Qudra in Turkey: building links between refugees and host communities

Education and technical and vocational training are central to fostering the participation and integration of refugees in their host communities.

Therefore, in Turkey, Expertise France supports the Istanbul Youth Centre to offer social and educational activities for young Syrians and Turks aged 13 to 22; the agency also works with Gaziantep, Hatay and Şanliurfa public education centres to strengthen the resilience of young adults in these areas bordering Syria.

Fostering social cohesion and strengthening self-esteem among refugee youth

In Istanbul, Expertise France supports the Youth Centre, which works in partnership with the International Blue Crescent NGO and the municipality of Küçükçekmece. The aim is to offer activities to young people aged 13 to 22 to help them catch up on school and restore their self-confidence (language learning, vocational training, new technologies…). This contributes to the professional integration of young Syrians and their Turkish peers, while encouraging them to exchange with each other to build a relationship of trust and create social bonds. As with all other courses organised in the framework of QUDRA, the aim is not only to develop professional skills, but also to provide space for participants, who meet in the street, at work, at parent meetings or who live side by side, to know each other better and establish direct relationships.

More than 3,000 beneficiaries have already benefitted from the various courses offered by the Centre. Among them: 53% women, 69% of whom are refugees.

For the youngest, a “children’s caravan” has been inaugurated to promote language learning – a prerequisite for integrating the best in their new environment. Teaching activities are based on play for them to become familiar with their new physical and cultural environment and to mitigate the effects of forced migration, through special games and knowledge about the culture and the environment. For instance, Syrian and Turkish children living in the suburbs of Istanbul benefit from extra-curricular activities, which facilitates their inclusion within local communities and supports them in their daily lives. 

Supporting public education centres to strengthen the resilience of young adults in Gaziantep, Hatay and Şanliurfa

Gaziantep, Hatay and Şanliurfa are three cities in south-eastern Turkey, near the Syrian border. In order to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable people living in these three cities, Expertise France and Eduser support five public education centres.

The goal is to strengthen the social services provided to host communities and Syrian refugees. Language courses, personal and professional development, but also intercultural and entrepreneurship activities, referral services and even culinary workshops have been set up, allowing them to meet within the same space.

In total, 15,000 people have participated in the various training sessions, 35% of whom took language courses, 78% of whom were women, 75% of whom were of Syrian origin.

The QUDRA programme works with refugees, displaced persons and host communities in four countries bordering Syria: Jordan, Lebanon, norther Iraq and Turkey. The programme is funded by the Madad Fund for Syria and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and is implemented by a European consortium (Germany-GIZ, France-Expertise France, Spain-AECID, Hungary-HIA).

More information: www.qudra-programme.org