Bridging The Digital Divide
A key element of the “Millennium Development Goals” announced by the United Nations in 2000 is to increase well being and life quality. Increasing the capacity of societies in information and communication technologies plays a key role in achieving the development goals. The role of the youth, consisting the majority of the population is critical and the involvement of the youth is the driving factor facilitating the transformation towards the information society. To accelerate the e-transformation process, and to support the youth to actively participate in the process, United Nations Development Programme, Vodafone Turkey Foundation and Youth for Habitat Foundation cooperated for the implementation of “Bridging the digital Divide Project”.
We will reach 1 Million Young People
The project aims to develop the capability of the socio-economic wise disadvantaged youth in information and communication technologies and to engage them in the e-transformation process of Turkey, by providing European Computer Driving License (ECDL) trainings to a total of 1.000.000 young people from 81 countries, targeting to be the biggest computer literacy project in Turkey. As well as the web based European Computer Driving License training, a youth portal will be created which will enable 1.000.000 young people to gain knowledge on other youth activities and information technologies in Turkey and share information and experiences through the forums. Through the Education Management System to be built to assess the potentials of the trained young people and to gather data, a significant database regarding informatics and youth combination in Turkey will be formed.
Support to Teachers Project
The way to reach modern civilization level for the societies is quality education and training. The individuals can only cope with the difficulties of life with modern education. The countries should aim to develop an education system that will improve the talents, reinforce research and questioning skills. Governments, non-governmental organisations and businesses should strive for increasing the quality and coverage of education. The key element of the education system in our country is the teachers who will raise the next generations. It should be a part of our modern education system that the teachers develop themselves and follow up with the developments in science and technology. The Ministry of Education, Vodafone Turkey Foundation and Turkish Education Foundation have come together to implement Support to Teachers Project, aiming to equip our teachers with modern science and technology and increase the capacity of our children to deal with the problems that they encounter.
Project Based Learning
Within the scope of the Project, 160 teachers have been trained on "Project Based Learning". Project Based Learning, is a student focused system aiming to increase the analytical thinking skills of the students, giving them skills to deal with problems. In this process the students plan their personal learning processes by developing projects, take on responsibility and learn to cooperate with others. Training programmes have been prepared with the leadership of lecturers from Marmara University and Istanbul University.
160 Technology Classrooms in 160 Schools
160 technology classrooms have been built to run the project activities in an effective way. Equipment sets consisting of laptops, projectors, printers and smart boards have been donated to the schools.
Dreams Academy
Vodafone Turkey Foundation, UNDP and Ayder have initiated a project to break social deprivation and ensure disabled individuals to be active and productive by using arts.
This project also aims to develop a policy advisory note on local action for national follow up of Article 30 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled and the inclusion of recommendations in national planning instruments
Beneficiaries
Physicaly Handicapped, Mentally Handicapped, Hearing Handicapped, Visually Handicapped, Chronical Illness Groups, Disadvantaged Youth, Volunteers (Youngsters from in and out of country).
Project targets alternative talent improving workshops for disabled and disadvantaged. Workshops will have areas of interest as follows: Vocal Music, Rhythm, Dance, Instrument Playing, Music (DJ), Film, Animation
Summer Preschool And Family Support Project For Southeastern Turkey
The project aims to provide a fair-start to school for children coming from disadvantaged backgrounds in south-eastern Turkey and reduce regional disparities in educational attainment. The main objective of the program is to prepare 5 and 6 year-olds in south-eastern Turkey by supporting their language skills and cognitive development, thereby making their first few years of elementary education more effective. As part of the program, participating children's mothers are also provided with complementary mother support training and fathers are invited to the schools for informational sessions.
The project is started in collaboration with Mother Child Education Foundation and
aims to reach 900 children and 750 mothers through an intensive 9-week preschool
course that meets every day coupled with a parent training course for the mothers
that meets once a week throughout the same period. The project will be carried out
in 60 classes located inside primary schools of the Ministry of Education. 60 preschool
teachers will be trained for the project, hence developing capacity in the region
for delivering preschool training in future periods. The project will also provide
refurbishment for 35 preschool classes in this region.
Communication is Life, Let's Save our Future Together
The Vodafone Group Foundation has been conducting important activities on natural
disaster action with leading non-governmental organizations in the world. The Foundation
is also rendering guidance services to local foundations under its umbrella drawing
on its international experience, 'Is There Anybody Who Can Hear Our Voice? Communication
Is Life!' is a project that has been started in collaboration with the search and
rescue organization AKUT, a leading non-governmental oiganization in Turkey and
in the world, in line with the objects of the Vodafone Turkey Foundation.
Considering that Turkey Is located in an important seismically active region, it
is important to increase public awareness and to improve the skills of the public
in dealing with disaster situations. For this reason, training sessions will be
held on what should be done before, during and after an earthquake. A campaign truck
will call at all provinces throughout Turkey to reach 2 million people. Drama performances,
information seminars and exhibitions inside the truck will be used to increase public
awareness about disaster action.
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