By building a craft workroom in the Coburg manor house create a community space for educational workshops, lectures, meetings; with the involvement of local community in the craft workroom help with rescueing the historical monument (slowly start to rebuild missing windows, door frames, floors). Manor house was decaying for decades but for few years is already waking up to life. Located in central Slovakia (Gemer region), with high presence of Roma communities and suffers from high unemployment.

Coburg manor house, Jelšava, Gemer region, central Slovakia

The Gemer region located in the heart of Slovankia has high unemployment rate (specifically in Jelšava City more than 30%), rate of Roma inhabitants is about 50%. The region itself has a long industrial tradition in the past which disappered decades ago and now suffers from the lack of opprotunities, depopulation of the area and migration into other regions for work opportinities. Weak infrastructure is another development obstacle. But the presence of natural beauty (for example National park Muránska wold, only aragonit cave in Europe in Ochtiná etc.) and many architectonical and industrial monuments represent a hidden potential for many opportunities for local and regional civic community mobilization and participation on the development of the area.

The project has several target groups by its very nature: local inhabitants, youth, marginalized Roma community, economically active and inactive ones. By organising workshops, lectures, accompanying musical events attract local inhabitants, and also visitors from other regions to broaden the impact and the potential network.

Project activities include: building a craft workroom directly on the Coburg manor house, where will be created a space for workshops, lectures, community meetings, cultural events and continuous craft activity. It will also provide the opportunity to renovate the manor house step by step with the help of the local community.

Planned workshops tematically focuses on artistic craft work with wood, metal, diy construction of simple musical Instruments to engage also local youth etc.
More about activities in Coburg manor house in Jelšava: https://zivotvmeste.jelsava.sk/download_file_f.php?id=1338855

Higher civic activity, more opportunities, a higher number of employed for example by their opening their own crafts which they can learn at the craft workroom, better social understanding in different communities, prevention of rasism and xenofobia, preservation of the cultural heritage, enhancing tourism and driving economic stimuls to the region.

Goal is to increase the number of citizens who are willing to work in their surroundings and to change the negative environment to a better picture, gain skills and later open their own crafts or get employed. In the created craft workrooms in the Coburg manor house build the space where local communities can meet, educate, work together with aim to link different communities (majority and minority population, economically active and inactive). Positive side effect of this activities will be participation in preservation of cultural heritage. Local citizens from different communities will have opportunity to interact, improve mutual understanding, increase skills, broaden horizons to prevent extremism, which is generally beneficial to the individuals, communities and the society as a whole

We felt in love with the region and back in 2017 and we already knew that we will return there once in the future with our activities. The first experience in Jelšava also showed us that the region could be helped to grow in different other ways which can improve the base for further development, prepare the better base also for other civic activities and projects. With this project we want also to expand and upgrade our activities.

16 200,- craft workroom equipment (material, devices)
20 825,- personal costs for 3 persons (craftsman, project administration and coordination, PR...)
2 160,- lectors, workshops, travel costs
5 950,- accompanying events, PR, graphics and printing costs, publicity...

*venue including energies for project implementation will be ensured by the partner - Jelšava City - which is the owner of the Coburg manor house

Any kind of feedback how to improve our project and idea is warmly welcome.