We Are Launching a New Open Future Center in Prešov Soon

Our program knows no boundaries of regions or cities, and after Trnava and Zvolen, it also got a pass in the Easter Slovakia. We are launching a new phase of working with children in new spaces at Važecká Primary School in Prešov. We will welcome the first sixth-graders to the center in the upcoming weeks. 

The opening was preceded by a period of hard work at the end of the summer. After the builders and electricians started renovating the club spaces at Važecká Primary School, it was time for a fresh and modern interior design, which was handled by the internal team of the Open Future. 

Team leader Lucia Gregorová sees the opening of the third center primarily as an opportunity for the children of Prešov and the local community: “I am very excited that dozens more children will have the chance to develop their talents in these spaces and learn things differently. We will focus on developing their soft and digital skills, entrepreneurship, and teamwork. I believe that thanks to the modern technological equipment of our center, we will open new horizons for the boys and girls of Prešov.” 

A few weeks before the official opening of the center, the club’s spaces were visited by the program’s partners in Prešov, including representatives of the city and the UNICEF program. They emphasized the importance of such a program contributing to improving inclusion within providing access to quality non-formal education and reducing socio-economic disparities in society. 

The Three-Year Program Will Contribute to Higher-Quality Education in Prešov 

There will be an after-school coworking club with IT equipment, a “makerspace” workshop, and a relaxation zone established at Važecká Primary School. “Participants will have access to the center four times a week. This space will also house a three-year innovative educational program focused on developing entrepreneurship and digital skills. Mentors from various fields, whether from business, public administration, or the third sector, will work with the youth individually. At the same time, young people will be able to work on their own projects – mini start-ups within which they will propose solutions to problems in their community,” said the mayor of Prešov, František Oľha. 

The mayor added that the goal of acquiring IT skills within this program is not just to gain basic knowledge for everyday use of computing technologies. “It won’t be just some computer club; this three-year program has real potential. In the IT sector, it can prepare young people to design their own projects or to participate in the city’s Hackathon, where IT enthusiasts search for real smart solutions for local governments.” 

Vice Mayor Peter Krajňák confirmed that the opening of the Open Future center aligns with the vision of quality education in Prešov: “I am very glad that the Open Future program is coming to Prešov and, with its focus and methodological approach, will shape the students at one of our schools. Supporting talent development is one of the priorities of the city of Prešov, and that’s why we would like to apply these elements into the educational system of other schools in the city.” 

“We are very happy that the Open Future program will open its doors at Važecká Primary School in Prešov. We adhere to the motto that talent is everywhere, but opportunities are not. Thanks to our new center, there will be one more opportunity to develop children’s digital and soft skills, creativity, and entrepreneurship in Prešov. We want the boys and girls in the later years of elementary school to have better chances for further quality education and better employment prospects in the future,” concluded Martina Kolesárová, Executive Director of the Pontis Foundation.