Youth Bank

Background

Youth between the ages of 15 to 25 do not actively participate in local development in Turkey and yet there is no enabling environment in local communities for youth partnership (TOG, 2011).

Project Goals

• 8 Youth Bank teams will be established and they will launch local grant programs.
• 200 youth that benefit from the program will participate in the project management trainings.
• NGOs and municipalities, that partner with the Youth Bank teams will attend the trainings on “working with youth” to establish effective partnerships.
• Youth Bank teams at different locations will exchange knowledge through site visits.
• 80 projects will be supported and implemented through community mobilization.
• Seminars will help 30 new NGOs and municipalities to implement the Youth Bank model.

Project Developments

• 8 YouthBank teams were created in 7 provinces.
• Project website (www.gencbank.org) was launched; Facebook pages (www.facebook.com/GencBankTOG) were created for YouthBank project and each local YouthBank.
• Regional YouthBank Network Meeting was organized in Istanbul with the participation of 50 volunteers and project coordinators from several countries where YouthBank projects are implemented.
• 925 young people, supported by the YouthBank grant program were involved in 73 local projects.
• More than 4,500 young people benefited from the projects.
• 291 young people participated in project training sessions.

Testimonials

“An important detail of the YouthBank project: Project ideas are not individual; they must bring solutions to the problems of society, the community or their own peers. Project ideas must involve social responsibility or youth projects. But most importantly, the projects must be both written and implemented by young people.”

Project Coordinator

“From YouthBank, I learned how to write up a project. I used to think that people in the decision making process were unreachable. Through YouthBank I learned that they are all approachable, that I can speak with them. While doing a project with YouthBank, I spoke with the mayor. This was a real experience for me.”

Project Beneficiary

“I was unsocial before. I used to sit at home and play computer games. With the help of YouthBank, I mixed with other people; I became social, and sensitive to my surroundings. Before, I was indifferent to social events; I had no interest in projects benefitting the society. Now I follow all the project calls and think about what I can do.”

Project Beneficiary