UN Millennium Development Goals and “Add a Plus to Life Youth Fund”

Reports

October 2005- March 2006

May-October 2005

April-July 2005

 “Add a Plus to Life Youth Fund” is a partnership project between UNDP-Turkey, Coca-Cola Company and Youth Association for Habitat. The program reflects a strong governance practice as it is developed and implemented through the partnership of the civil society, a private sector establishment, an international development institution and the government. It is a best practice for the implementation of the UN Millennium Development Goals.  In particular, as the project contributes to developing global partnerships provided under Target 8, it serves for achieving and localizing Millennium Development Goals in Turkey.

Indeed, “Add a Plus to Life Youth Fund” has been presented as best practice project for Localizing United Nations World Programme of Action for Youth in October 2005. A special side event was organized in partnership with UN-Habitat in New York during Ten Years Review of UN World Programme of Action for Youth during United Nations 60th General Assembly.

“Add a Plus To Life Youth Fund” was also presented as a good practice of Localizing UN World Programme of Action for Youth. UN WPAY that includes 15 chapters regarding youth development and “Add a Plus To Life Youth Fund” was presented as a key means for young people for having social responsibility and assist achieving WPAY Chapters on education, employment, youth participation, leisure time activities, information technologies, girls and young women.

01. What is the “Add a Plus to Life Youth Fund”?

Add a Plus to Life is a 1.5 million dollar youth fund designated for the youth projects written by young people and for young people.

The fund is going to finance 100 youth projects in total.  Qualified projects will be supported by a direct fund between 5 to 15 thousand dollars.

In spite, the fund is used to call young people to develop new projects, to provide counselling on project management, to share good practices, to organize follow-up meetings and fort he evaluation.

02. The Purpose:

The fund aims capacity development of the youth, in other words, it adds a plus to life!  The fund invests on young people as it supports youth on project planning and management, and also as it finances the projects developed by young people.

03. The Funded Subjects:

Education

Sports

Environment

Culture-Arts

04. The Criteria:

The projects that may qualify to receive Add a Plus to Life Youth Fund shall:

Target young people aging 16 to 26,

Be socially responsible,

Contribute to social interaction,

Be Sustainable,

Cooperate with the civil sector and public institutions,

Be participatory,

Be innovative,

Reflect youth dynamism

Writing projects in partnership with municipalities, local NGOs, and other shareholders is promoted, hence developing multiple partnerships is preferential.

05. Project Implementation Period:

The period for implementing a project is specified as between 3 to 10 months.

06. Who Can Apply?

To submit a project:

Shall be a Turkish residence,

Shall be a youth group*.

*Youth groups:

Youth Associations, Youth Foundations, Universities’ Student Clubs, College/University Student Councils or Unions, Local Youth Councils or any group of 5 young people without any legal personality. Members of the project management team shall be between 16 to 26. The project coordinator shall be above 18.

07. How to Apply?

The application form and specifications shall be submitted to the implementing agency, Youth Association for Habitat and Agenda 21.

Adress for application:

Youth Association for Habitat and Agenda 21- Add a Plus to Life Youth Fund

Fulya Mahallesi, Mevlüt Pehlivan Sokak

Ali Sami Yen Apt No:8/A Daire:2

34394

Mecidiyeköy - İstanbul

E-Posta: info@hayataarti.org

Telefon/Faks: (0212) 275 74 98 / 275 74 36

08. Evaluation Process:

The submitted projects are pre-evaluated by the program partners (Youth Association for Habitat and Agenda 21, Coca-Cola, UNDP-Turkey). The projects that fulfill the application criteria are then evaluated by a committee, which is formed by members of different sectors in Turkey. Implementation process .of the projects are followed by Youth Association for Habitat and Agenda 21.

09. Sample Projects:

CULTURE – ARTs 

 “Every Village is a Stage” (Rock’n Coke Special Award)

Within the project “Every Village is a Stage,” theater plays will be performed in 12 villages and slums of Adana. Drama works will be held with young people in these areas. As all plays will be performed with the participation of the audience, young people will be natural participants of the theater. 

With this project, Adana Local Agenda 21 Civil Youth Council aims at introducing theater with young people from villages and slums who have never been to theater before.    

“Limit is You: Unlimited”

Within the framework of the “Limit is You: Unlimited” project, young people with hearing disabilities will be trained on drama training by theater actors. Afterwards, they will perform plays in Ordu, Giresun and Rize. 

The main aim of the project coaches from  Karadeniz Technical University is to encourage participation of young people with hearing disabilities and their parents in the social life, and the promotion of the implementation of the new law on hearing disabilities .  Cultural and sport activities will be held for the young people with hearing disabilities.

“In the City of Silk Path, Pen Reaching Out to Dialogue, Wall Reaching Out to Peace “

The aim of “In the City of Silk Path, Pen Reaching Out to Dialogue, Wall Reaching Out to Peace “ project is to give a message that-Civilizations can Meet and Youth Desire for that- to whole world by building “Culture-art and Peace Wall” in historical city which has 6000 years past and hosted different civilizations.

“Cankiri Past Time Station-1 –Verbal History Train”

The aim of “Cankiri Past Time Station-1 –Verbal History Train” project is to increase awareness of young people on history and the culture of city of Çankırı. The project team will use informatics and technology to the decrease the concerns of youth on history. Besides, the team aims to prove that how informatics and technology could be used more effectively in transferring traditions, customs and culture.

EDUCATION

“Hand in Hand for a Life without Barriers”

Within the project “Hand in Hand for a Life without Barriers,” 36 handicapped young people from 3 regions of Turkey will attend a very special camp. In the camp, workshops (drawing, music, dance, ceramics, gardening, environment, computer photography, handcrafts, foreign languages, basic health, first aid, healthy diet, navigation), cultural activities (theater, drama, dance, music, painting, chess, ceramics, team games, group work, cultural visits), sports activities (swimming, snorkeling, diving, water gymnastics, bocce, aerobics, morning sports, basketball, badminton, tennis, table tennis, climbing, riding) will be organized.    

Aim of the project is to gather young people with different needs and disabilities in a common environment and support their participation in public life. 

“Providing Employment Opportunities for Young People by Computer Training” 

This project will be an important step in meeting the needs of Golcuk in terms of qualified workers with computer skills. Thus on one hand, young people will be employed and on the other hand it will contribute in solving the unemployment problem in Golcuk.   .

The project aims at training 20 young people on information technologies and thereby supporting their employment processes.

“Support for Tourism from Young People in Mardin” 

The Project aims at employing unemployed 20 young women and 20 young men between the ages 16-26 in tourism sector.  These young people shall know at least one foreign language and shall be high school graduates. 

Within the project, vocational training will be provided and these young people will be provided with the opportunity to meet with touristic enterprises in the city through career development days. Thus, the project will provide employment opportunities for young people, as well as it is going to contribute to meeting qualified staff need in tourism sector in Mardin. 

“Overcoming Taboos with Sexual Health Training” 

After the conduct of information meetings , a trainers group composed of ten young people will be trained within the framework of this project. The trainers group, together with experts, will give 5 hour trainings to groups of young people from Tarsus. The project is expected to reach at least 2800 young people between the ages of 16-26 in Tarsus. The objective of the project is to contribute in the personal development of young people by providing trainings on sexual health and to the formation of a healthy community.    

“Educational Mobilization for Young People in Siirt”  

Project includes activities that aim at the life quality of at least 100 young people in Çakmak neighborhood of Siirt. A Reading room, a library, and a training room will be constructed in Çakmak Neighborhood. Preparation courses on national university entrance exams by volunteers will be provided.  These courses will be tested via preparatory examinations, and the successful students will be awarded.  Moreover, preparation courses for entrance to colleges and fast reading courses will be provided. The project will also support successful students to attend free university exam preparation courses given by private institutions   

The Project aims at contributing to the social development of young people from families who have migrated to the city from villages. 

“Girls Behind the Door in Houses without Doors” 

With “Girls Behind the Door in Houses without Doors” project, 20 young girls between the ages of “16-20” from the poorest neighborhoods of Van, Hacıbekir and Karşıyaka will get trainings on English, carpet making, computer skills and human rights of women for a period of 4 months.  Girls who complete the trainings successfully will obtain certificates approved by the Ministry of Education.  

Objective of the project is to contribute to the socialization of the girls who can not participate in the social life and traditional family structure. Furthermore, 8 meetings will be held with the families of the girls for their support of the girls’ participation in social life. 

20 carpets made by the girls will be exhibited after the completion of the trainings.

“A Hope to the Faded Faces of Buds”

The main aim of “A Hope to the Faded Faces of Buds” project is to increase the visibility of the phychological consultation center and to enhace the functional usage of the center by increasing its recognition and the public awareness. The project team aims to encourage young girls who are from immigrant families to use phychological center, to make them conscious of their phychological situation and to direct them to the cultural youth activites.

“The Youth Braille Network”

The aim of the “The Youth Braille Network” project is to establish a national volunteer coordination network in between high school and university students in Turkey which is going to provide training in terms of supplying blind prople’s need through online education centers via internet.

“We Are Holding a Mirror to Our Education Life”

The aim of “We Are Holding a Mirror to Our Education Life” project is to provide employment opportunities for 30 young people from economically disadvantaged areas of Beyoğlu by providing vocational training.  The project aims to socialize these young  canalizing them to different social activities which will be organized within the framework of the project.

“5th Sense Arts”

The aim of the “5th Sense Arts” project is to gather 30 disadvantaged disabled youth in Izmir and to socialize them through arts. Their self-confidence will be increased through team work; the project will develop and concretize their phraseology by using body language, using postur by postur workings, by trainning participants on dance, music, sport and art activities and in this way to increase physical and mental development.

“Barrier-Free Vocational Training Project”

“Barrier-Free Vocational Training” project aims creating active, productive and self sufficient disabled young people providing occupational education opportunities.

“First Step to Aviation”

Within the context of the “First Step to Aviation” project, introduction to model plane trainings will be given to 50 students in order to canalize young people from bad addictions to social life, to provide them a new activity area, to increase manual skills, to increase their vision, to make them more aware in aviation, to make them happy when they are doing and succeeding, to attract them towards sports and social activities.

“New Born Future”

.

The aim of “New Born Future” project is to train young married women, and women and men who are at the age of marriage on family planning sexual health and planned child rearing.

ENVIRONMENT

“Disposed Batteries are not Waste”

With “Disposed Batteries are not Waste” project, a group of young people will be trained on separation of used disposable batteries. This group will establish stands in 6 shopping malls where there is high customer circulation;containers for the disposal of batteries will also be placed in shopping malls and universities.  

Aim of the project is to raise awareness among young people on the hazardous effects of disposed batteries, to eradicate such effects and to raise awareness on effective separation of disposable batteries. 

“Give Life to Orchids”

The aim of “Give Life to Orchids” project is to contribute environment-conscious in local level in city of Kahramanmaraş where one of the significant flora area exists in Turkey.

The main aim of the project is increasing local society’s awareness and activities on protecting orchids in order to protect orchids which are endemic and have risk of extinction in three regions of Kahramanmaras.

SPORTS

“To the School Desk from Black Socks”  ”

With “To the School Desk from Black Socks” project, a theater play explaining fair-play rules will be prepared and performed in various places. The revenue of the play will be donated to 3 high schools, which will be defined by the Directorate of Education and another one defined by Kandıra Governorship. This fund will be donated for the expenditures of the annual sports activities of the schools

Aim of the project is to promote fair-play principles among football fans and to fight with hooliganism. 

“One Touch Plus to Life”

Youth in Yenisehir Youth and Sports Association aims at presenting and generalizing fencing sport, which brings in young people speed, power, endurance, activity, coordination, balance, decide quickly.  1250 young people in high schools and foundling hospitals will be provided informative trainings on fencing and the team will train 50 people.

“No Barriers at the Basket”

The main aim of “No Barriers at the Basket” project is to orient physical disabled people to basketball and to gain them information and skill which basketball requires and to have education and regular training.

10. Who are the Partners of the Program?

Coca-Cola Turkey

Participating in the social life of the 200 countries it operates in is a principle adopted by Coca-Cola Turkey. Coca-Cola Turkey has supported many youth projects to date, and is aiming to provide support for the community once more, this time by enhancing the quality of life of young people through the “Life +” Youth Fund.

United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

The United Nation’s global development organisation, the United Nations Development Program, has been working to help countries access information, experience and resources in order to enable people to build a better life. Active in 166 countries, UNDP has been working in Turkey in close cooperation with a large number of national and international agencies, including non-governmental organisations, universities and the private sector,  as well as the government organisations.

Youth Association for Habitat (YFH)

Youth Association for Habitat , an initiative organised internationally, was set up within the framework of Habitat II, organised in Istanbul in 1996 in order to help make the voice of the young people heard. It is helping young people realise youth development projects in order to enable young people to identify and confront their particular issues, produce solutions to these problems, and put them into effect. The association represents Turkey in the youth mechanisms of the United Nations, the European Union and the European Council.

For more information: 

www.hayataarti.org

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