Project Summary
Grantee	: Four Seasons Lifelong Play and Learning Association
Purpose	: Playing an active role as young people in creating an innovative, inclusive, and needs-based urban policy, and developing the practice of working together between young people and local governments
Location	: Eskişehir, İzmir
Grant Amount	: 298.610 TL
Project Partner	: Çiğli Municipality, Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality (Sustainable Urban Development Network), Toy Youth Association
Period	: 2 August 2021 - 9 August 2022
Status	: Completed
Project Year	: 2021

BACKGROUND

Our country is experiencing a rapid urbanization process. According to World Bank data (2019), 76 percent of the population in Turkey lives in urban areas. Rapid urbanization brings with its negativities such as traffic jams, destruction of green areas, environmental and air pollution, expensive housing, poverty and lonely human profile, violations of rights. With the increase in the number of people living in cities, the needs of city residents are also diversifying.

According to TUIK (2019) figures, there are approximately 13 million young people between the ages of 15-24. However, it is controversial to what extent young people have access to decision-making mechanisms. In Eskişehir and İzmir, where young population is dense, there is a need for the participation of young people in the processes of producing solutions for the diversifying needs of the urban residents, and for this, there is a need for areas where young people can develop themselves within the scope of their right to the city.

PROJECT GOALS

• A welcoming session will be held with the project participants in İzmir and Eskişehir.
• A 17-week "Online Right to the City School" will be held with the participation of 50 young people.
• Right to the City School participants will conduct civic monitoring in groups according to the topic of each week.
• Urban forums will be organized with the participation of individuals living in Eskişehir and İzmir.
• An action plan will be developed in which the steps to be taken for more participatory and youth-friendly cities will be on the agenda.
• With the City in My Dream Camp, which will be held together with the project participants, the plan will be finalized, and a roadmap will be created for the aftermath of the project.

Testimonials

“I noticed that the education and hobby courses offered to women by Konak Municipality only aim to sustain socially structured gender roles. They develop projects not to teach women occupations to earn a stable income, but to provide them with hobbies that will contribute to the family budget.” A Young Project Participant

“I faced many physical challenges on a very short walk on pedestrian paths, even as a healthy individual. The city definitely needs improvements to be more accessible.” A Young Project Participant

“I never imagined that we could bring the youth together to find a solution to the problems we are having and to create a more habitable city. I assumed they wouldn’t show up. But what happened was the opposite of what I expected. It turned out that what I considered to be a problem was just as crucial to others. This was the turning point for me.” A Young Project Participant