1. EFQM Education Community of Practice Social Responsibility: CIVIC INVOLVEMENT PROJECTS 21 April 2005 Sabanci University Istanbul/Turkey

2. What is CIP? You could call us * a program to teach participatory democracy through hands-on learning * civic participation *a program of social responsibility *we are all of the above, specifically designed for the reality we live in here in Turkey

3. Our students are our core Of course they comprise the teams that are the projects (With the support of the office staff!) They also run the teams: 70 supervisors 15 Project Assistants conduct trainings organize so many details...

4. Areas we work in Children * street vendors * those who live on the streets * orphans * those living in rural areas * disabled * those living in poverty and conflict Pictures of children from the Orphanages we work with

5. Elderly * social support * oral histories Women’s Status * neighborhood mapping * helping out with KEDV library * Our Bodies/Our Sexualities Environmental Issues * on campus * Akasya: youth environmental symposium * research project on Waste Management of the Aegean with Greek Ministry of the Interior * environmental education for children Akasya Environmental Platform

6. Sexual Responsibility (shhh! We’re talking about sex!) * increasing awareness about safe sex * showing more respect and tolerance for homosexuality * importance of awareness to AIDS Sexual Responsibility Week in the Campus

7. Human Rights * with international NGOs * Human Rights Education * Worker’s Rights * International War Tribune * Project on Human Security/Human Dignity * children’s rights through photography * control arms campaign How many arms can one diamond be worth?

8. How can you require students to participate in a project that teaches people how to volunteer? We don’t teach people how to volunteer...we teach them to be engaged, to be socially responsible, to understand that they themselves can make a positive difference

9. Diyarbakir “Discover Yourself” Peace Education Project

10. Some students really do not like the idea of having to take a CIP But! By the end of the academic year, most of them realize why the projects are a required part of the curriculum and actually thank us

11. Others wanted to join So we asked for some support. With the assistance of the Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation we have been able to start programs similar to ours in 14 universities in various areas of Turkey. Thank you Mr. Soros

12. And we wanted to empower more young people... So, again with the assistance of the Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation, under the East-East program, we invited youth from Central Asia and The Caucuses to learn and share When we met again, more than half of them implemented CIP type programs in their home countries

13. It’s an uphill climb * if an American is leading this program, there must be an alterior motive * young people cannot be trusted – they are too politically minded and they are irresponsible * since you work in the Southeast, you must be separatists * students’ manner of dress can be an issue...

14. We work to gain the trust of NGOs, government organizations We work to teach young people to be responsible, to take initiative, to work on creative problem solving We spend much time teaching the CIP Team our philosophy while they discover what they have to offer the program

15. Research We have recently begun to assess our program under a research grant from the Global Service Institute, Center for Social Development, funded by the Ford Foundation, at Washington University in St. Louis. People ask how we measure our success – we are trying to find out ourselves!

16. Empowering Youth is what it’s all about * to take initiative * to be responsible * to strengthen Civil Society from the grass-roots level * to encourage our own youth to spread what we do to other young people in Turkey and in the region

17. We would like to thank Sabancı University for believing in us and continuing to support our efforts OSIAF All those who understand that building a program like this takes time Our students who make this program what it is Those who believe in us enough to spend time with us, letting us work together to bring the quality of life up a notch or two

18. CIVIC INVOLVEMENT PROJECTS