Creating Equal Opportunities for an Equal World

HOW CHANGEMAKERS ARE SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND THEIR FAMILIES

OGB Project aims to remove barriers to participation in social life, and to reveal the potential of people with special needs. There is a lack of public recognition of individuals with special needs, which we aim to address and ensure that the news of individuals with specials needs are met. We organize aid campaigns in line with the needs, to ensure that individuals with special needs benefit from existing legal rights and to advocate for their rights.

OGB Project was created in order to increase the recognition of individuals with special needs by society, and it aims to organise educational content online. Educational content consists of podcasts, presentations, scientific articles and educational video series. We also organise aid campaigns for individuals with special needs who need special education 🇹🇷

HOW WE MAKE CHANGE

OGB Project were looking for volunteers to help them with Administration, Design, Events, Human Resources, Writing, Psychology and Research in order to address the Sustainable Development Goals of Quality Education (SDG 4) and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10).

We connected them with ChangeMakers. Here’s how a few of them have helped 🙌

“VOLUNTEERING PROJECTS NOT ONLY HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON PEOPLE’S LIVES, BUT ALSO HELPS ME DEVELOP MY EMPATHY SKILLS”

Süheyla Yasintimur 🇹🇷

‘My name is Süheyla and I am from Turkey. I live in İstanbul, and I currently study a master’s degree at the Sociology Department at the Middle East Technical University. My department is Sociology. Thanks to my field of study, I’ve had the opportunity to deal with structuring and structural changes in a wide range of phenomena and institutions, from family to economic activity, from rural communities to metropolitan centers, from special-purpose social organizations to bureaucratic organizations of the state. As a result, I have greatly improved lenses with which I have an empirical view of the world.I am always interested in society. I like be part in volunteering project. I joined lots of volunteering project both national and international.

At OGB Project, first of all, I determined what the problems and deficiencies were. Then, within the framework of these problems, I put forward a research topic. Afterwards, I examined and evaluated the previous studies on the subject I presented. Finally, I made an article using my writing skills.

I always believe that volunteering projects create a win-win understanding. It not only has a positive impact on people's lives, but also helped me develop my empathy skills when I volunteered. It also taught me to look at the world through different eyes.’

“I BELIEVE WE NEED TO AT LEAST TRY TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT WE CAN”

Emine Zeyrek 🇹🇷

‘My name is Emine Zeyrek and I am from Manisa, Turkey. I studied pre-school education at Mugla Sitki Kocman University and I got my associate degree from there. After that, I studied Psychology at Middle East Technical University and this year I graduated as an honor student. I worked at a Montessori pre-school as an intern during the summer of my second year at METU. Additionally, I helped grad students for their data collection and collected data from mother-child duos. Now, I will continue my education at METU as a master student in the field of developmental psychology.

At OGB Project, I am currently working with the group of people who try to create a guide book for the children with autism spectrum disorder and for their families. I am helping the team as an researcher and during this project I will use these skills to create a helpful guide book for these beneficiaries.

I believe we need to at least try to give back to the community in a way that we can. As a student, as a person I can help people to understand this disorder and try to make it easier to live with it. And this project provided me the opportunity to help people.’

“THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN HELPFUL TO ME AS A PSYCHOLOGIST TO UNDERSTAND OUR BENEFICIARIES AND THEIR FAMILIES ON A DEEPER LEVEL.”

Zülal Devlez 🇹🇷

‘My name is Zülal and I am from Turkey. I graduated from International Balkan University. I am a psychologist. I was a volunteer coach for refugee children at the Earth Children Association. I have provided the participation in relevant education with the field of psychology. In Eskişehir Osmangazi University, I had a compulsory internship in the competent psychiatric service and polyclinigment in the medical faculty hospital. I voluntarily had internship two months in the rehabilitation center. I'm actively working as a psychologist at the private education and rehabilitation center.

At OGB Project, I’ve been taking a lead on one of our projects. This particular project included research about autism and special education for people and their family members. It’s been great working in collaboration with other volunteers.

This project has been helpful to me as a psychologist to understand our beneficiaries and their families on a deeper level. It’s a difficult task, but it’s important to start somewhere and then take responsibility and carry out impactful work.

RESULT

“With the support of We Make Change and ChangeMakers, we’ve been able to host both national and international seminars, built academic partnerships with organisations and institutions in countries such as the US, Italy and Finland. We’ve been able to offer free psychosocial support services for families of individuals with special needs.”

SELIM KEÇELI
FOUNDER, OGB PROJECT

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