The Youth Town Hall meeting in Pécs has been an insightful experience for the researchers of MRI, as it has allowed them to identify possible inequality traps that require further investigation.
On 25th June 2021, researchers from The Metropolitan Research Institute ((MRI) Budapest), organised a Youth Town Hall meeting in Pécs. There were 30 participants, aged between 16-29, male and female.
The meeting took place at the Community centre of the Khetanipe Association, located in one of the segregated neighbourhoods of Pécs. The meeting was broken into two sessions based on the age of the participants. The younger group were aged between 16-20 and the older group were aged 21-29.
The event kickstarted with a warm up debate game called VoxPop, developed by the Foundation for Democratic Youth (Hungary). This was a successful ice-breaker and provided a safe and welcoming atmosphere for further discussion.
The main themes of discussion within the younger group focused on school experiences as well as future job aspirations and opportunities. The discussion in the second group was mostly focused upon housing and employment. Both groups emphasised the importance of the assistance of local NGOs.
The session ended with positive hopes and possibilities for the future.
The Youth Town Hall meeting in Pécs has been an insightful experience for the researchers of MRI, as it has allowed them to identify possible inequality traps that require further investigation, not only in regard to spatial segregation and ethnic discrimination, but also in comparison with other neighbourhoods and young adults facing similar obstacles.