ESC: Nature Protectors

Çanakkale Koza Youth Association was founded in March 2010 and grown up as an active, energetic, nonprofit youth organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help the youngsters in developing their knowledge and at the same time offering a wide diversity of experiences. Çanakkale, a city, and region of education, culture, and history, is located in the northwestern part of Turkey. The target group of the organization is especially socially, economically disadvantaged children and young people aged between 7- 30. Our main working areas are cultural, social, sportive activities and courses. Çanakkale Koza Youth Association also is a Eurodesk Local Relay. Therefore, we are giving information to youngsters about different opportunities. We are also working on youth policies and human rights education with young people by organizing workshops, training courses and other social activities. Furthermore, we implement projects and activities about the problems we face everyday; such as, about the environmental problems or the problems people with disabilities face in their everyday life. We are collaborating with Çanakkale Municipality, Governorship of Çanakkale, Çanakkale 18 Mart University, City Council, South Marmara Development Agency and The Ministry of Youth and Sport in our studies. Our main objectives are; - To help young people (especially aged from 15 to 30) to join the social life in Çanakkale. - To support the personal, social and cultural development of children and young people. - To raise awareness of the community on social and environmental issues. - To make knowledge raising studies on youth rights and human rights with young people. - To enable young people from diverse backgrounds in producing together. - To develop solutions on youth problems and foster their participation to social and democratic life. - To make specific studies on the subjects concerning the youth of the city and country. - To foster young people’s involvement in decision-making and managing of the city. Çanakkale Koza Youth Association provides the following activities to achieve above-mentioned objectives; - Training courses for personal development of young people - Seminars, training courses and conferences - Eurodesk informing meetings - Social, cultural and educational activities for children from the Roman community - Capacity building activities for different youth groups - Art, Language and Cultural courses; such as ceramic, drama, painting, foreign languages speaking days etc. - Youth festivals and workshops - Sportive activities; swimming, dance - Preparing summer and winter programs for children - Local and national networking among youth organizations. - Making questionnaires about the needs of young people in local and national level and making evaluations for better youth politics. - Supporting national social campaigns on a local level."