Visit to Ankara-Yenimahalle Youth Center with Our Newly Arrived French Volunteers
As part of our onboarding and local networking process, we visited the Ankara-Yenimahalle Youth Center together with our newly arrived French volunteers. The visit served as an important first step in building institutional familiarity, establishing interpersonal connections, and exploring potential project proposals that could be developed collaboratively in the coming months.
During the program, our volunteers toured the youth center, met with the responsible staff, and engaged in an open discussion on the center?s ongoing work, community needs, and the types of activities that could be realistically designed and implemented within the framework of our volunteering priorities. The exchange focused on identifying shared interests and feasible thematic areas?especially those that foster youth participation, intercultural learning, and community-based engagement.
In a warm and constructive atmosphere, the youth center team introduced key spaces and operational routines, while our volunteers contributed initial ideas for participatory formats, small-scale workshops, and inclusive social activities. The meeting also included a short conversation on a possible Ramadan-themed community project, followed by informal social interaction that helped strengthen group cohesion?ending on a friendly note with refreshments and a brief darts game.
Volunteers reflections on the visit
Gabrielle:
Gabrielle described her arrival as both ?peaceful? and ?awe-inspiring,? emphasizing the sense of scale and grandeur she felt upon landing in T?rkiye and driving through the city at night?seeing monuments that felt ?unreal, yet real.? She also reflected on the gradual process of settling into the apartment, framing adaptation as ?a work in progress? supported by optimism and curiosity. Regarding the youth center, she highlighted it as a ?lovely? and intellectually engaging space, noting that it was ?very interesting? to observe how the center functions and to listen to the staff explain their work. She added a personal observation that ?Turkish language is rich,? appreciating the cultural depth she began to notice through everyday interactions.
Nahrawen:
Nahrawen stated that the team was ?very well received,? and appreciated the clear orientation provided by the staff. She noted that the tour helped her understand their role more concretely, and that the informal moment?sharing a snack and playing darts?made the experience welcoming and human-centered, supporting a positive first connection with the center.
Fatiha:
Fatiha shared a nuanced reflection: she felt the arrival overall went well, but also expressed discomfort about not having their room ready at first, which made her feel they were unintentionally disturbing others. Despite the language barrier, she emphasized feeling welcomed?especially by G?nay?and appreciated the youth center meeting as a meaningful space to discuss the Ramadan project and conclude with a small game that made the encounter feel friendly and inclusive.
Angelina:
Angelina echoed the positive reception, underlining that the staff guided them through the center, clarified their prospective responsibilities, and created a warm environment through simple but effective gestures?such as offering refreshments and including them in a casual darts game?helping transform a formal visit into a genuine first step toward collaboration.
