News - System & Generation

Webinar on the Inclusion of Disabled Individuals in EU Projects

On August 8th, a webinar focusing on the inclusion of disabled individuals in European Union projects took place online. The event featured Mr. Musab Alperen Şafak from the Turkish National Agency as the guest speaker, with Ms. Elif Usta, Coordinator of Inclusion and Diversity, serving as the moderator. The discussion highlighted various strategies, challenges, and success stories related to the active participation of disabled people in EU-funded initiatives. The webinar was an important step toward promoting a more inclusive and diverse Europe.

As a volunteer and the representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the System & Generation Association, I participated in the event to represent the organization, strengthen connections, and support the ongoing efforts to foster inclusivity within EU projects.

Amina Dzafic

Volunteering in Prilep: An Unforgettable Experience

Hello everyone,

My name is Hatice. I had the opportunity to volunteer in Prilep, North Macedonia from February 8 to April 24. I’d like to share some insights about my experience. I graduated from the Gastronomy and Culinary Arts department and, before starting my master's program, I was very interested in cultural exchange programs. I was eager to participate in an ESC project, and I am incredibly grateful for the chance to have this experience. During my time in Prilep, I volunteered with the Youth Council of Prilep. My main responsibilities included writing articles for young people, organizing activities, and recording podcasts. Although I was not very active in the podcast section, we produced a lot of content in other areas. We explored the city with local youth, introduced our cultures, and made a lot of new connections. There were four of us volunteers, and each of us had a mentor to help us adapt easily. During this three-month period, I discovered many commonalities with Macedonian culture and visited several different cities, making this experience truly invaluable. Prilep is a small but warm city, and its people are very helpful. If you plan to volunteer during this period, I recommend bringing warm clothing as it can be quite cold until the second week of April. My only piece of advice is to be open to new cultures and meeting new people. I made friendships during this time that I hope to revisit and maintain for years to come.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to System and Generation, the sending organization, and the Youth Council of Prilep, the hosting organization, for making this experience possible.

Harvesting Hazelnuts and Heartfelt Connections: A Day in the Turkish Fields

Yesterday, August 7, 2024, was a memorable day spent in the beautiful hazelnut fields of Türkiye! As first-timers, we dove into the joy of hazelnut harvesting and even gathered some fresh plums. Being part of the [System and Generation Organization] team, we also had the wonderful opportunity to connect with the local community. They graciously prepared a delicious Turkish dinner for us, making the day even more special. It was an enriching experience filled with hard work, learning, and genuine connections. #Volunteering #CommunityService #HazelnutHarvest #Turkish

A Heartwarming Day of Service with Mrs. Margarita

Today in Ankara, I spent an unforgettable day with Madame Margarita, where our team united to prepare sandwiches for refugees. This was my first experience in Türkiye, and it was incredibly moving, evoking a range of emotions. Each of us performed our tasks with wholeheartedness and love, and the sandwich preparation process was filled with joy and harmony. Once everything was ready, we took the sandwiches and juices to the refugee settlement. There were children, young people, and adults who received our preparations with gratitude and joy. Their gazes were telling, as if they were sharing the difficult moments they had been through. We also distributed toys to the children, and their sparkling eyes and happiness were wonderful to see.

This day remains memorable to me, filled with love and compassion. This experience reaffirmed to me that with unity, we can achieve miracles. Despite the hardships and pain they had endured, I saw a spark of hope in the refugees' eyes. It was a lesson in humanity and solidarity, a deeply significant and profound experience for me.

Salome Goginashvili

Today we went to Mrs. Margarita ‘s house to help make sandwiches for refugees. She welcomed us with a smile and led us to the kitchen, where she showed us how to make the sandwiches. Each one of us had a role to play, spreading butter, layering slices of cheese and salami, and packing the sandwiches and putting them in a box. As we worked together, I felt how happy and dedicated each one of us was. I personally have never thought that making sandwiches can be this fun and rewarding. With our teamwork, we finished so fast, so we loaded the carts with the boxes full of the sandwiches we made with so much care and love and headed to the refugee center. When we got there, we had the chance to meet the refugees and serve them food and juice, and we even gave the kids toys. It was such an amazing experience that I had for the first time here in Türkiye, it reinforced my belief in the importance of community and compassion, and I can’t wait to go back again and help Mrs. Margerita with the amazing work she’s doing.

Arwa Ferjani

Newsletter ALF Turkiye June-July 2024

Newsletter ALF Turkiye June-July 2024 PDF

Jul

Sistem ve Generation Association: Offering Opportunities to Youth through EU Collaboration

Volunteers Enjoy Fruit Picking Event

On July 7 2024, the volunteers from the System & Generation Association attended a special event hosted by Behçet Yurtsever and his family at their countryside home. The volunteers enjoyed sharing their cultures and savoring a rich Turkish breakfast. Following the breakfast, a delightful fruit picking activity was held, providing an opportunity to meet and connect with wonderful new people. The day concluded with engaging conversations over Bosnian coffee.

Heartfelt thanks go to Behçet Yurtsever and his family, as well as the System & Generation Association, for making this memorable day possible.

How Erasmus+ Enriches Social Life, Language Skills, and Cultural Experiences

I will talk about the benefits of being involved in a social life and doing activities. Erasmus+ provides this. You interact with people from different cultures. The workshops you do are at a level that will affect your socialization and speaking skills.

It's a great opportunity to improve your language. You also have the opportunity to meet many local people, This will give you more social time. The more social you are, the better your speaking skills are. In addition to the activities, our organization also serves in teams. We worked with disabled people. We gained good experiences

Erasmus+ is a school, a path, a horizon opener.

During my Greece project, its culture, food and sea were a real beauty. I finished my 45-day project. I would like to thank the S&G family.

Exploring Opportunities with Ankara Development Agency A Day of Learning and Inspiration

Hello, I am Merve Özcan,

Today I had the opportunity to visit Ankara Development Agency. Ankara Development Agency carries out important work in the field of regional development projects and social innovations. The agency provides support to young entrepreneurs, social responsibility projects and new generation rural development initiatives.

This visit was made possible thanks to the System and Generation Association. We attended with our association president Gürkan Akçaer and our other volunteers. We received detailed information about international opportunities and project writing in the programs organized by the agency. In the presentations, the benefits of these programs to the lives of young people were emphasized.

I feel very lucky to be part of such an experience and network. This experience gave me valuable information and inspiration to plan my future.

Thank you.

Volunteers from Abroad Visited the Turkish Grand National Assembly

Hello, I am Merve Özcan. I work as a volunteer at the System and Generation Association.

Today, we visited the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) with our volunteers from abroad. During our visit, we were warmly welcomed by the TBMM, and it was a significant experience for our volunteers.

The Turkish Grand National Assembly is the legislative body of Turkey and one of the most important institutions in our country. During our visit, our volunteers had the opportunity to see the history, functioning, and legislative processes of the TBMM up close. This experience helped our volunteers gain a deeper understanding of Turkey and become more acquainted with the country's democratic culture.

We are very happy to have taken our volunteers to such an important institution as the TBMM. We believe that such visits will help broaden young people's perspectives and contribute to their interaction with different cultures. We thank the TBMM officials for their warm hospitality.

Merve Özcan

Volunteer at System and Generation Association