a capacity-building seminar for administrative staff in Northern Serbia, and an online campaign to increase visibility of individuals from minority communities. In March 2025, these results were presented during the final workshop, where experiences were reflected upon and the jointly developed project guidelines were introduced.<< Results >>The intended outcomes of the project were largely achieved. The main outputs included the two intensive project weeks—Summer School and Autumn School—during which participants gained in-depth knowledge in project planning, communication, and intercultural cooperation. During these sessions, participants developed impact-oriented project plans, which were later implemented as small-scale initiatives.These included the online training series ""AI in Teaching"", a training for administrative staff in Northern Serbia titled ""Planning and Management in Crisis Situations: Responding to Drought in the Northern Vojvodina Region"", and the digital awareness campaign ""Shadowed Lives"", focused on increasing the visibility of minority communities.Despite the strong commitment of the participants, two projects—an open community bookshelf for Roma families and ""The Connection Hub"", an online dialogue format between locals and foreigners in Hungary—did not reach their intended outcomes.Another key result of the project was the creation of a comprehensive documentation and set of guidelines, which compiles the project’s content, methods, and best practices, and now serves as a foundation for future educational and empowerment initiatives."