Once upon a time, there was a town where nobody wanted to live, nobody wanted to visit, where nothing interesting could be experienced, where people had no interest in the others and did not see their beauty. But one day a perfect place of 70m2 with a beautiful scruffy garden and big trees appeared there... In this place, we would like to establish the unique community center, the center of openness and growth, where every plant, animal and human being feels welcome, creating SPACE for EVERYONE!

In town Žiar nad Hronom (19000 ppl, Banska Bystrica Region, central Slovakia) and its close region.

Town without visible public communities, passivity and minimal civic engagement, no ngo sector developed, without strong local identity considering historical context of its origins, founded as new socialist industrial town in 50´s. Without specific place for community development, meeting people (except restaurants and pubs), creative activities, alternative perspective in politics, culture and art, education, lifestyle. There is no “island of positive deviation” where democratic ideas of equality, human rights, non - discrimination could be spread. No meeting place for local groups, mutual learning process (huge separation of local communities without intersection), no place for active people without or with children, for active youth or adults to share their skills, ideas and grow.

- firstly, we are doing it for ourselves (young families with children and mothers, cca 50 people as a core target group at the beginning)
- women, especially active and creative, who want to take action and need a space to grow in their lives, use their education, experience or talent for the benefit of broader community
- parents, especially with small children who are not able to be actively involved in social life due to parental responsibilities
- children as a group excluded from many public spaces
- various organized communities, groups or individuals who need background and space for their activities (youth, seniors, Roma, disabled, vulnerable individuals, professionals)
- public in the meaning of change rigid public discourse, also offer space for otherness and diversity

>Registration of NGO legal status (in progress)
>Agreement with the owner of the place (in progress,10 yrs rent for NGO)
>Reconstruction of the place (space 70m2, unusable condition, reconstruction needed)
>Design & Equipment of the Center & Revitalisation of the garden (both for different communities´needs)
>Personal Capacities & Key Programs of the Center
- community club DVOR /YARD/ (enviro&art&outdoor club for children and parents)
- own activities of the centre eg. human rights (women, LGBTI), gender equality and feminism, informal and alternative education, environment, sustainability, healthy lifestyle (meetings, lectures, discussions, concerts, exhibitions)
- the activities of other community groups (meetings, trainings, space for groups or active individuals)
>Opening

In a year from now, if supported, there will be reconstruction of the place done, design and equipment of the centre ready, outside garden revitalisation process started, personal capacities of the centre and programme for the first 12 months of activities planned, children community club started, centre officially opened and first promotion done. Since nothing is existing toward community engagement in the town at the moment, in a year time we can expect the first community centre to open for different groups and communities, providing a unique place for everyone to share their skills and grow. Community will become active and visible, civic participation encouraged, space for active people of all the age groups will be created. Big things through small actions will start to happen.

- existence of community center itself will strengthen democracy and active citizenship as the first organisation in town created by citizens, for citizens
- offer employment and volunteer opportunities in community engagement areas, what will empower community from inside
- activities of the center will be community oriented and empower local identity
- offer unique, open and safe place for meeting of different communities who will use inner or outer space of the centre according to their needs
- activities of the center will support diversity in many ways including gender (esp. jobs for women with difficult conditions on the labor market), sexual orientation (LGBTI friendly space), age (support of meeting people of different ages), social status, religion or political orientation

A vision of developing a local community centre has been here for many years as a DREAM, in this rootless town. And we miss such a place a lot. Being mothers of small children makes the need for a safe space to grow, while supporting each other, in our community even stronger. Also, there is a wish behind changing the professional career from theoretical to practical and working with other people, contributing to societal CHANGE. For making our vision true, an ideal place, where all our ideas could be brought into reality and realized, appeared in the town only recently. From these reasons we want to use this opportunity now and create an unique, inspirational, safe and open place not only for us, but for EVERYONE.

NGO name in Slovak is wordplay: miesto = space + my = we > MYesto

>Reconstruction of the place 11000€
>Design & Equipment of the Center 4000€
>Revitalization of the garden 3000€
>Rental Costs of the place 3600€/year
>Project Management & Administration 6000€/year
>Center Programme Costs 18500€/year
>Other Services & Public Relations 2200€/year

- green and ethical ideas on the design of inside space (70m2) and outside garden
- how to create the atmosphere of the space
- any ideas for starting community organization, esp. in quite passive local community
- what methods use for empowering local community and identity
THANK YOU!