Local Advocacy Academy: An Inclusive and Rights-Based Transformation Project for Youth

Supported by the Sabancı Foundation Grant Scheme and implemented in Samsun under the leadership of the UGARD in partnership with our association Turkey Youth Union Association (TGBDER) and Association of the Visually Impaired in Education, this project is a comprehensive advocacy programme that will last for 12 months. The main aim of the project is to bring together young people with and without disabilities to empower them in rights advocacy and to lay the foundations of a sustainable local advocacy school in this field. In addition, young people will be encouraged not only to receive training but also to actively participate in the project process and take part in decision-making mechanisms.

An Inclusive and Rights-Based Approach
Our association, which has been active in the youth field since 1997, has been working one-to-one with young people with disabilities and has adopted the mission of bringing inclusiveness, rights-based approach and disability rights perspective to the youth field at national and international level since 2007. In this direction, the main role of our association in the project is to develop and implement educational contents and inclusive education methods suitable for the learning and participation needs of mixed groups (young people with and without disabilities).

Project Process

July 2024 - Preparation Period (2 Months)
Logistical arrangements of the project will be finalised, training curriculum will be developed and participants will be identified.

September - November 2024 - Training and Capacity Building (3 Months)
In Samsun, 20 young people with and without disabilities will receive comprehensive trainings on organising, basic concepts of civil society and advocacy methods.

December 2024 - January 2025 - Field Work (2 Months)
Under the guidance of mentors, young people will participate in advocacy work by applying their theoretical knowledge in the field.

February 2025 - Evaluation and Second Fieldwork (2 Months)
Experiences will be evaluated in a 2-day meeting to be organised after the field work and the second field work will be initiated.

May 2025 - Sustainability Camp (1 Month)
Participants will finalise the design of the Local Advocacy School and attend the sustainability and roadmapping camp.

June 2025 - Final Evaluation and Implementation of the Roadmap (1 Month)
Together with the partners, the project process will be reviewed, necessary arrangements will be made and the roadmap will be concretised.

This project aims to lay the foundation for a sustainable advocacy movement at the local level in the long term by empowering young people. By providing an inclusive training process, TGBDER and other partners will ensure that participating young people are not only trained as rights defenders, but also take active roles in project management and decision-making processes.