“We help by making sure that when the girls head out into the real world, they are confident and well-prepared. The FRUSKA handbook is the product of the collective work of a diverse community. We are seeking to secure global support for this cause through extensive adaptation of the FRUSKA methodology”, said senior researcher of the MOME Social Design Hub Janka Csernák, adding that the most important point is teaching participants through creative learning and collective creation that they can change their environment if they want to.  

Building on the findings of a research launched back in 2021 and drawing on applied schemes of social design, participatory action research, feminist advocacy, and art therapy, this unique design methodology and education programme combines elements of professional competencies, psychological and communication skills and social learning.  

Participants progress gradually through workshop assignments with an increasing level of difficulty, from planning to execution, from drawing models to more complicated manufacturing processes, until they are able to create a seat on their own – most recently, a stool. 

The techniques used are selected based on the level of qualification and technological skills of the target groups. Being a relatively readily available, easy-to-produce but durable material, wood is used for making most of the items created at the workshop.  

The programme enables girls aged 10 to 18 who would otherwise not have this opportunity, to engage in creative learning and collective creation, drawing attention to marginalised groups previously absent from the maker scene. The research team has been testing the methodology in several girl communities in Budapest and the countryside since summer 2021, in collaboration with schools such as Láthatatlan Tanoda (Invisible Study Hall) and Deák Diák Primary School. Based on the feedback received, the methodology was developed further in interdisciplinary workshops together with the participants. 

By following the handbook, it can be used freely for various target groups whether for the purposes of education, social development or closing the gap. 

In addition to a methodological introduction, the twenty-pager also includes a detailed description of the workshops, as well as a measuring toolkit in English and Hungarian. The research, methodology, and the freely accessible social design publication have the potential to drive social mobility forward over the long term. 

 The FRUSKA handbook is available for download in digital format from the project website.