Social Entrepreneurship Training in Istanbul
Social Entrepreneurship Training in Istanbul
/api/storage/sites/yfy/pages/imported/068963cba7f15fa3c7ba130e8be1ed9d.mp4
Packing suitcases. Airport security. Departure from Vienna. Arrival in Istanbul. Chaos at the bus stop… No, this was not the start of a holiday, but a Social Entrepreneurship training in Istanbul facilitated by the organization YoutfullyYours SK. Many of us didn't know what to expect from the project, but we were very satisfied with the process, organization, and the project's theme. We gained knowledge working with people from different countries, learned how to communicate in a group of people with different opinions and perspectives on life, learned to create and come up with ideas under time pressure, understood what needs to be considered before starting a business activity, got to know each other and networked.
During the day, we participated in informal activities focused on teamwork, time management, soft skills development, self-awareness, but we also educated ourselves in the field of business activity - what it entails, what to prepare for, how to choose a strategy, what to consider before starting, etc. For activities, we were always divided into groups (the group always consisted of different people, which we consider a big plus) and since people in the groups rotated, we learned to work with different people, come up with new ideas, and gain information on how things work in other countries, listening to examples of social entrepreneurship practices there.
The project organizer - Abdullah - had a very human approach, spoke English, and led the entire Social Entrepreneurship training. He was very accommodating, listened to our opinions, gave us space for self-development, group work, creativity,... at the end of the day, we always had space for feedback, based on which Abdullah then tried to accommodate our objections or new ideas that seemed necessary for the proper running of the training. The main organizer was also helped by his wife, who, despite not speaking English, was very kind and caring.
During the project, we had one free day, during which we went to the European part of Istanbul, where we visited all the important sights and tasted traditional Turkish dishes. The local people were very warm and willing to help us when we got lost or couldn't find our bus that would take us to the hotel.
On the penultimate day of our Social Entrepreneurship training, we had the opportunity to present our country at the Cultural Night, where each group prepared snacks and traditional dishes from their homeland, we danced national dances and talked about the individual national characteristics of the participating countries. Of course, we exchanged experiences and knowledge throughout the week, whether during lunches or when working in groups, where different perspectives on a single problem helped us solve it and bring an innovative idea.
In conclusion, we can state that this project was a great benefit for everyone in both professional and personal spheres and we are certainly looking forward to further projects organized by YouthfullyYours SK (as well as to magical Istanbul).
