As part of the Stronger Together: Strengthening Youth Workers and Organisations for Displaced Youth Integration and Resilience (SYWOR) project, two local seminars were held in Türkiye, bringing together youth for interactive learning and reflection.
The first local seminar reunited young people who had previously attended the SYWOR language course, creating continuity between learning and practice. Participants were welcomed with icebreakers and introductions before moving into two workshop blocks.
The first part encouraged participants to brainstorm the skills and responsibilities of youth workers, as well as ways to take more initiative in their communities. The second part addressed engaging with trauma-affected individuals, using group activities and empathy exercises to explore best practices when working with vulnerable groups.
The day concluded with a group reflection circle, where participants shared personal insights and key takeaways. Many highlighted that the session helped them better understand how to balance activism with sensitivity when supporting people in their communities.
The second local seminar welcomed youth who had previously participated in the SYWOR training course in Moldova. The day began with energizers and a short overview of the objectives, before diving into discussions about trauma and the social and psychological impacts of displacement.
Participants were introduced to key concepts such as displacement, inclusion, resilience, cross-cultural communication, and the distinctions between migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, IDPs, and stateless persons. These definitions were unpacked through interactive case group discussions, linking abstract terms to real-life scenarios.
A highlight of the session was the reflection activity. Using outlines of the human body, participants expressed emotions with colors and identified where they “felt” these emotions most strongly. This activity provided a creative and safe way to connect personal feelings with broader discussions on displacement and resilience.
Impact
Together, these two local seminars in Türkiye empowered young people to think critically about their role as youth workers, reflect on trauma and displacement, and practice inclusive approaches in community engagement. The events strengthened both personal awareness and collective resilience — showing once again how the SYWOR project builds skills and connections across borders.
About the Project
The course was part of the SYWOR project, implemented by Young Agents of Change in collaboration with:
- Georgian Youth Development Association – GYDA (Georgia)
- European Integration Group (Turkey)
- MilleniuM Training and Development Institute (Moldova)
- Fundacja Nowy Staw (Poland)
The project is funded by the European Union and aims to strengthen youth workers and organizations involved in supporting displaced young people through capacity building and cross-border collaboration.
