un - best practices youth work

8/8/2019 UN - Best Practices Youth Work

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Published or the United Nations Development Programme with the support othe British Council


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2008

by the United Nations Development Programme in Turkey

UN Building, Birlik Mahallesi, 2. Cadde, No 11,

ankaya, Ankara

All rights reserved. No part o this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retriaval system or

transmitted, in any orm or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or

otherwise, without prior written permission.

First published in 2008

Printing: Desen Oset A..Birlik Mah., 7. Cadde, 67. Sokak, No:2

ankaya/Ankara

Cover: Tasarmhane

Layout: Tasarmhane

For a list o any errors or ommissions ound subsequent to printing, please visit our web site at

www.undp.org.tr or www.genclikpostasi.org


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BEST PRACTICES IN YOUTH WORK

The well-known Greek philosopher Socrates wrote these words more than twothousand years ago, reecting a common elder perception that sees youth as asource o problems. Although this is still a valid perception or some, in act youth inTurkey and around the world are the uture o any nation. They are engines o growingeconomies; they are the most vibrant section o society and constitute the prime

driver o change. They have skills and ambitions, vision and energy and they need tobe given opportunities to utilize these to the ullest. Only then can a countrys uturebe assured and sustainable.

Indeed, during the one-year preparation process o the 2008 National HumanDevelopment Report in Turkey on Youth in Turkey, the researchers o the Report cameacross many youth groups that worked to increase youths capabilities and arm themor current and uture challenges, thus transorming them into drivers o change.

Although it is not possible to include all these practices, UNDP Turkey would like to takethis opportunity to pay tribute to some o these youth projects. UNDP Turkey called

or project proposals on youth in mid 2007. The projects were evaluated and selectedby youth and development experts as well as ocials rom UNDP and the EuropeanUnion Inormation Centre. Twenty projects that were selected as best practices wereawarded at the Best Practices in Youth Work Award Ceremony organized by UNDPwith the support o British Council, in Ankara on 4 October 2007.

We would thereore like to take this opportunity to honour youth NGOs or theircontinuous devotion to the development projects all over Turkey in combatingpoverty, lack o quality in education, intolerance towards dierences, unemployment,lack o participation and environmental degradation.

As mentioned above, youth projects are too many, too good to include in one shortreport on youth in Turkey but we are pleased to produce this brochure o goodexamples in youth work along with the 2008 National Human Development Report.

Mahmood AyubUN Resident Coordinator and

UNDP Representative in Turkey

The youth now love luxury; they have bad manners, contemptor authority; they allow disrespect or elders and love chatter in

places o exercise. They no longer rise when elders enter the room.They contradict their parents, chatter beore company, gobble uptheir ood and tyrannize their teachers.

FOREWORD


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I was not ully aware o the things I coulddo in relation to my education beoreI participated in AKASYA Youth andEnvironment Summits. These events raisedmy awareness and helped me developnew skills. Thanks to the project, I learnedthat environmental engineering is notsolely about technical engineering, andI realized how important the concept oenvironmental management is

Mustaa Serkan Bilgin, a student at thedepartment o Environmental Engineer-ing, who frst attended AKASYA 2 Summitin 2003, related the experience he gainedin those words. AKASYA SUMMITS havebeen organized every year in April since2002 at the Tuzla Campus o SabancUniversity in cooperation with the Turkey

Environmental Protection & GreeningOrganisation within the ramework oSabanc Universitys Civic InvolvementProjects. The main purpose o AKASYASUMMITS is to join together youngindividuals engaged in environmentalactivities within a democratic platormvia university clubs, NGOs or individualinitiatives. By orming such groups,it is anticipated to compensate the

lack o communication among youngenvironmentalists, to create dialogueor the elimination o environmentalproblems by way o orming stronglobby groups and alliances and to devisesolutions.

The project reached out to 1,396young individuals so ar. During the

3-day AKASYA SUMMITS, panels onenvironmental problems and issues,

small airs, introduction sessions orthe promotion o related NGOs and

University Clubs, entertainment activitiesand workshops are organized. AKASYASUMMITS have tackled many issuesrelated to environmental problems sincetheir establishment seven years ago.AKASYA has been the frst and the mostregular environment-youth summit in Turkey. Many young individuals havevoluntarily joined the environmentalistnon-governmental organizations and

supported these summits. AKASYA con-tinues to act as a school or youngenvironmentalists.

For detailed inormation:www.akasyaplatorm.org

AKASYA YOUTH ENVIRONMENT SUMMITSTURKEY ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND GREENING ORGANISATION(TREK)

The Akasya Environment Summits bringtogether NGOs, university clubs and individualsin April every year at a common platormand aim to strengthen the ties between thesegroups working or the environment.


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Since that accident, it was the rst time Iwas going out without the company o myamily or my riends. I was apprehensive andlacking in sel-condence. We woke up earlyin the morning and let the hotel to join theparagliding group. When we reached there,I was told we were some 1400 meters abovethe ground. Sooner or later it would be myturn to jump. I could hardly believe it; I wasdancing with the sh 1400 meters deep in

the sea yesterday and today I jumped roman altitude o 1400 meters and was ying inthe air despite the act that I had spinal cordinjury...

This was Gkhan Ayks frst camp ex-perience. Gkhan said that this experiencegreatly improved his sel-confdence and

ALTERNATIVE CAMPALTERNATIVE LIFE ASSOCIATION

that the Alternative Camp was a goodopportunity or personal developmentand socialization. Initiated by AlternativeLie Association in 2002, Alternative Campis organized every year in Mula, zmir,Van, Artvin, Sinop, Ordu, Antalya, Ka,Fethiye and Bodrum.. It aims to spreadthe sense o volunteerism, to break socialisolation and discrimination and to createan alternative model o holiday-making

or the disabled and individuals withdierent needs.

Alternative Camp organises sports ac-tivities, workshops, cultural events andtrips targeting disabled individuals,chronically ill persons, poor young peopleand volunteers. This project, based onvolunteerism at each and every level, acts

almost like a school or the disabled andor volunteerism. The project reached 150institutions, 4,000 disabled people, 700volunteers, 300 guests and companionsso ar. Alternative Camp has been awardedthe World Young Entrepreneurs Award,theGolden Love Award o the TurkishPresidency and the Special Award othe Prime Ministry. The programmecontinues to open up new windows in

the world o young individuals with orwithout disability, engaging in projectsor a better world.

For detailed inormation:www.alternativecamp.org

The Alternative Camp project realized by Alternative Lie Association is a camp orpersonal development and socializing. The project aims to spread volunteerism con-science and spirit among youth, eliminatesocietal exclusion and discrimination andestablish an alternative vacation model ordierent disabled groups.


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Volunteerism is a model I have always wis-hed or Turkey.. Without a hesitation, I tookaction to turn this nice model into a lie stylewith TOG Atak projects and I started spre-ading the spirit o volunteerism all aroundme without wasting more time.

This is how Oya Kaya, an active com-munity volunteer, describes the con-tribution o (TOG) ATAK projects in

her personal development. TOG Atakprojects are realized by CommunityVolunteers organizations in the orm ostudent groups/clubs at universities. Suchorganizations within the TOG networkundertake social responsibility projects tocontribute to the solution o issues thatcause problems in the environment. Theobjective o Community Volunteers is to

make young individuals more sensitive tothe problems o the country and to turnthe energy o youth into actual projectsvia social responsibility projects.

ATAK PROJECTCOMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS FOUNDATION (TOG)

Approximately 40 volunteers, alongsidethe organization team, have served at theTOG Atak projects. Organized all over Turkey, TOG Atak projects included therevamping and maintenance o primaryschools, as well as holding workshops,conerences and activities towards raisingawareness about the problems o disabledpeople. One o the TOG Atak projectsreached an average o 400 people. The

seven TOG Atak projects realized in theyear 2007 reached around 2800 people. The projects aimed to eliminate theprejudices in the minds o young peoplerom dierent parts o Turkey. Moreover,the young people who took part inpreparing and realizing the responsibilityprojects, fnding the resources andcarrying out the promotion activities

achieved personal development. Themost important tool o TOG Atak projectsis mobilizing young people. Thanks tothe project, young people rom dierentuniversities o Turkey come togetheraround a community service to overcomethe intolerances towards dierences.Hundreds o young people join togetherin TOG Atak projects where they bothlearn about social dierences and engage

in community services.

For detailed inormation: www.tog.org.tr

In the context o the Community VolunteersFoundation ATAK project that organizesitsel among student communities andclubs at universities, young people arerealizing social responsibility projects in

order to contribute to the solutions o issuesthey see as problems.


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I joined the European Union Youth Projectnamed Walking on Moon in May 2007as a team member. I became riends withstudents and teachers rom our dierentcountries and I got to know them andtheir countries closer. This project enabledme to improve my English, the commonlanguage during the project, and I had theopportunity to express mysel. I eel that Ihave developed mysel in the social sense

throughout this project.

This is how Hacer Yetik, one o the studentso Menemen Anatolian Technical HighSchool and Vocational High School orGirls briey described the contributionsto her personal development o thesocial and cultural activities within theramework o the Walking on Moon

project. The project Walking on Moonwas carried out in zmir in 2006-2007 bythe students and teachers o MenemenAnatolian Technical High School andVocational High School or Girls. The mainobjective o the project was to contributeto the development o consciousnessabout art and culture, to bring closelytogether the students rom countrieswith dierent cultures, geographies and

socio-economic levels and to enablethe inter-cultural learning process. Thetheme o Walking on the Moon was tocommunicate and understand dierentcultures and young people rom dierentcountries, and to get to know one anotherthrough art.

Walking on Moon was a project which

involved students o this school whohad limited opportunities and low

WALKING ON MOONMENEMEN ANATOLIAN VOCATIONAL HIGH-SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

socio-economic status. These studentsgained new perspectives towards lie

by way o cultural and artistic activities. Theatre, dance, music and inter-culturalcommunication helped the young peopleimprove their sel-confdence. Prejudicesand lack o communication betweenthe individuals and countries have beeneliminated and the students learnedabout and accepted dierent cultures bycarrying out joint activities.

For detailed inormation:www.walkingonthemoon.ino

The Walking on Moon project developedby Menemen Anatolian Vocational HighSchool aims to join the students o dierentgeographies and socio-economic levelsthrough art and to realize inter-culturallearning.


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10 BEST PRACTICES IN YOUTH WORK

We, a team o 39 people, staged a perormance We were a unique group,as i we had just disembarked Noahs Ark.Each o us was dierent rom the others andunique. Like those in Noahs Ark, we werethe representatives o our own species. Wehad eleven people with hearing disability, playing Percussion and dancing Salsa; sixvisually impaired people, dancing the Tango;six crippled people, playing Percussion; and

16 others who were able to hear, see andwalk but were unaware o what it was likenot to be able to hear or see, or walk.

A young person who participated inthe th Sense Art Project describedthe contribution o the project to thepersonal development o young peoplewith dierent disabilities in such vivid

terms. Realized by Eriim Associationbetween November 2007-July 2008,5th Sense Art Project aimed to increaseequal and air participation o peoplehaving dierent physical disabilities (likeblind, obese, dea, short, schizophrenic,old and dependent etc. people) in artisticproduction and to make multi-culturalunderstanding o physically handicappedpeople more widespread in the society.

The target group o the project wasyoung people between the ages 16-26and having dierent disabilities, as wellas people without disabilities who nevermet disabled people beore. The projectfrst scanned the related associationsto reach disabled people and thenorganized introduction meetings, a

web site, and various activities like arttraining, photograph exhibitions and

th SENSE ART PROJECTERM (ACCESS) ASSOCIATION

gala entertainment. 5th Sense Art Projectencouraged people with and withoutdisabilities to be productive together,provided dance and rhythm lessonsto a total o 39 people --23 with and16 without disabilities-- and ormed aperormance group. This group perorm-ed in ront o 1100 spectators. The projecthas proved that artistic production couldbe used as a means or socialization and

it could be a new approach in the feld ocoping with disabilities.For detailed inormation:www.5duyusanat.com

The 5th Sense Art project that encouragesdisabled and non-disabled people to producetogether ormed a show group by training 39

people - o which 23 are disabled on variousdances and rhythms. The group reached 1100spectators. As a new approach to disabilities,the project, proved that the production o artcan be used or socializing.


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11BEST PRACTICES IN YOUTH WORK

We children are very happy to be in sucha place. Child-Adolescent Solidarity Centre(EDAM) protects us rom the harms thatmay come rom outside. There are manygood activities at EDAM. We are treatingone another nicely and we are sharingeven the smallest things with each other.We do love each other. All these couldnever have happened i it was not orEDAM.

These words written down by one othe children in the project are a perectdescription o the Child-AdolescentSolidarity Centres (EDAM) project.Realized in Ankara during October 2005- December 2006, the Child-AdolescentSolidarity Project was continued romJanuary 2007 by using its own resources

and with the support o the volunteers. This project aims to enable active and

CHILD-ADOLESCENT SOLIDARITY CENTREASSOCIATION FOR SOLIDARITY WITH YOUTH DEPRIVED OF THEIR FREEDOM

productive participation o children underthe risk o committing crime, to includethem in social lie and to prevent themrom getting into conict with the laws.

The target group o the Child- AdolescentSolidarity Centre are those children whorequently come into contact with lawenorcement agencies, children pendingtrial, or those who are under custody or

recently released, and children who aregenerally under risk. The target group o theEDAM project was initially 100 children,however over 200 have participated inthe trainings, cultural, social and sportiveactivities so ar and 60 children andtheir amilies have been supported bythe psychological support activities. 22training programs, participated by an

average o 15 people each, have beenorganized; 450 children and 125 amiliesparticipated in the trainings held in eightschools and on three dierent topics.EDAM both directs voluntary activitiesand provides consultancy services andtrainings to those children, young peopleunder risk and their amilies and conductsa programme including protective, pre-ventive and treatment activities.

For detailed inormation:www.ozgeder.org.tr

Child, Adolescent Solidarity Centre projectaims to integrate children that are underthe risk o edging towards crime intosocietal lie in a more active and productiveway through sports activities and to preventthem rom conicting with the laws.


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Azdavay-Kastamonu and three times inYusueli-Artvin, Poso-Ardahan and Artvin.The project was initiated with the sloganWe are LearningSharingPracticing,and it aims to create quality humanresources in this feld by training youngpeople devoted to nature protectionactivities in protection techniques,who will thus eectively contribute toprotecting the 305 Important Natural

Sites o Turkey.

Nature School is involved in the felds obasic ecology, basic biological diversity,biological diversity related issues o Turkey; making problem analysis anddevising recommendations or solu-tions in relation to the basics o natureprotection and important felds o nature;

carrying out theoretical and practicalimplementations on sustainable natureprotection and project examples inTurkey and in the world. 43 young peoplehave participated in three Nature Schoolimplementations up to now. Everyparticipant reached out to people aroundhim/hersel and recommended themto support nature protection relatedactivities. Most o the graduates are using

the inormation gained at the NatureSchool in the national and local non-governmental organizations or shapingtheir own training programmes in thelight o such inormation.

For detailed inormation:www.dogadernegi.org/index.php?saya=doga-okulu

Baver Alyakut, a graduate o NatureSchool said: Nature School o the Nature Association has taught us that ourdierences are our richnessIt has helpedus change our perception o being natural,the meaning o which was made ratherempty beore. Baver added that NatureSchool let me regain mysel or mysel andor the nature, and strengthened my tieswith lie. In a way it was like a recycle bin or

humans!

Aware o the necessity or young peoplewho would tackle the problems and fndsolutions in the feld o nature protectionin Turkey at the right time and place,Nature Association has organized threeNature School training programmessince 2005, in Samsun, zmir, Birecik-

anlura, twice in Data-Mula, Van,

NATURE SCHOOLNATURE ASSOCIATION

The Nature School project organized by theNature Association or the past three yearsaims to train youth who wish to take an ac-tive role in nature protection activities in Tur-key on nature preservation techniques andto establish a human resource that has beentrained in this eld thus actively protectingTurkeys 305 Important Nature Areas.


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Whatever happens in lie, we have to keepon trying. You can never have anything iyou do not try, can you? You say we loved you. Please believe that we also loved youvery much and we got used to seeing you.You can help us have better days in theuture. You are the rst to make us smileinside these our walls. We will never orget you. We extend our deepest gratitude toeach and every one o you.

This paragraph was written by one o theconvicted children in A-4 ward in prisonand it demonstrates that the objectiveso the Educational, Social, Artistic,and Sportive Activities Project didnot remain solely on paper. The projectwas realized in Ankara and stanbulbetween October 2006-June 2007 with

the purpose o preventing the negativeimpacts o detention and conviction onthese childrens development and carriedout under the supervision o the Ministryo Justice.

This project was implemented in stanbulBayrampaa H Type Special JuvenileDetention House and Ankara Juvenileand Adolescents Closed Penitentiary

Institution. The project included lit-erature, painting, creative works, music,rhythm, photography, drama and ce-ramic workshops, group activity, sportsactivities, cinema etc. The projectreached 50 volunteers, 300 childrenin three wards in stanbul BayrampaaJuvenile Detention House and 400children in 12 wards in Ankara. Thanks

to the project, resources or carrying outtreatment needed in juvenile penitentiary

EDUCATIONAL, SOCIAL, ARTISTIC AND SPORTIVE ACTIVITIES PROJECTFREEDOM BACK TO CHILDREN FOUNDATION OF TURKEY

institutions and or shaping renewableand sustainable activity packages withinthe juvenile justice system in Turkeywere raised and coordination with theprivate and non-governmental organ-izations was established. Moreover thechildren released rom the prisons were

supported in their return to ree lie.

For detailed inormation:www.tcyov.org/index.asp

The Educational, Social, Artistic andSports Activities project targets imprisonedchildren in Istanbul and Ankara and whoare under the surveillance o the Ministryo Justice and works to prevent that theirimprisonment duration does not negativelyaect their personal development. In thiscontext, workshops on literature, art, music,rhythm, photograph, theater and ceramicsas well as group plays, sports activities and

movie projections were realized.


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In the assessment meeting, the young people being protected and cared or inyouth homes who participated in the Handin Hand towards Love project said: Theproject made us eel ourselves valuable.

This result coming out o the projectassessment meeting reveals that theproject Hand in Hand towards Loveachieved its objective. The project which

was realized in Ankara between 1 July-30 September by the Hand in Hand orYouth Group aimed to contribute tothe social and cultural integration o theorphans between the ages 15-25 livingin Social Services and Child ProtectionOrganizations (SHEK), as well as youngpeople living with their amilies, helpingthem overcome the eeling o social

isolation in youth homes by using thephilosophy o scouts training and throughintegrating them with the society asproductive individuals.

The project reached 146 young peoplein 2006 who gained inormation onconsciousness, responsibilities and duties,and about dierent cultures and values.Some o the trainings provided to the

children were: camp training, search andrescue and frst aid, AIDS and contagiousdiseases; solidarity against racism, alcoholand drug abuse, European Union andYouth, health knowledge, various sportstrainings. A survey was conducted at theend o the project to assess the results. Apromotion CD and booklet were preparedor the project. An association named

Touch o Love: Scouting and Youth Clubwas established. Similar projects and

HAND IN HAND TOWARDS LOVEHAND IN HAND FOR YOUTH

practices were undertaken in homes andinstitutions aliated to the Social Servicesand Child Protection Organization. Thanksto the project Hand in Hand towardsLove, the idea was communicated thateach young individual could achievesuccess i granted the opportunity.

The Hand in Hand Towards Love projectimplemented in Ankara by the Hand inHand or Youth Group aims to socially andculturally join orphans aged 15-25 who livein the institutions o the Social Services andChild Protection Agency with youth wholive with their amilies and to eliminate theeeling o social exclusion o lone childrenthus integrating them to the society asgood people.


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I have experienced more than I have everexpected both in terms o my own personaldevelopment and at the local and nationallevels during my journey which started withthe local Youth Assemblies Project sevenyears ago. I have so many hopes to realizein the uture and I know that hope is a neverending cure, a never ending power or us,the youth

Mehmet Sarca, representative o AdanaYouth Assembly, believes that the projectenables the youth in Turkey to take greatsteps on the path to achieving a moredemocratic state. As per the decisiono the Council o Ministers, the LocalAgenda 21 Programme in Turkey is beingcarried out by the General Directorate oFinancial Administrations o the Ministry

o Interior, State Planning Organization(DPT), United Nations DevelopmentProgram, United Cities and LocalGovernments, Middle East and WesternAsia Regional Organization, Union oChambers and Commodity Exchangeso Turkey and the Municipalities o63 provinces. The Habitat or YouthProgramme assumed the coordinationo the youth activities within the scope o

the programme.

Within the ramework o the programactivities, Civil Youth Assemblies in73 cities and 35 Youth Centres wereestablished. LA-21 Youth Assembliesestablished independently in 73 cities,ormed the LA-21 National YouthParliament communication network in

2004 under the acilitation provided bythe Youth or Habitat Association. The

YOUTH ASSEMBLIES PROJECTYOUTH FOR HABITAT

Local Youth Assemblies are representedby members in the LA-21 National YouthParliament in numbers depending on thepopulation o the cities. LA-21 NationalYouth Parliament is a democratic platormparticipated by civilians, deriving itspower rom the local youth platormsor identifcation, preparation andeective implementation o the youthpolicies and programmes. LA-21 National

Youth Parliament has made valuablecontributions to the establishment o anational youth policy, with the campaignentitled I am 25 years old I want to beelected and to the promotion activitiesrelating to Article 76 o the Regulation onCity Councils o the Municipality Law.

For detailed inormation:

www.youthorhab.org.trwww.habitaticingenclik.org.tr

Through the youth assemblies establishedin the context o the Youth Assemblies

project, young people are becoming a part o decision-making mechanisms andare taking important steps or Turkeysdemocratization.


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Bank. It started in 2006 and activities havebeen ongoing in the Youth Centres in81 provinces and 53 sub-provinces. Theproject, which has been conducted ortwo years, will be completed by 2009.It aims to provide the harmonizationo young people in Turkey in the social,economic and political lie, to increasesocial integration and oer opportunitiesor young people to be included in the

society and shape their own utures.

The target group o the project areyoung people between 15-30 years oage. The activities are carried out underour headings: Participation o Youthand Authorization, Youth EmploymentInitiatives, Youth Culture Bridges andYouth Policies. Through this project,

the capacity o the Non GovernmentalOrganizations and Youth Centres workingin the feld o youth in the regions wherethe opportunities o the young peopleare limited, has been increased. In thepast 1,5 years, the project reached 10,000people directly. The main contributiono the project in which 500 volunteershave actively worked has been toincrease employment with volunteerism.

Moreover, the steps taken or improvingcapability in terms o creating jointprojects between young people and theEuropean Union and the steps taken orestablishing youth policies have been animportant part o the social developmentcomponent.


www.gsgp.org.tr

Lie is a process and we have beenexperiencing developments within thisprocess as the architects o our personality.We have been concentrating on mistakesand we oten miss the important points.However, our aim in lie has constantlyoccupied our minds. I have realized that Iam not alone in this journey which I startedwith the ame o youth. It has been anhonour and responsibility to bear this torch

and shed light on youth just like all o US.

This is how mer Fatih Ho romGiresun Youth Centre has summarizedthe contribution o the Youth SocialDevelopment Projectto his own personaldevelopment. Youth Social DevelopmentProgramme was prepared with the grantsallocated by the Japanese Government,

within the scope o Japanese Social De-velopment Fund to be used in the feldo youth and mediated by the World

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH PROJECTYOUTH AND SPORTS FOUNDATION

The Youth Social Development Projectaims to ensure the harmony o youth inTurkey with social, economic and politicallie thus integrating them to the societyand provides youth with opportunitiesthat will enable them to shape theiruture.


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Meetings, Workshops and Study Visits.

The cooperation and communicationbetween Youth Non GovernmentalOrganizations and Public Institutions arevery important in terms o helping theyouth policies in gaining institutionalidentity and integrity. Youth NGOsand Public Synchronization Projecthas contributed to the beginning ocooperation and communication be-tween the parties and to the creation o aholistic youth policy in Turkey.

For detailed inormation:www.gsm-youth.org/turkce/index.html

At the very beginning I thought that thisproject was based on cooperation betweeninstitutions providing service or youngpeople. However as a young person I realizedthat it was much more than that. Above all,I learned how to analyze the youth eldat the national and international levels inTurkey. As a young person, what can I do totake part actively in social lie, what are myrights and opportunities, to what extent canI realize my expectations and needs, whatdo the young people in other countriesdo or what is done or them... As a young person I am much more enthusiastic andcourageous to carry out my responsibilityin topics related to all young people andmysel, because I am aware o everything!

This is how Bihter Dalar, one o theparticipants o the project, has describedthe contribution o Youth NGOs and

Public Synchronization Project to herpersonal development by providing theacilities and motivation required by herin the feld o Civil Society. The policiesocusing on young people are notgenerally supported by laws in Turkey,where the great majority o the populationis composed o young people. As a resultthere are gaps in preparing holisticpolicies or the young people. In order toeliminate these gaps, there is a need orcooperation and coordination betweenYouth NGOs and Public Institutions. Basedon this requirement, Youth NGOs andPublic Synchronization Project has beenprepared by the partnership o GSM-Youth Services Centre, Ankara University-European Community Research andImplementation Centre (ATAUM) and Turkish Youth Union and GeneralDirectorate o Youth and Sports, Head

o Department o Youth Services; and ithas three phases, namely: Inormation

YOUTH NGOs AND PUBLIC SYNCHRONIZATION PROJECTYOUTH SERVICES CENTRE

Basing its starting point on the act that

youth policies are lacking as they are notsupported by laws, the Youth NGOs andPublic Coordination Project is working toinitiate a cooperation and communicationamong parties and contributes to the

process o establishing a holistic youthpolicy in Turkey.


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c) www.gencnet.org website. Young peo-ple can share their projects on the internet

and play important roles in projectsrelated to Turkish youth. For example,Age-25 Project which aims to reduce theage to be elected as a parliamentarian to25 years has been one o these projects.Youth Net has organized more than 100local conerences in every part o Turkey.The Project is in its 9th year in 2008. It hasbeen one o the longest-run youth projectsin Turkey. The participants have become

valuable public administrators, academics,press members and entrepreneurs. Cur-rently, many young people guided bythis programme participate in local andinternational conerences.

For detailed inormation: www.ari.org.tr

Without ARI Movements and Youth NETsmotivation and its platorm that helped mein transerring my ideas, I wouldnt be ableto lead the project in my city which is nowbeing carried out with a dynamic campaignaiming to promote communication be-tween disconnected youth groups.

Young economist Sait Batrk, whodecided to be a civil society activist in

2001, made the above statement toexplain the Youth NETProject and addedthat he believed the young people havethe chance to aect the political, socialand economic uture o Turkey. YouthNET is a civil society initiative, ocusingon the potential o youth and aiming topromote social participation. The projecthas been created by making use o the

questionnaire prepared by ARI Movementand International Republican Instituteand flled out by 1,200 young people.According to the research, Turkish youthhave been identifed as having lost hope,are inactive but conscious, intellectual,sensitive to national developments,responsible and righteous. The researchalso stated that the capacity o the youthis restricted by the iron triangle, i.e. the

amily, school and system; and youth areraised in a restrictive manner.

Youth NET programme is composed othree parts:, a) Local search meetingsthroughout the year (nearly 15,000 peoplewere reached in 8 years), b) Nationalconerences called Participate and Createyour Future held in Istanbul in May each

year (with the participation o nearly 7,000young people in 8 years),

YOUTH NET PROJECTARI MOVEMENT

The Youth NET Project that has been a long-lasting programme in Turkey celebratedits 9th anniversary in 2008. The project,establishes a platorm through nationalconerences and a website or youth whowish to develop projects on youth relatedissues.


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for Youth, organized by InternationalFederation o The Blue Crescent, has beenimplemented in Ardahan, one o Turkeyseastern cities, between 9 March 2006-9June 2007. The aim o the project was tocontribute to the improvement o thesexual and reproductive health conditiono the young population in Turkey.

Throughout the project, health teams

were established in 19 high schools in theprovince capital and districts o Ardahansuch as Poso, ldr, Gle, Hanak andDamal. 14 peer education programmesand 20 inormation seminars with theparticipation o 3,000 students wereorganized. A Peer Education on Sexualand Reproductive Health Booklet wasprepared by the specialists o this feld.

4,200 copies o this booklet were printedand distributed. Seven theatre clubs ohigh schools in the capital and districts oArdahan prepared plays within the scopeo the project and these reached 3,200students, having been played 15 timesduring the project. In addition, 4,200 copieso the book entitled Yadigar (Memento)were printed and distributed, and themesseges o the project were conveyed to

the youth in a unique manner. At the endo the project, the young people realizedthat what they had been going throughin the period o reaching puberty wasnormal, and they became more inormedindividuals. The project was designed ina way that it can be applied in all schoolsand groups with some modifcations, andhad the capacity to set an example or

other institutions and agencies.

For detailed inormation: www.ibc.org.tr

Here in Ardahan, we perormed a play onreproductive health and contagious diseasesin our school under the Project or Sexualand Reproductive Health or Young Peopleat High School Age in Ardahan conductedby International Blue Crescent Relie andDevelopment Foundation. I played the virusnamed Disastrous HIV. It was difcult orme at the beginning, but being listened toas an individual, inorming our riends with

our play and learning all the contagiousdiseases without getting bored turned outto be incredibly enjoyable

A student o Ardahan Vocational School oHealth expresses her opinion about howa play can be an eective educationaltool among young people, thanks to thisproject she participated in. The Project

for Sexual and Reproductive Health

SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AT HIGHSCHOOL AGE IN ARDAHAN

In the context o the Sexual and ReproductiveHealth project or Young People at HighSchool Age in Ardahan that was realized inone o Turkeys eastern provinces Ardahan,

plays were organized, training were givenand booklets were distributed in order toameliorate young populations sexual andreproductive health. Through the project,

youths conscience on adolescence wasenhanced.


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o gene treatment techniques or lungcancer and lung diseases. She says theLearning Houses helped me make mydreams come true. Now I hope I canhelp other people with publications andpatents that I will produce.

The programme was initiated in Ankaraand applied in stanbul, Aksaray and zmir.It is still being carried out in zmir. Until now,

nearly 1,500 young people participatedin approximately 50 programmes whichare being conducted among a newgroup nearly every month. Along withthe activities on the internet such as e-bulletins, e-mail groups, mentors andmoderators communication groups andwebsites, symposiums were organized insuch topics as the Market o Inormation,

Right Questions Conerence, Standingon Ones Own Feet through Knowledge,etc. Since the beginning, 10,000 youngpeople have been reached in our years.The participating young people can standon their own eet, realize their objectivesor at least make a move as a result o thetrainings and practices on how to fnd jobs, set up a business, gain additionalincome, make savings and keep their

existing jobs.

For detailed inormation:www.beyaznokta.org.trProject addresses:www.ogrenme-evi.org.trwww.kigep.org.tr

In 2004, I wasnt very successul at school.I was lacking in sel-condence. I washaving serious problems with gettingmotivated. I took the rst step to regainmy sel-condence by attending ThePersonal Development Platorm (KiGeP) inthe Learning House. KiGeP convinced mecompletely to look or the real power inmysel. With this conviction, I learned to passthrough the doors o my uture without ear.

Now Im in the proession which I alwaysdreamed o, and trying to nd out how Ican be helpul to other people, in the eldo science.

Aybike zetin, who benefted rom theLearning Houses Project conducted byBeyaz Nokta, briey explains the projectscontribution to her personal development.

She is now a research assistant and adoctorate student at Marburg University,Germany, and studying the development

LEARNING HOUSESBEYAZ NOKTA DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

Youth who participate in the LearningHouses Project become more conscious andsel-condent as a result o trainings andimplementations given on standing on onesown legs as well as nding jobs, starting jobs,creating additional income, making savings

and protecting their current jobs.


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SS Training Project was the mostimportant key to open the door to my uture.I got more enthusiasm seeing my universitygraduate teachers. I also could pass theexam and someday help those peoplesubjected to inequalities o opportunitywith a project like this. First I realized thatcollege wasnt just a dream and whatcivil society and civic involvement meant.For this I thank all my teachers who have

contributed to this project.

Fadime Bilir, who received trainingat th SS Training Project is nowa successul student in Dokuz EyllUniversity, Department o Classroom Teaching. This project is the product oBosphorus University Social Services Club(BUSOS) whose aim is to minimize the

inequalities o opportunity or the seniorhigh school students who can not takespecial courses because o inadequatefnancial means. In this project, studentsrom Boazii (Bosphorus) Universitygive courses o SS (university entranceexam) curriculum to senior students romhigh schools and also act as a role modelor them. Besides education activities,another good aspect o this project is the

personal development courses or boththe students and the instructors. Thesecourses primarily include Democracy andRights, Reproductive Health, NLP, Dealingwith the Fear o Exams, ClassroomManagement and Communication withAdolescents.

The number o direct benefciaries o SS

Training Projects is 279, while the numbero indirect benefciaries is 3,500. 27 out o

SS (UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAM) TRAINING PROJECTSBOSPHORUS UNIVERSITY SOCIAL SERVICES CLUB

41 students in this project have gainedthe right to apply to the universitiesor associate degree or undergraduate

programmes. And most importantly, theygot rid o their ears o SS exams. Thedevelopers o the project compensatedor a big defciency in education andsocial development, and gained newideas or new projects.

For detailed inormation: www.busos.org

Students o Boazii University SocialServices Club are giving courses to high-school students who can not aord totake private courses and are preparingthem or the university entrance exam.


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It was great to have the excellent locationo Rumkale as a project. We always wantedeveryone to see it. Thanks to this project we coulddemonstrate our sensitivity towards our history,improved our historical consciousness andbecame an example or our riends. In the uture,we will carry the pride o having done somethingto pay respect or our history, and now we knowthat Rumkale is no longer alone.

Bahar Koer, a student rom Private SankoSchools, explains the positive eects oRumkale, You are No Longer Aloneproject on the environment in whichshe lives. This project was developedby the students o Gaziantep PrivateSanko Schools, under the leadership otheir teachers. It was initiated in 2004and still continues. The project is aimed

at creating historical consciousness inevery school student through research;analyzing the history, architecture, art,religion, social and geographical structureo Rumkale; attracting the attention oNGOs, the mayor and the municipalitiesand encouraging them to protect andpublicise Rumkale; and ensuring thatRumkale is addressed as a whole with itshistorical values.

Throughout the project, visits to Rumkalewere organized, resources on Rumkalewere searched, and a booklet containinga wide range inormation on this topicwas produced using these resources. The main activity area was solving theproblem o access to Rumkale, and underthis topic, suggestions or solutions andcooperation was developed addressing

the transportation problem. All these

RUMKALE, YOU ARE NO LONGER ALONE!PRIVATE SANKO SCHOOLS

activities were conducted by theSilent History Team which consisted ostudents, teachers and volunteers. Theproject reached out to other schoolsand local residents o Gaziantep throughpublicity and inormation materials. Thelarger target group o the project wasdetermined as 2 million people. Rumkaleproject continues to create consciousnessor the protection o historical andcultural values in the society beginningwith young people.

For detailed inormation:www.sanko.k12.tr www.rumkale.org

The Rumkale No Longer Alone projectinitiated by the Private Sanko Schools in 2004and that is still being implemented aimsto ensure the establishment o the historyconscience via evaluations in all schoolso Gaziantep, southern Turkey, to inspectthe history, architecture, artistic approach,social, religious and physical structure oRumkale and to draw the attention o NGOs,the governorate and municipalities or its

preservation and presentation.


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and establishing a connection betweensports and social development. TurkishGrand National Assembly Commissionor Investigating the Conditions o StreetChildren, Ministry o the Interior GeneralDirectorate o Provincial Administrations,Ministry o Education General Directorateo In-school Physical Education, Sports andScouting Department, General Directorateo Social Services and Child Protection

Agency, General Directorate o Youth andSports, Turkish Football Federation, TurkishRed Crescent Association Departmento Youth and Voluntary Organizations,British Council and Social ResponsibilityAssociation are the institutions that supportthis project.


www.sokakligi.org

I used to think that lie was just about ghtingand having money. Here I discovered themost beautiul part o lie. The Street LeagueTeam brought me here and they treated meonly with love. I was a challenge or them,perhaps I created problems. But even thoughthey did not hold any responsibility over me,I only ound love here. Ive never experiencedthese eelings beore, even within my amily.Thank you Street League.

Orhan K. explains the contribution othe Street League Project organizedby the Social Responsibility Associationto his personal development with thesewords. The Street League Institutionin England is taken as a model or thisproject which is being carried out by The Social Responsibility Association

in 15 cities, including Antalya, Bursa,Diyarbakr, Gaziantep, Kayseri, stanbul,zmir, Karaman, Konya, Uak, Erzincan, Trabzon and Tekirda. Street LeagueProject is a training programme thatsupports, through sports, the personaldevelopment o young people who cannot fnd an opportunity to participate ina sports activity, who have limited accessto sports, whose physical, psychological

and social development are under riskand who are disadvantaged due to theirstatus. The programme tries to give thema chance to live in harmony with thesociety.

In 2007, 15 cities, 63 teams, 1,003 youngpeople and hundreds o volunteersparticipated in the Street League Project,

which operates with the principle o makingsports a positive experience or everyone

STREET LEAGUESOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ASSOCIATION

The Street League project implementedby the Social Responsibility Association inTurkeys 15 provinces or youth who do nothave the means to be part o a country-wide sports project, whose access to sportsis restricted, whose physical, psychologicaland social development is under risk isa training programme that supports

youth in their personal developmentthrough ootball and ensures them to live

harmoniously with the society.


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Thanks to this project, lots o peoplehave had the chance to see Turkey roman outsiders point o view. Perhaps inthe uture, the participants will organize projects with Greek NGOs, become policymakers and make great contributionsto the peace and stability in the region.

Bilgecan Kksal, a participant o theTurkish-Greek Dialogue Project, ex-

plains the contribution that this bridgeo peace between Turkish and Greekyouths and NGOs can bring or thesolution o international conicts. The Turkish-Greek Dialogue Project wasprepared by AEGEE Ankara, addressingthe lack o communication between theyouth and youth organizations in Greeceand Turkey, and carried out in Fethiye,

Kayaky, Sakarya, Mula, stanbul, Ankaraand Nea Makri, Athens between the years2003 and 2007.

TURKISH GREEK CIVIC DIALOGUEEUROPEAN STUDENT FORUM (AEGEE)

Four main activities were conductedduring the project. The conerence titledRebuilding Communication and heldin Sakarya on 20-23 March, was theinception o the process. The youth andculture estival KayaFest was organizedin Fethiye-Kayaky during 28 July2August 2003 with the participation oseveral NGOs and 3,000 young people.In 7-8 November 2003, The Symposium

on Population Exchange was held instanbul with 250 participants, withthe partnership o The Foundation oLausanne Treaty Immigrants. The lastactivity o the project was the FinalConerence held in Ankara with 80participants. A project Outcome bookletwas published, KayaFest documentaryflm was produced and a photography

exhibition was organized within theramework o the programme. Theproject, which reached 20,000 indirectproject partners including youth andstudent networks in Europe, citizens andmunicipalities, reminded the participantsthat they were, above all, humans, beyondbeing Turkish or Greek. In addition, theyoung people who met during the airo Civil Society Organizations in KayaFest

ound the opportunity to developprojects together.

For detailed inormation:www.aegee-ankara.org

The Turkish-Greek Civil Dialogue Projectdeveloped by the European Student Forum(AEGEE) Ankara on based on the lack ocommunication among youth and youthorganizations in Greece brings togetherTurkish and Greek youth and encouragesthem to develop joint projects.


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as leader rock climbers and or river sportssuch as rating, canoeing and skiingand mountain cycling. Young peoplerom all around the world have joined thevolunteer team in the estivals organizedin the last two years. The young peoplewere enabled to take responsibilities in

the decision-making and implementationprocesses o the estival and this con-tributed to their social and personaldevelopment. Thanks to the internationaldimension o the Nature Sports Festival,the young residents in Kemaliye wereencouraged to learn oreign languages.

For detailed inormation:www.kemav.org.tr

Nature sports and environment havebecome a way o lie or me. Kemaliye EinNature Sports Festival has brought manychanges to the lives o my riends and mine.For years I just stared at the mountains. FratRiver was owing in vain. The impassablemountain paths were waiting or the youngto conquer and we didnt realize that. I nowget to know the environment, natural lie,wild lie, owers, insects and many universal

values thanks to these nature sports estivals.I wanted to run away rom Kemaliye butnow I love it more than ever.

The impressions o a young personrom Kemaliye, who took active role inthis project, reect the contributionso this project in his lie and personaldevelopment. The International NatureSports Festival has been organized by

Kemaliye Culture and DevelopmentAssociation in Erzincan since 2005. The projects aim is to help the youngdevelop their sense o sel while doingnature sports; direct them towards ahealthy body and positive thinking,develop an inter-cultural communicationamong them; create job opportunities orthem in the feld o tourism and prepare

the environment or the sustainabledevelopment o Kemaliye.

The project is developed and participatedby young people, including the pre-paration process. It is especially or the7-15 age group, who are inspired bycamping, scouting, kite ying, trekking,love o nature and environmental con-sciousness. The project also includes

trainings or young people who will act

KEMALYE INTERNATIONAL NATURE RELATED SPORTS FESTIVALKEMALYE CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

The Kemaliye International Nature RelatedSports Festival organized since 2005 bythe Kemaliye Culture and DevelopmentFoundation in the Kemaliye town oErzincan, eastern Turkey, aims to direct youthto a healthier physical and positive thinkingstructure, to develop their individualismwhile realizing nature related sports, toensure inter-cultural communication among

youth and to employ youth in Kemaliye in thetourism sector.


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