The Youth Vision Project, or GBP (Genç Bakış Projesi) for high school students is unique among the ongoing initiatives of the student volunteer organization TDP (Social Responsibility Projects). Unlike the case in TDP’s other projects, GBP’s volunteers are also its target audience. The project aims to instill a sense of social responsibility in young people through life experiences, with the high school students who participate in GBP serving as volunteers for a number of different TDP projects.
This academic year GBP is working with Bilkent and Ayrancı High Schools, and has attracted student volunteers from different grades. They are mentored by Bilkent University students, who both guide and participate in the activities of the project.
Last week, GBP volunteers visited TDP’s Streetlight Project (SLP) and joined in their activities. The purpose of the Streetlight Project is to show another world to financially and socially disadvantaged children, in order to help steer them away from working as child laborers. The children and the volunteers went bowling and then enjoyed pizza; everyone had a great time. The GBP volunteers gained insights into what life is like for children who are at risk for working on streets, and also saw the similarities between those children and themselves.
As well as visiting other TDP projects, GBP volunteers work on their own teams to initiate and plan their own activities and also contribute to other TDP initiatives, such as the Social Responsibility Summit held in 2017. Their input into the content, order, organization and timing of TDP activities helps make them attractive to the target audiences. In 2016, GBP volunteers made a number of snow globes to be given as gifts to children being assisted by other projects.
If you would like to collaborate with young people and also experience a variety of TDP projects, you are welcome to join the Youth Vision Project.