Implemented in the provinces of Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Istanbul, İzmir, Mersin, and Şanlıurfa, the Project aims to strengthen the social cohesion of children under temporary and international protection and children of the host community through sports, and to identify children at risk through activities to be conducted under the Project and refer them to the relevant institutions.
The Project originated from the “Strengthening Social Cohesion and Inclusion Through Sports Among Refugee and Turkish Youth Project”, which had started in 2019. As part of the Project, which continued until March 2022, thousands of children attended sports courses offered in 21 difference branches in 5 provinces. Owing to the universal language of sports, children and youth from different cultures also took part in sports festivals, youth camps and awareness raising activities in addition to the sports courses.
Under the “Sports for Solidarity Project”, launched in 2022 as the second phase of the first project, sports courses in different branches are continued to be offered to children and youth aged 7-18. The target is to reach 12,600 children through the courses that aim to strengthen social cohesion. It is also planned to invite successful sportspersons and artists to festivals that will be organized at the end of the course periods and to conduct various cultural and social activities.
Including children, who assumed a leading role and had a high participation rate in the courses, in the “Young Leaders Camp” that is located in the camp centers of the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Youth and Sports is also among the opportunities of the Project provided to children.
As part of the Project, awareness raising activities are conducted on issues, such as nutrition, hygiene, personal development, children’s rights and child development, based on the need identified, for the families and social circles of children who will be attending the courses.
Within the Project, which also aims to conduct protection activities for disadvantaged beneficiaries and those at risk, vulnerable beneficiaries who have been identified are referred to ASAM offices and relevant institutions in the concerning provinces.
