We are excited to share the latest news about our CODE Project on ACCESSIBLE BANKING through our 5th newsletter!

Our partners gathered in Barcelona on 21. October 2025 for an inspiring meeting, which marked an important milestone. The first piloting phase of the CODE training materials, designed to help understand and access banking services, was completed by the relevant stakeholders. At the Barcelona meeting, partners mainly discussed the training materials, the digital platform, accessibility, and the next steps.

During the meeting, an interview with Radio Trinijove gave wider visibility to our mission – making financial inclusion a reality for everyone.

Read the full newsletter by clicking the link, and stay tuned as we continue developing a more inclusive financial future for all!

EN_CODE_Newsletter5_Dec 2025

The People First Public Benefit Association’s unique national initiative, the Barrier-free Pécs Database has reached a new chapter!
As a best practice, our community-based solution will be adapted in a small German town, in the Polish border town of Bad Muskau. This means that the database model we developed can now serve as an example for accessibility abroad as well!

We are excited to see how the association Forum und Projekt Lausitz e.V. will create a similar accessible database in a small town whose culture and size are completely different from Pécs. Their first plan is to hold peer-support training so the local community can understand what peer cooperation and counselling mean and why they are important in improving accessibility. We also talked about this at the project kick-off meeting held on 2. December 2025 in Bad Muskau, attended by members of the association and local participants.
As president of the People First Association, Veronika Pataki gave a short presentation about the association and our activities so far, followed by a more detailed introduction to the Barrier-free Pécs Database. The meeting will soon be followed by further training sessions with the German partners, in which the People First Association will again take on an important role, sharing the knowledge and experience we have gained over the years.
For us, this is not only huge professional recognition, but also proof that initiatives starting from local communities can create value on an international level.

It is significant for us that an initiative originating from a Hungarian city becomes an international model, making Pécs exemplary and well-known again. What we have been building together since 2018 now provides inspiration and practical support for others as well.
Do you know what would make us even happier?
If Hungarian cities also followed our example, and more and more Barrier-free City X Databases could be created. What do you say, are you in?
You can reach us here: patakiv@peoplefirst.hu

“Should I include in my CV that I have a disability, or better not?”
“Does positive discrimination help me as a disabled employee in the workplace, or is it rather harmful?”
“As an HR professional, how should I phrase in a job advertisement if we are happy to hire people with disabilities, highlighting their expertise?”

In the past few days, we discussed these questions at the University of Pécs and at the Human Resources Development Committee of the Pécs-Baranya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and more generally about the participation of people with disabilities in the primary labor market.
At the university, we met future HR students from abroad, and in the committee, we met HR professionals with substantial experience from large companies. We were able to learn completely different perspectives and exciting ideas regarding supporting the employment of people with disabilities! We also introduced these debate topics, and both groups responded in an inspiring and thought-provoking way.

Why is this topic exceptionally important?

WORK is currently the engine of our society. Without it, we must acknowledge that we cannot fully participate in the functioning and shaping of society. Work is needed in some form! That is the reality.

However, people with disabilities remain a disadvantaged group in the labor market. Even if they can find employment in the primary labor market, they have to perform more to receive the same recognition. They must face prejudices. They have to deal with unexpected problems. They must cope with accessibility issues. And all this causes stress, leading to burnout and depression.
Often, we may not even know that our colleague or employee has a disability, and therefore faces extra challenges.

All of this can be addressed by eliminating the information gap and breaking down prejudices.
Yes, it really is that simple. Let’s talk! Let’s understand how we can help ourselves as employees with disabilities, or how we can support our colleagues or employees.
Let’s not say, oh, I’d rather not hire someone with reduced work capacity because it will only cause problems. Instead, let’s understand the challenge, and solve it together.

This is where the People First Public Benefit Association’s workplace training helps, developed within the Soul Mate project with our international partners.
In 5 modules, with short videos, personal counseling, and firsthand experiences, we help you understand:
– how you can become an excellent employee as a person with a disability
– how you can support your colleague or employee if you see they are facing difficulties
– how to shed your prejudices and fears, and find outstanding employees or colleagues among people with disabilities

Contact us here: patakiv@peoplefirst.hu
Read more here: https://peoplefirst.hu/en/blog-post/soul-mate-erasmus-international-project/
Join our Facebook group discussing this topic: Fogyatékossággal a munkahelyen (People with Disabilities in the Workplace)

In our FairCare international project, the target group sets the direction.
Following an intensive survey, the training materials for people in need of long-term care and their caregivers are being developed. A comprehensive questionnaire-based survey on the development of the training materials was carried out in all partner countries among the three target groups: people in need of care, family and friend caregivers, and professional caregivers/institutional staff.

The remarkable results are being published in our second Newsletter.
Please read through the newsletter and join us in our collaborative work.
Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/523950267376170
and  https://www.facebook.com/PeopleFirstHun

Read more about the FairCare project here: https://peoplefirst.hu/en/blog-post/faircare-erasmus-international-project/

And become a member of our Advisory Group!

Click here to access the Newsletter in PDF format:
EN_FairCare Newsletter 2. pdf

Here you can browse it in image format:

In our international projects, we are increasingly experiencing the realization of the slogan “Nothing about us without us!”

In our CODE project, which focuses on making banking services accessible and understandable for people with disabilities, the affected individuals have been involved from the very beginning.
Based on questionnaires, we mapped their needs regarding the topics of the learning material. And focus groups are testing the material that has already been developed based on this input, but is still awaiting finalization.

The learning material available on the online platform has also been tested by Hungarian participants, who enriched its development with extremely valuable suggestions.
The five modules of the material cover topics such as financial awareness, financial planning and saving, understanding financial products and services, consumer protection and fraud prevention, as well as achieving financial independence and accessibility.

It is important and innovative that the material is offered in different formats, so that everyone can find the learning method that suits them best: detailed textual content, concise summaries with visual elements on PowerPoint slides, and videos with audio narration.

We sincerely thank the current testers for their active participation, and especially for understanding that it is up to us to take action for our own causes!

JOIN US FOR THE NEXT LEARNING MATERIAL TESTING, where we will review, analyze, evaluate, and if necessary, improve the finished online learning platform together!
The next test is expected to take place in November.
We are already looking forward to your registration at patakiv@peoplefirst.hu

Without work no one can lead an independent life – whether living with a disability or not. Work is the center, the measure, the essence of today’s society; through work we judge everything and everyone.

We would not even think how many employees with disabilities are already working today in the primary labour market. Yet we would not think either what extra burdens they must bear in order to create the same quality, the same value, and to work in balance themselves, just like their colleagues without disabilities. We do not talk about this, we do not know about it, we often just look sideways at our colleague, our subordinate, we generate prejudices, we invent for ourselves what might be with them – instead of asking.

Generating conversations, breaking down preconceptions – this will be the continuation of our international Soul Mate project for our association! This international project dealing with this topic will close at the end of October 2025. Therefore now through several multiplier events we measured whether the results we have developed will be appropriate and usable. Both of our interactive workshops organized in September 2025 closed with unexpected results, which gave us new motivation and drive as well. Truly the topic is filling a gap, and here in Pécs there arose a very strong demand to continue, to talk about this, to broaden the circle.

The active and very committed participants of the workshops made it clear to us that as employers they would gladly employ people with disabilities (and rather than paying the prescribed penalty). For them it is obvious that disability should appear in the CV, they do not judge on that basis, but according to competences and skills.

It also became clear that there is a need for continuation, the participants want to carry forward this kind of cooperation.

They would like as soon as possible to apply the main result of the Soul Mate project, the 28 short video supports. These are about workplace problems presented by employees with disabilities and about their solutions. There was demand both for processing the videos together with us and for independent exploration.

From the Pécs-Baranya Chamber of Commerce and Industry we received an invitation to cooperate. A gate opens with this for companies and civil society organizations to get closer to each other, to broaden the circle, not only to be able to talk within our own bubble.

We believe in patient grassroots building, therefore we will generate similar conversations about the topic, and slowly involve more and more new participants. We need the municipality, the employment centre, the representatives of the press, and all those interested.

Employees with disabilities working in the primary labour market deserve respect and need support. Often minimal support, since most problems they are able to solve independently. Often a little attention. Or a few organizational ideas. Some mental support.

And what do we gain by employing employees with disabilities, by workplace acceptance of them? Valuable employees, often unexpected creativity, dedication, perseverance, commitment, and sensitivity.

We will continue, we will launch a circle for joint reflection. Join us too!
You can find us here: patakiv@peoplefirst.hu

Here stand some very deep, thought-provoking reflections among what was spoken by participants at our multiplier events:

“There are no foundations in the current society on which we can build social inclusion. The new generation, today’s young people in their twenties already think inclusively. Therefore, the most important thing is education in high schools, indeed even in primary schools and kindergartens.” 

“Small and medium-sized enterprises make up the bulk of employers, not the multinationals. We must reach them, involve them, but for years we have not been able to initiate dialogue with them, nor can we hold sensitization trainings with them. This is now a gateway, that a participant from the Chamber appeared.” 

“We are always talking in our own bubble. It is important to widen the circle of participants, for this topic to reach more and more people. Let’s begin a collective thinking process about how we can expand the circle.” 

“What counts as positive discrimination? Everyone sees it differently, it is completely individual what for one person is already harmful positive discrimination, for another is simply the promotion of an accessible environment. This is equally true for the employee with a disability and for the colleagues.” 

“For a long time I did not write into my CV what my situation was. A few years ago however, I decided to write at the very beginning of the CV that I am a person with a disability and I live with opportunities. Whichever employer still reads through my skills in the CV after that, and decides to invite me, employ me, there I can be sure to find an atmosphere where I can work.” 

“It is a sign of openness and honesty if I write into the CV that I am a person with a disability.” 

“As an employer it is clear to me that the selection is competence-based, therefore I take it naturally if the applicant writes into the CV that they are a person with a disability, I will not choose based on that.” 

“I know a Hungarian organization where they employ a manager responsible for well-being, who is specifically responsible for the workplace situation of people with disabilities. It can be a good example for others.” 

“It is important that we ourselves also do something to be accepted at a workplace. Let us not expect help from the outside, but let self-knowledge be the starting point, then follow self-empowerment.” 

“I was twice hired for a non-existent position, through connections. I had to figure out what my job should even be. This was positive discrimination, which I experienced as very strange.” 

“We must break down prejudices in people’s minds, and for this politics and decision-makers must also act.” 

Did you know that now you can support us with your returned bottles too?
Simply scan the QR code of People First Public Benefit Association at the Repont machine, and the deposit refund will go directly to us.
Small bottle, big change.

Important: on the machine’s display, do not choose “charity” but “bank transfer” – only this way will your contribution reach our association.

What do you support when you throw it in for us?

At People First Association we believe: everyone counts.
Through our awareness-raising work and our efforts to make Pécs and its surroundings accessible, we are building inclusivity and community cohesion – so that every resident of Pécs feels they have a place in society.

Let’s make Pécs belong to everyone!
Help us ensure that Pécs is not only inclusive on the map, but in reality too!

With your support, you help us in our work to promote independent living and self-determination for people with disabilities, as well as to make the built environment and tourism accessible. In addition, we explore accessible locations in our surroundings and continuously update them in our Barrier-freePécs Database (https://peoplefirst.hu/helyszinek), which is freely available to everyone in both Hungarian and English.

If you value our work and are able to support us, it would mean a huge help to us!

Our association treasures its independence, because we believe that only in this way can we truly listen to the voices of the community. With no outside commitments to distract us, we can hear the real problems and respond to them.

To support us, you can simply use the red ADOMÁNYOZOK / DONATE button on the right side of our website. With just one click you can choose the amount you’d like to give. You can decide whether to make a one-time donation or bring us even greater joy by becoming our regular supporter.

If you prefer traditional bank transfer, you can send your contribution here:
MagNet Bank 16200010-10142350

Thank you so much for your support! 🙂

Captions for the image in English:
Did you know? That you can support us with just one click? With the ADOMÁNYOZOK / DONATE button on our website: https://peoplefirst.hu