FOUNDATION AND PURPOSE

Young Volunteers Association is an independent civil society organization established on April 1, 2004. Our association works in the fields of children’s rights, promotion of volunteerism, strengthening young people’s social responsibility awareness, and enhancing social solidarity.

Since its establishment, our core mission has been to contribute to a safe, equal, and rights-based life for children, support the active participation of young people in social processes, and promote volunteerism as a sustainable model for social development.

 

OUR VOLUNTEER NETWORK

Today, Young Volunteers Association operates through a strong network of more than 2,100 volunteers across 57 cities in Türkiye.

A significant portion of our volunteers are teachers. In addition, university students, engineers, architects, lawyers, and professionals from various sectors actively contribute to our activities. This diverse volunteer structure enables us to carry out sustainable programs at both local and national levels.

 

CHILD RIGHTS EDUCATION PROGRAMS

One of our primary fields of work is children’s rights education. We implement game-based training models developed in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Within this framework, training-of-trainers programs are provided to volunteer teachers, educational materials are developed, and child rights activities are conducted in schools. Our specially designed “Child Rights Hopscotch Game” enables children to learn their rights through play, strengthen safe-life skills, and develop participation awareness.

 

DISASTER RESPONSE ACTIVITIES

Immediately after the February 6 earthquakes, our volunteers actively worked in tent and container settlements throughout the affected regions. They organized play-based activities for children and contributed to psychosocial support processes. These efforts were carried out entirely on a voluntary basis in the field.

 

YOUTH SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROGRAMS

Young Volunteers Association encourages high school and university students to actively participate in social responsibility initiatives. Through cooperation protocols with schools, students meet with children in disadvantaged districts and rural areas to organize child-rights-based activities and educational sessions.

Our cooperation with Kabataş Erkek High School is one of the leading examples of this model, and we aim to expand similar partnerships.

 

PROFESSIONAL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS

Volunteer architects and engineers within our association provide free occupational health and safety training particularly for vocational high school students. They also deliver presentations on professional rights and responsibilities.

 

UNIVERSITY AND ACADEMIC COLLABORATIONS

Young Volunteers Association is a member of the advisory board of Istanbul University Child Protection Research and Application Center and collaborates with the university on joint initiatives.

We contribute to projects related to child protection, adolescent health, digital risks, and the development of AI-supported counseling systems. Our volunteer lawyers actively support these processes.

 

NATIONAL PROJECTS AND SYMPOSIUMS

With the support of the Ministry of Interior Directorate General for Relations with Civil Society, we organized the workshop titled “Action Plan for Identifying Children’s Digital Content Needs” and published digital outputs.

In addition, hosted by Istanbul Faculty of Medicine and involving more than 30 expert speakers, we organized the symposium “Innovative Methods in Multidisciplinary Approaches to Sexual Abuse Cases,” and the symposium proceedings were published.

Our association has also implemented numerous national and international projects, including initiatives supported under the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture program.

 

DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL VOLUNTEERING MODEL

Young Volunteers Association believes that volunteering should not be limited to physical participation. Young people can join our activities online without visiting the association physically and contribute to child support initiatives, peer development activities, and environmental protection projects. Accordingly, we develop both digital and in-person volunteering models.

 

SUPPORT FOR YOUTH INITIATIVES

We provide institutional support to youth groups who wish to develop volunteer or social responsibility projects. If teams face bureaucratic barriers or motivation challenges, their projects may be implemented under the institutional umbrella of Young Volunteers Association, where coordination, official procedures, and organizational support are provided.

 

PUBLIC – NGO COOPERATION

Young Volunteers Association is an active civil society organization that values collaboration with public institutions, universities, local governments, and NGOs, and operates with a participatory and transparent working model.

Our association continues its volunteer-based efforts to protect children, empower youth, and strengthen social solidarity.