Summer cultural and lifestyle camps for children – case study on the volunteering practice and experiencees of the "Mag-ház" - community space

Éva Monostori

Abstract

This case study presents operation and experience of the Mag-ház (Seed-House), a community space established and run by the Komárom-based association Élettér (Living Space), cultural nonprofit organisation. The "Mag-ház"(Seed-House) has been organising summer cultural and lifestyle camps for children aged 6-14. The purpose of the case study is, on the one hand, to analyse the challenges and constraints of how the organisation has moved from involving member volunteers and students doing School Community Service to involving bonding 'family' volunteers as a 'pilot' programme in 2022. Secondly, to show how the involvement of a larger number of involved volunteers has triggered a more conscious rethinking of volunteer coordination in the organisation in terms of volunteer organisation, recruitment, retention and motivation, which has also meant a move forward in the 'learning by doing' approach. The case study could provide an example for smaller, rural organisations in the field of volunteer recruitment and retention who are motivated by similar goals and pressured by similar constraints when responding to a local cultural and community need.

Keywords: cultural-lifestyle camps, young school children, play and experiential theme, member volunteers, bonding volunteers, "family" volunteers, "learning by doing" method