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APERO Job Shadowing Activity Report
Participant Information
Name: Tihomir Georgiev
Sending organization: Smokinya Foundation
Host organization: Egyesek Youth Association
Country / City of placement: Holloko / Budapest
Dates of activity: 17-21 Nov 2025
Total days attended: 5
Tihomir Georgiev, founder, managing director and head youth worker participated in the job shadowing exchange to Hungary.
In November 2025, Smokinya Foundation carried out a five-day APERO job shadowing visit hosted by Egyesek Youth Association in Hungary. The experience combined field observation, meetings with youth workers, ESC volunteers and managers, and practical exchange on how a well-established youth NGO organizes its work across rural youth engagement, communication, project management and financial sustainability.
Part of the visit focused on Egyesek’s work in Nógrád and Szécsény, including school-based youth work, local youth activities and the operation of their youth centre. Another important strand explored communication and outreach: defining target groups, developing key messages, using different social media channels strategically, maintaining branding consistency, planning content, and linking communication with visibility and fundraising.
The job shadowing also provided detailed insight into Egyesek’s internal management systems. This included digitalised financial administration, project and budget tracking, shared documentation, project templates, task ownership, travel reimbursement procedures and project-closing checklists. Particular attention was given to how new staff members are gradually onboarded through observation, small-scale responsibility, mentoring and practical project management experience.
The visit provided concrete practices that Smokinya Foundation can adapt in its own work, especially in staff onboarding, digital project management, documentation, communication strategy and organisational accountability. It also created space for direct peer exchange on the realities and challenges of sustaining youth work and NGO structures over the long term.
“Alliance for Participation, Empowerment, and Resilient Organizations” – KA210-YOUTH project about NGOs who have, or want to have soon, a venue for hosting events, trainings, residencies, volunteering and other educational programs, both for youth and adults. Project identification card.
Objectives
The project brings together five organizations to exchange practices on establishing and managing rural centers for sustainable community spaces. We aim to share methods for involving youth in decision-making, explore diverse financial strategies to strengthen financial resilience, and exchange knowledge on diversifying activities and civic involvement across different contexts.
Activities
We will conduct job shadowing activities across five countries, where participants will observe the regular activities of partner organizations, focusing on best practices in managing rural centers, youth engagement, and financial sustainability. The project includes workshops and hands-on learning to help partners achieve the objectives. Regular online meetings will ensure collaboration, and an evaluation meeting will review outcomes and plan future steps.
Impact
The project will result in the implementation of new methods for managing rural centers, youth participation in decision-making, and diversified funding strategies across the five partner organizations. Each partner will apply specific practices learned from job shadowing, improving their operations. The project will also create a foundation for future collaboration and long-term partnerships between organizations.
Project timeline
Start date 01-03-2025
End date 30-06-2026
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Website of the coordinator: CITIZENS LAB, Berlin
Should you have a question, contact us: info@smokinya.com.
This project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ program of the European Union.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
