by Kerrar Celikoz
Volunteering in the “Eco-Inclusion” project was not only a project for students with special needs and the environment, but also a process of deep personal development and social benefit. During this journey that I participated in with my friends, I learned something new every day and contributed to society. I helped teachers working with children with special needs in host schools with their daily work.
By introducing my own culture, language and traditions, I was able to connect with different cultures by participating in intercultural activities. In this way, I contributed to the strengthening of intercultural dialogue, tolerance and understanding. Finally, we reached a wider audience by spreading our project outputs through social media. With visual sharing, blog links and short videos, we both created awareness and contributed to the interest of new volunteers in the project. We immortalized the gains we obtained from the project with unforgettable souvenir photos. This experience was not only a volunteer effort; it was also the story of the strong bond I established with nature, society and myself. I would like to thank our principal, coordinator and teachers for their endless help and support at all times.
This project excited me a lot. I knew that it would be a transformative journey for me in terms of gaining practice in areas where I had limited theoretical knowledge and my experience abroad. Despite the concerns and adaptation difficulties I experienced at the beginning, I quickly turned this process into an advantage thanks to the supportive people around me. I had the opportunity to work with children with special needs in the project and to develop myself in terms of empathy, patience and communication. We also played sports, table tennis, darts, fitness, educational games and many other games. We found solutions to the students' problems together. I shared the experiences I gained from my teaching in Türkiye with the children. Despite the language barriers, I managed to establish effective communication thanks to the solution-oriented approach and mutual goodwill. In particular, the continuous support of our principal and coordinator, the encouraging attitude of the local teachers and the students' approaches motivated me even more. It facilitated and encouraged my learning and teaching process. This experience provided me not only with knowledge, but also with understanding, adaptation and personal development. Overall, this project was an unforgettable experience that developed me not only professionally but also as a person; I turned every new situation I encountered into a learning opportunity.
Дата на публикуване: 29/05/2025
