Side by Side All Around Turkey Project

Side by Side All Around Turkey Project is carried out by Bir İZ Association (Association of Trace in Individual and Community Mental Health) with funding from the EU Turkey Delegation Democracy and the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) to support the social cohesion of students living under the temporary protection status and to increase their schooling and attendance rates.

Having started on December 1, 2019, the project activities will cover 10 cities across Turkey including Adana, Bursa, Gaziantep, Hatay, Istanbul, Izmir, Kilis, Konya, Mersin, and Şanlıurfa for 20 months.

Side by Side All Around Turkey Project offers the following:
  • Development of educational tools such as Psychosocial Support Programs, Box Games, and Parent Support Programs that can be used by classroom teachers and counselors to support social cohesion of students with temporary protection status in primary and secondary schools where they are educated alongside Turkish students.
  • Introduction of social cohesion-enhancing tools developed under the scope of the project to teachers by organizing trainings for psychological counselors working in primary and secondary schools in Turkey’s 10 provinces with the highest number of individuals under temporary protection status.
  • Contribution to social cohesion and inclusion by raising awareness in the general public.

Psychosocial Support Programs for Students

Consisting of experiential learning-based interactive activities and aiming to strengthen social cohesion, Psychosocial Support Programs appeal to two different levels (primary and secondary school students). We plan to deliver the programs to 45,000 students in 10 cities through 650 counseling teachers who will participate in Practitioner Training.

Psychosocial Support Programs

Parent Support Program

We have developed the Parent Support Program which consists of both awareness-raising and empowering thematic sessions with the idea that social adaptation efforts can be achieved only with the presence and participation of parents. We plan to deliver the program to at least 10,000 parents in 10 cities through 650 counseling teachers who will participate in Practitioner Training.

Parent Support Program

Bilingual Board Games

We have designed two separate box games for primary and secondary school students based on the fact that game is both a learning and communication/cohesion tool for children. Box games will be implemented in 10 cities as part of the Psychosocial Support Programs.

Bilingual Board Games

Psychological Counselor Training

Three-day Practitioner Training will be held in 10 cities including Adana, Bursa, Gaziantep, Hatay, Istanbul, Izmir, Kilis, Konya, Mersin, and Şanlıurfa, and 650 participating counseling teachers will be supported through regular supervisions during field practices.

Psychological Counselor Training

Awareness Activities

A short movie was prepared to raise social awareness and thus to support social cohesion. In addition, a national conference and press conference will be held in 2021.

Click Here to Watch Our Movie
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